Skip to main content

Ancient, Strange, and Lovely

By curlyq
Ancient, Strange, and Lovely
By Susan Fletcher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010. 315 pp. Juvenile fiction.

In this modern day continuation of Susan Fletcher's Dragon Chronicle series, Bryn and her young sister, Piper, carry on the traditional talent of kenning, or communicating mentally with birds. Her mother has disappeared without a word while carrying on scientific research in Alaska, and now the girls' father has also left to join in the search. Left alone with their aunt as temporary guardian, Bryn discovers a strange egg with some of her mother's research items. When the egg hatches suddenly, Bryn's life is changed forever as she struggles to care for and protect a baby dragon from the dangers of her world and those who would harm the creature.

I read and loved all the previous books in this series growing up, and it was a delight to read a new installment! I enjoyed the mix of modern and ancient and also liked the references to my home, Alaska. Something I missed in this book was more of a magical element--I would have liked to see more of a focus on Bryn's kenning ability and have the connection between her and the dragon further developed. The scientific elements were very interesting and a great addition to the story. All in all, this was a fast and delightful read and a must for anyone who's read the previous books. It also works as a stand-alone; no previous knowledge is needed to fully enjoy this modern-day dragon story.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An ABC of Flowers

By
An ABC of Flowers   by Jutta Hilpuesch New York, NY : Philomel Books, [2019] It turns out there really is a flower for every letter. This sweet book has a photograph of every flower and  a sweet cartoon illustration to go along with it. All your favorite flowers are here (forget-me-nots, mums, and sunflowers), along with some you probably haven't heard of before (billy ball, kalanchoe, xeranthemum?).  This is a perfect book for reading together, and readers of any age will enjoy every page. Don't miss this great springtime alphabet book. 
Post a Comment
Read more

From Story Time: The Letter "B"

By
From Monday Book Babies Bird, Balloon, Bear By Il Sung Na Alfred A. Knopf, 2017.  Picture Book. Bird is new to the forest, and he’s looking for a friend. Bear could use a friend, too. But Bird is too shy to introduce himself. Just as he musters the courage to say hello . . . it’s too late! Bear has already found a friend: a bright, shiny red balloon. Has Bird missed his chance?  From the acclaimed Il Sung Na comes a charming and beautifully illustrated story about courage, kindness, and friendship.  --Publisher From Monday Cuentos El primer día de un colegio Texto de Adam Rex Ilustraciones de Christian Robinson Traducción de Teresa Mlawer Editorial Corimbo, 2017.  Spanish Picture Book. Aquel verano, cuando terminaron de construir la escuela Frederick Douglass, el edificio comenzó a hacerse muchas preguntas: ¿Cuál será mi destino? ¿Quién vivirá entre mis paredes? ¿Para qué me utilizarán? Através de sus conversaciones con el conserje y t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Display: Out of this World Books Found Here

By
Hello By Aiko Ikegami Berkeley, CA: Creston Books, 2019. Picture book. In this wordless picture book, an alien visits Earth, makes friends with a little girl, and returns to his home planet to share his experiences. - Publisher We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang Toronto: Tundra Books, 2024. Picture book. When three mysterious visitors from "Europe" crash-land in Mr. Li's field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their "car". No, there's nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they "make business", "play sportsball" and "wear hat". As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high. - Publisher Greetings Floof! Written by C.J. Hong Illustrated by A.J. Smith Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2024. Picture book. Floof from planet Ploof has landed! And it...
Post a Comment
Read more