Dealing with Dragons
(The Enchanted Forest Chronicles #1)

Gr 5-9-- The independent princess has been well established in modern children's books, but there can't be a dandier example than Princess Cimorene. Rangy, curious, energetic, matter-of-fact, she rolls up her sleeves and gets the job done with a happy disregard for the traditions of her role. Although her parents want her to stifle her improper interests in fencing, Latin, and cooking, the princess is not about to be forced into marriage with the vapid prince they have chosen. She throws herself wholeheartedly into a career as a dragon's princess, a respectable role, although not one for which one usually volunteers. As she fends off nosy wizards, helps out hysterical princesses, and turns away determined rescuers, Cimorene makes a firm place for herself in the dragon world. The story is full of excitement, sly references to the staples of fantasy and fairy tales, and good humor. Cimorene is of a sisterhood that includes Menolly, the dragonsinger of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonsong (Atheneum, 1976); and Avi's Morwenna of Bright Shadow (Bradbury, 1985), but Wrede's delightful voice is all her own. Her previous books have generally been played as YA or even adult fiction, but Cimorene is so much fun that once younger readers discover her here, many will want to search outthe earlier titles. One of these, Talking to Dragons (Ace, 1985) is narrated by Cimorene's son and introduces many of this book's main characters. --Sally T. Margolis, Park Ridge Public Library, IL