Once Upon a Dragon's Fire (Once Upon . . . #2)

PreS-Gr 3-An inventive fantasy featuring Freya, who is tan with brown hair, and Sylas, who is black-haired with pale skin, who are terrified by dragons until they set upon a quest that becomes an origin story. The villagers live in fear of dragons, spreading stories of horror and tragedy amongst themselves, though none have ever seen one. The intrepid protagonists discover just how wrong all this information is this during a cold storm, when the villagers believe the dragon is responsible for their circumstances. When Freya and Sylas meet the dragon face-to-face, all of what they read and heard melts away when faced with the truth. Bright digital artwork accompanies the text with hidden visual gems for those who seek it. VERDICT Themes of friendship, truth, and believing what one sees rather than what someone else says are valuable lessons imparted and shared. This is a heartwarming tale of friendship and discovery, and a compelling read-aloud.

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This sweet tale of adventure, courage, and compassion is a warmhearted reminder of the dangers of stereotypes and the power of perspective and hope....A page-turner of an adventure story about challenging preconceived notions and building empathy and compassion.