The Dragon In The Library

I read The Dragon In The Library by Louie Stowell with my kids and we really enjoyed it! The 8 year old read chapters out loud, and the 12 year old listened to the opening few and said he’d never want to end up in a space book about meteors (you’ll have to read it to know what I’m referring to)!It’s a rip roaring MG adventure with a huge plot twist, a horrid villain, and characters that are so believable and loveable.Kit, the main character, breaks stereotypes, she’s cool, sassy and her voice is SO good. She thinks libraries and books are boring and boy does she learn they’re not! This story is full of adventure and mayhem and dialogue that’ll make you chuckle. Honestly, EVERY school and public library should have this book. In fact, I think every middle grader should! It’ll help them see books as portals to new worlds - which of course they are! .I loved the mention of various books and fairytales such as Baba Yaga’s, The House With Chicken Legs and the fact that the library was about to be closed down. The protests are something we can all relate to. My children and I recited some of the spells, hoping we could also hear the quiet (swipe to see pics of these scenes)! .Great friends, a horrible villain, a trusted guardian and a cute dragon-dog - what more could you want in a story?We can’t wait for book two!!

The Dragon in the Library is just as good as it sounds and I devoured it in one sitting. It has memorable, diverse characters, a strong voice and a message about the power of reading and libraries.The writing in this book is brilliant! It's funny, fast-paced and quirky, with a plot that kept my interest and took me by surprise. It's perfect for the target audience of 5 to 8 year olds but an engaging read for all.Davide Ortu's illustrations are gorgeous too. The characters are distinctive and expressive and the illustrations bring the vividly described settings to life.I also loved the characters. Kit is a brilliant protagonist who has agency, makes mistakes and grows through the book. She makes a great team with her friends, who are also well-developed and interesting in their own right. My favourite character is Faith. It's so refreshing to have a fleshed-out, likeable adult character in a book for this age range. She's smart, cool and has a definite Giles-from-Buffy vibe.It's great that this book leaves readers with such positive messages too: libraries and reading are vital and it's up to individuals to make a difference.I can't wait for the next instalment in this series and will read anything Louie writes.

This book is certainly to enjoyed by anyone aged 7 and up! I feel this is the perfect book for any child who is starting to show an interest in magic or dragons! The most wonderful friendship is shown through the book and also why it’s important to listen to whats said. This is the perfect book to read with your child, class or a 7 year old plus on their own. I know if I was a 7 year old I would love this book and be totally consumed by it - I would certainly want my own Dogon!❤️🐶🐉. This book will be staying firmly on our family book shelf.Thank you so much to Louie Stowell for writing such a fabulous book! Anyone know where I can get a cute pet dragon from please??

First of all, the illustrations are brilliant. They're fun and really add to the story.Now, the story. I want to be Faith when I grow up! There are no flat or 'meh' characters put in just for effect or statement which you do sometimes see "oh, I need to add an XX character really".The book itself is fun and fast-paced so there's no time to get bored. For me, the gem is the library itself, the library setting and the magic in between. I could see this being a series with Kit getting her cloak colours bit by bit and generally making things explode along the way. In short, this is a gem that needs reading!

I love this whole book series! Louie Stowell truly knows how to write a fun, engrossing tale that's fun for readers of all ages and has a lovely message about the magic and importance of books. This first installment of the Library series is filled with enough action and magic to thrill young MG readers, and jokes, witty banter and sly pop culture references for older readers to enjoy. I gifted this book to several kids over Christmas this year, and they gobbled it up in days asking for more. Good thing there's a sequel!