The Book of Dragons

About the book

Nesbit's eight stories give dragons different sizes, temperaments, and opportunities to cause trouble. A magical book can release an alarming creature, a country can need rescue, and a familiar instruction can become unexpectedly important when fantastic circumstances test it. The stories combine fairy-tale settings with a conversational awareness of modern habits and institutions, allowing a practical detail to puncture ceremonial grandeur. Young protagonists frequently need ingenuity and kindness as well as bravery, while adults are not always the most reliable interpreters of danger. Each adventure has its own rules, so the pleasure lies partly in discovering what sort of dragon story is being told this time. The collection makes wonder playful without abandoning the consequences that give a child's decision weight within the invented world.

• Ingenuity
• Courage and kindness
• Unexpected responsibility

Why read it

For inventive dragon adventures whose humour leaves room for children to solve problems through practical attention and generosity.

Eight fantasy stories · English text