The Flight of Dragons

Gr 4—6—Cool, spooky music introduces this classic good-versus-evil battle that is replete with talking bats, oafish trolls, dragons, sweet young heroes, clueless royals, and a panoply of cantankerous villains. Most odious of all is "His Malignancy," a shapeless, frightening blob in the Jabba the Hut (Star Wars) mold, who lives to destroy the kingdom. Family names are important in this fantasy, and are clues to the characters. For example, Cankers are cruel as can be and Truehearts are loyal and brave. It's Gracie Gillypot's birthday, but when the Old Malignant One is awakened, the Five Kingdoms is threatened. Gracie must find the dragon's egg, left behind 80 years ago, to preserve the peace. Renee Rodman gives each character a distinctly different voice in Vivian French's tale (Candlewick, 2011). Filled with comic bits, this story can stand alone but would be better understood by those familiar with the previous three titles. An appealing addition to the pantheon of dragon tales.—Lonna Pierce, MacArthur Elementary School, Binghamton, NY