Thomson, Sarah L.. Dragon's Egg. Greenwillow, 2007. ISBN 9780061288487. $16.99. 272p.
Reviewer: Kate Reynolds
Reading Level: Intermediate
Rating: Dependable
Genre: Fantasy stories;
Subject: Dragons--Juvenile fiction; Knights and knighthood--Juvenile fiction; Voyages and travels--Juvenile fiction; Books--Reviews;
Mella takes care of the herd of small dragons at her father's inn, until one day when a stranger--a Knight of the Order of Defenders--shows up and talks of dragons--real dragons like the old tales speak of. She wants to believe but isn't sure until she stumbles upon a real dragon egg. When the dragon caring for the egg is killed, she promises it that she will take the egg to the Hatching Ground. So she sets off with the Defender's squire (Roger) in tow to travel to the mountains in order to keep her word.
Mella is a likable enough character--young and stubborn and practical though not always willing to think things through. Roger has his heads in the clouds a bit but is rife with youthful insecurities. Mella isn't always kind or patient with her companion, but the two of them work well together and develop loyalty quickly.
The greatest flaw with this book is the ending. The action and characters are interesting right up until the last few chapters. Readers are told that Roger managed to secure a treaty between the dragons and humans, but not given any details. Likewise, there is no explanation as to why dragons and humans became enemies in the first place--there are hints at betrayal and broken promises, but the story is left untold making for a very dissatisfying ending. Overall though, the book is worth a few hours' distraction. A sequel fleshing out the dragons' past and the humans' future would be welcome.
Volume 28, no. 5 (May/June 2008)
