Dragon's Future by Kandi J. Wyatt

 

This is copied from my post on July 8. 2015.  Check tomorrow's post to Celebrate this special anniversary.

From Goodreads:

Every child of Woolpren dreams of becoming one, but only a few are chosen. Now, ten-year-old twin brother and sister, Ruskya and Duskya, have been selected to join an elite group of riders: dragon riders. Full of awe and excitement, the twins leave their mother, and their home, to train for their new lives.

Fifteen years later, dragons are becoming extinct and riders are rare. One day, Ruskya is at the general store in town when a man announces that he is recruiting new dragon riders. Ruskya goes undercover, and discovers that there is another colony of riders with their own agenda—a quest to find a mysterious plant that could restore the dragon population, or destroy it. When a battle erupts between the two colonies, it’s up to Ruskya and his friends to fight for their dragons’ future, and their lives.

Follow Ruskya’s quest as he finds courage and friendship in this exciting middle grade fantasy series by new author Kandi J Wyatt.

My Thoughts:

Not since reading Christopher Paolini’s “Eragon” have I read a book about dragons that made me want to be a part of that world.  I felt myself wishing I could be in the procession and chosen by a dragon. The book is full of adventure, danger and courage.  All of these are qualities I look for when searching for books for my students to read.  The author has given special gifts to these dragon riders and used simple plants to create the magic that makes all of this work together.  I read this book much slower than I usually read because I wanted to savor every word and didn’t want it to end.  The world the author created was so well described and authentic I could visualize it.  There are subtle lessons and themes throughout the story about friendship, trust, courage and the abuse of power. This would fit right in with my first or second teaching unit on adversity because the characters face some of the most adverse situations ever.   It is at times an emotional read as you feel the pain the twins feel as the story of what happened to their father is slowly unfolded.  This author is truly gifted at feeding in back story a little at a time in just the right places to keep it flowing. She never creates an information dump.  The book ends with so many possibilities for future books I the series.  I can hardly wait for the next book.

Kandi Wyatt has created a story that keeps you flying high like her dragon riders, making this a story for everyone from the reluctant middle school reader to the adventure seeking adult. This is a book that should be on every fantasy shelf, in every school.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Genre: animals, dystopian, fables 
Source: I own a copy

Some of our students read Animal Farm in their history class last year. I felt it was time I reread the book since I plan to teach it in my English class this year.  George Orwell gives us a book that on the surface seems like a simple book of animals rising up against their owner due to his cruel treatment. If you actually read and analyze the book it is a mirror of a totalitarian society. This was Orwell’s way of protesting.

We have the story of Mr. Jones, a drunk who doesn’t feed his animals when he is drunk, which is often. Before Old Major the head pig dies he tells the animals that humans are evil. They take what they want and they don’t produce anything. He tells them they need to ban together. He dies and that is what they do. Unfortunately Napoleon and Snowball are the smart pigs. They begin twisting Old Major’s ideas to benefit themselves.  You can see where this is heading.  Orwell has shown what happens when people, or animals like Napoleon do things for the “good” of the people/animals, then become power hungry.  I hope my students like this as much as I did rereading this.

Never Be Alone by Paige Dearth

 

Genre: Adult, Realistic Fiction
Source: I Own A copy

This is a story for those who love a well written story about real life. I am not talking about the feel good, everything is wine and roses good.  This is another book in the Home Street Home series.  Be forewarned, it is a tough topic to read about.  It is a story in all of its hopelessness about looking for hope in the most dire situations. Joon is just eight years old when her parents die. She placed in a foster home. As she nears the door she becomes very afraid. She can tell something is just not right. The lady at the door talks a good game to the social worker, but Joon knows she doesn’t want to be there. It isn’t long before she find out how true her thoughts are. The moment the door closes the verbal abuse begins. The woman introduces her to her two new “brothers”.  Then the verbal abuse begins. The longer she lives with Aron and the boys the worse it gets. She is starved, beaten, and verbally abused.  She longs for school to begin where she can feel some normalcy. This isn’t going to happen.  Deen, the older boys sets her up at school to be hated, made fun of and lies about her at home.  Her bedroom is there only for use when the social worker will be paying a visit. Most of the time she is forced to sleep in the basement.  If she is lucky the dog sleeps with her. She is made to clean the house and then bow to Arons every cruel wish. When Deen makes it clear he is going to rape her she makes a decision that she feels is the lesser of two evils. She runs away.

This is a story where we learn so much about Joon and all that she is lost. Through it all there is that one tiny thread of hope that she holds onto.  I sat and read it through in one sitting, because it was that good.  Warning, it is graphic and full of violence, language and sexual situations. It is one of the most realistic things I have read. I am not sure I would have been a survivor like Joon.  I am definitely reading more of this author’s work.