Dragons: This Month's Book List From Woodinville Library

Sometimes a single book will be enough to inspire an entire list. I have loved the book “The Dragons are Singing Tonight” by Jack Prelutsky ever since I was small. Since I wanted to talk up this book and write a list at the same time, Jenna’s Dragon Booklist was born. So, beat the heat (or at this point should I be saying “oh please bring the heat”?) with these dragon reads. 

Kids

There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon by Jack Kent. Billy Bixbee wakes up to find a dragon on his bed. However his mother tells him that “there’s NO such thing as a dragon”, so Billy has to ignore the beast as best he can. As soon as Billy does this, the dragon begins to grow very quickly. Will Billy be able to convince his mother that there IS such thing as a dragon before the dragon grows to be too big for their house?

My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett. This book is a classic for the ages and the first in a short trilogy. A young boy decides to rescue an enslaved baby dragon from an island full of wild animals. The boy must find a way to free the dragon with only his wits and a backpack full of useful items.

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke. A dragon, a brownie and a young orphan boy go in search of a mystical dragon sanctuary hidden in the Himalayan Mountains named the Rim of Heaven. They are pursued by a dangerous creature called Nettlebrand, who sends magical spies to hamper their journey.

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. Princess Cimorene is bored silly with traditional princess activities. When she is betrothed to the utterly insufferable Prince Therandil she decides she would rather be eaten by a dragon and leaves her kingdom in search of adventure. This hilarious fairy-tale mash-up is the first book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. 

Teens

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley. Princess Aerin doesn’t feel she is very good at anything. One day, as she is reading dusty history books, she finds the recipe for a fire proofing ointment. With the help of her father’s lame war horse and a mysterious family sword, Aerin becomes a champion dragon slayer. Will she be able to defeat the terrible Black Dragon and earn her place in the kingdom?

Eragon by Christopher Paolini. Fifteen-year-old Eragon discovers a dragon egg and becomes the first person to bond with a dragon in ages. Eragon soon finds himself fighting for the destiny of the entire world of Aagaesia. A magical tale of adventure and courage, published when the author was only nineteen years old. Eragon is the first book in the Inheritance Cycle series.

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman. Eon wants to become an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune. Eon will have to train and battle all the other contenders just for a chance to be judged worthy by the dragons. There’s just one problem - Eon must hide that she is actually Eona. Girls are forbidden to compete for an apprenticeship.

The Saint of Dragons by Jason Hightman. Little do we know that dragons are not gone – they are just hidden among us. Simon St. George has never suspected that he comes from a family of famous dragon slayers. Then, one day, a strange man claiming to be his father spirits him away from his staid boarding school and throws him into the dangerous world of killing dragons. 

Nonfiction

The Dragons are Singing Tonight by Jack Prelutsky. Even people who are not poetry fans will enjoy this wonderful book by Prelutsky. Beautiful illustrations accompany short, simple poems all on the subject of dragons. Join in the dragon chorus and sit down with this book.

Dr. Ernest Drake's Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons by Dugald A Steer. Another popular book from the writers of the “-ology” series (Pirateology, Wizardology, etc). Join dragon expert and leading dragonologist Dr. Ernest Drake as he walks you through the habits, quirks and inner world of dragons. Highly detailed illustrations accompany Drake’s “research” in this comprehensive guide to all things draconian.

A Practical Guide to Dragons by Lisa Trumbauer. Readers can learn everything about the dragons that live in the Dragonlance series of books from “author” Sindri Suncatcher. Included in this book are physical traits of different dragon species, maps of their habitats and the all important combat skills for the savvy dragon slayer.

DragonArt Evolution: How to Draw Everything Dragon by Jessica Peffer. If you have a hard time finding a dragon to pose for you (or would rather not risk life and limb tracking one down), this book will show you how to draw dragons in exquisite detail. Learn to draw many different species of dragons from all over the world. The author and guide on your dragon sketching adventure hovers in the margins to give you tips and step-by-step instructions.

Adults

Joust by Mercedes Lackey. Lackey takes readers on a tale of magic and adventure through an Egyptian-like world. As a prisoner of war, Vetch is forced to perform slave labor for a cruel master. Suddenly he is discovered by Avi – one of the talented few warriors who can ride dragons as jousters. Avi takes Vetch on as his apprentice and Vetch begins to dream of training a dragon of his own.

Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Anne McCaffrey. Her popular Dragonriders of Pern series features people from a far away planet named Pern and the huge, telepathic dragons that protect them from a deadly biological threat called the Thread. Dragonflight is the official first book in this series, although if you want to go back into Pern’s early history you might start with Dragonsdawn.

His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. Captain Will Laurence has never dreamed of anything different than life in the British Navy. However, when he and his crew capture a rare dragon egg Will finds his life changing dramatically. Novik has re-imagined the Napoleonic Wars with aerial dragon forces fighting for both sides.

Dragons: Worlds Afire. This book features a selection of stories on dragons from a variety of authors and perspectives. Look for authors like R.A. Salvatore, Margaret Weis and contributions from the writers of the popular Dragonlance and Forgotten Realm series. A great way to find more books about dragons! 

Editor's note: Jenna Zarzycki is a student librarian intern at the . Check out her other book lists here.