The Tales of Westerford: Dragons, Knights, and Kings

Gr 4–7—Young Nat has always dreamed of becoming a noble and courageous knight and living a life filled with honor and duty. With his humble background, however, he is convinced his dreams will never be realized. A serendipitous discovery of a large egg changes everything, and Nat soon finds himself raising a young dragon. He christens his new companion Danby, and the two quickly become bonded. It isn't long before they have their first adventure, rescuing the kingdom from an invading army. When the king himself learns of their valor, Nat is propelled into the life he has always dreamt of. He sets his sights on winning the hand of the king's niece, Charis, and thus begins fulfilling his destiny. Womack's freshman entry is a strong middle grade fantasy. With short, fast-moving chapters, this is a classic adventure story of old delivered in small bites. This is well suited for those fantasy fans not ready to tackle heavier tomes or who are not inclined for more explicit violence.