THE RETURN OF THE DRAGON

Actually, it’s young Hannah, Zachary and Sarah Emily who do the returning, as they come back to visit Fafnyr, the golden-scaled, three-headed cave-dweller first met in The Dragon of Lonely Island (1998). As before, Rupp offers three dragon tales imbedded in a larger story. Discovering that reclusive billionaire J.P. King has come to Lonely Island on a mysterious quest, the anxious children rush to warn Fafnyr. They hear tales of young people—an ancient Greek shepherd, a young squire dreaming of knighthood and a child fleeing with her family on the Underground Railroad—who receive rescue, as well as insights into not judging by appearances, right action and the real meaning of freedom, respectively, from an amiable dragon. Though by giving the dragon the power to cloud men’s minds, the author robs the climax of both suspense and a chance for the children to take any active role in foiling the menacing King, her fluent prose and savvy, lightly presented life advice make this as readable and thought provoking as its predecessor. (Fiction. 10-12)