Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Dragon’s Egg
Fiction
For ages 8 to 12
HarperCollins, 2007 ISBN: 978-0061288487
Mella is the keeper of a herd of small domesticated dragons on her parents farm. It is a job that she inherited from her grandmother and she is the only person in the family who has “the touch,” the ability to calm, handle and manage the dragons. She is the only person that they trust.
Life on the farm is quiet and pretty predictable until the day when a Knight of the Order of Defenders turns up. He is looking for signs of “true” dragons - the really big dragons that is. Almost everyone believes that such creatures are myths and that they do not, and never did, exist. This knight seems to think otherwise. His squire, Roger, is not sure. But he would rather look for mythical dragons than die in a war so he stays with his master and looks for the signs that may or may not be there.
Mella is told to get some herbs from a local wise woman who lives in the forest. On her way she finds a strange rock inside a cave. She takes the rock, hiding it at home, and then goes back to the forest to finish her errand. Back in the forest she encounters a mortally wounded true dragon. Apparently it had an encounter with the knight. The enormous dragon tells her that the rock she took is actually an egg, a dragon’s egg. The dragon gives her the task of taking the egg to the dragon hatching ground and then the great creature dies.
Mella knows that she cannot go back on her word. Nor does she want to. So she sets off home to collect the egg and there she meets up with Roger, the squire. Roger is keen to help Mella get to the dragon hatching ground, and since it is several days journey away, she decides to let him join her.
What follows is an adventure filled journey in which the two young people are kidnapped, but manage to escape. Then they are imprisoned but a kindly shepherd sets them free. Then they are captured again, and escape yet again. All the while they are making their way towards the Dragontooth Mountains, and the terrain is getting harder and harder to manage. Will they be able to find the place the dying dragon told Mella to go to? And if they do what will they find when they get there?
In this gripping tale, a young girl not only goes on an unforgettable quest but she learns a great deal about herself and about the dragons which she is magically bound to. In this highly enjoyable book the author leads us on with great skill until she brings us to the startling and very gratifying conclusion.
