Thomas and the Dragon Queen

Small in stature yet stout of heart, Thomas leaves his large, loving family to be a page in the King's Company. When his peers at the castle mock him for his size and lack of abilities, the 12-year-old becomes more determined than ever to prove his mettle and earn his knighthood. After two years of training, the king knights Thomas and sends him on a perilous quest to rescue his daughter, who has been abducted by an allegedly fearsome dragon queen. Crum's (Thunder-Boomer!) adventure kicks into high gear as Thomas sets off for the dragon's remote island. En route the earnest boy overcomes his self-doubt about his skills and bravery to slay a vicious sea monster. The tale's tone lightens appreciably when Thomas reaches the dragon queen's island, where the kidnapped princess has been put to work as nursemaid to the unexpectedly benign beast's brood of endearing "dragonlets." Wildish's (Jacob O'Reilly Wants a Pet) high-spirited b&w cartoons enhance the ample action and humor of this taut fantasy, which culminates in Thomas's triumphant homecoming. Ages 710. (July)

Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

Gr 3-5--In this medieval tale, pint-size Thomas, 12, finds that he has been elevated from squire to knight against all odds. To put it simply, he's too young, tiny, and inexperienced for such an important position. He can't even hold a proper sword. Yet the king has requested that he liberate the princess from the clutches of the feared dragon queen: all the big knights are off battling the enemy. Thomas sets off on old Bartholomew the donkey because he's too short for a horse. He learns that he must defeat a monster along the way, one that has sent many a good warrior to his grave. In a quest that is full of peril and adventure, Thomas must face everyone's worst nightmare: Does he have what it takes? This endearing story is both heartwarming and full of surprises. Thomas learns that a boy cannot be judged by his size or his intentions, but by the decisions he makes and the trials he must overcome. What sets this story apart from other knightly tales are the unusual size of the hero, the tools--or lack of tools--he has for fighting evil, and the delightful events awaiting him once he finds the princess. Expressive illustrations, many of them spreads, accompany each chapter. Memorable characters enrich the realm by giving purpose to the hero's ordeal. This is a must-read.--Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL