Dactyl Hill Squad (Dactyl Hill Squad #1)

In this delightful historical fantasy set in a Civil War-era New York City in which dinosaurs never went extinct, a diverse band of orphans fight to save their friends from slavers and corrupt authorities. When the Colored Orphan Asylum is burned down during the Draft Riots of 1863, Cuban-born Magdalys Roja and her friends must escape the clutches of Magistrate Richard Riker. They soon find refuge in the Dactyl Hill community of Brooklyn, where they join a growing resistance against racism and oppression. Magdalys has a secret talent: she can communicate with dinosaurs, giving her team the edge they need to rescue their fellow orphans from Riker's plan to sell them into slavery. In this series opener, Older (Shadowshaper) weaves historical fact with dinosaur-inspired fancy to create a society in which people fly on the backs of pterodactyls, conduct naval warfare with mosasaurs, and use tyrannosaurs as destructive weapons. Rooted in real events and attitudes, and appended with facts about the time, this fast-paced adventure makes for a memorable tale in which numerous characters of color take the lead. Ages 8-12. Agent: Eddie Schneider, JABberwocky Literary Agency. (Sept.)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4-7--This epic, alt-history fantasy, set during the U.S. Civil War in July 1863, opens with a disgruntled Magdalys Roca, angry that the Colored Orphan Asylum matron demands she answer to the name Margaret Rocheford. Her immediate dilemma: Should she continue to resist the woman and miss the all-black cast performing a Shakespearean show, or should she attend with the rest of her friends? This is readers' first glimpse of the brave Afro-Cuban protagonist who lives in a dinosaur-filled world, where living in the North does not assure safety due to a booming international slave trade with the South. Unable to resist the lure of the show, Magdalys rushes to join the group, suddenly discovering a new power: the ability to communicate telepathically with the dinosaur pulling the wagon. This skill, combined with quick thinking, help her save several of the children when the theater and orphanage burn down, and to ensure they escape to the safe haven of Brooklyn. The children immediately become involved with the Vigilance Committee, serving as spies and watching Manhattan Kidnapping Club members who supply the slave trade. This first book in a series takes place within a few action-packed days, ending as the Squad prepares to leave on new mission to locate Magdalys's older brother, a Union soldier wounded in dangerous New Orleans. VERDICT This high-energy title is perfect for middle graders, with its strong female protagonist, a fresh perspective on history, helpful notes and resources, and an honest portrayal of the complex topics of race and gender.--Ruth Quiroa, National Louis University, Lisle, IL

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Advance Praise for Dactyl Hill Squad

"Daniel has imagined the unimaginable and in doing so sends readers on a dino thrill ride. I have been talking about this book nonstop! The kids, the dinosaurs, the Civil War, this book is true fire. It is everything I didn't even know I needed." -Jacqueline Woodson, National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

"An extraordinary adventure full of heart and imagination that adults will enjoy reading just as much as kids! This is the story that would've made me fall in love with reading when I was a kid." — Tomi Adeyemi, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Children of Blood and Bone

"In this Tyrexcellent historical realignment - fast paced, but deceptively packed with amazing detail - Older's uprising of sheroes and heroes grips, stomps, and soars from start to finish." -Rita Williams-Garcia, New York Times bestselling author of One Crazy Summer

"Dactyl Hill Squad is an engaging, lively adventure with a heroine I wish I were, in a world I didn't want to leave." -Jesmyn Ward, two-time National Book Award-winning author of Sing, Unburied, Sing

"This incredible story brings history to life with power, honesty, and fun." — Laurie Halse Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of Chains

"A crackling fantasy adventure full of thrilling scenes." — James McPherson, author of Pulitzer Prize-winner Battle Cry for Freedom

"As an historian of New York City, I'm thrilled with Daniel José Older's melding of the best of history and fantasy in Dactyl Hill Squad. I couldn't put it down! It was wonderful to see familiar people, places, and events in fantastic but still humanly true circumstances.What a perfect way to introduce history to a new generation of readers-I can't wait to share this book with my nephews.Thank you, Daniel José Older!" -Leslie Harris, author of In the Shadow of Slavery