Dragon's Blood

By Jane Yolen,

Book cover of Dragon's Blood

Book description

Dragons are trained to fight to the death, and two determined teens help free them in this spellbinding saga.

Training a dragon to be a fighting champion is the only way to freedom for fifteen-year-old Jakkin.

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Why read it?

1 author picked Dragon's Blood as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

The setting drew me in immediately. Fifteen-year-old Jakkin lives in a penal colony world where the economy has formed around the training and fighting of dragons.

As a young slave boy, he decides to steal a baby dragon, which he’ll raise and train to fight and so earn enough money to buy his freedom. The world-building is exceptional, and I came to love the dragon ‘Heart’s Blood’ as much as Jakkin. 

From Chrys' list on great dragon characters.

The Thing to Remember about Stargazing

By Matt Forrest Esenwine, Sonia Maria Luce Possentini (illustrator),

Book cover of The Thing to Remember about Stargazing

Matt Forrest Esenwine Author Of Once Upon Another Time

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Ever since my parents gave me a copy of Dorothy Aldis’ The Secret Place and Other Poems, I have enjoyed a lifelong love of poetry. Now, as a traditionally-published children’s author, I have had numerous books and poems published over the years, including books that began as poems, like Flashlight Night (Astra Young Readers, 2017) and Once Upon Another Time (Beaming Books, 2021). My poems can be found in various anthologies including The National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry (N.G. Children’s Books, 2015) and Construction People (Wordsong, 2020) as well as Highlights for Children magazine.

Matt's book list on children’s poetry collections about animals

What is my book about?

What is the most important thing to remember about stargazing? When to do it, who to do it with, what to look for? It’s none of those! This picture book’s spare, lyrical text offers many suggestions for enjoying stargazing – but there’s really only ONE thing you need to remember, which is saved for the end.

Magical illustrations show kids and animals enjoying the night sky, and back matter about constellations completes this bedtime story with its underlying message of being in the moment.

The Thing to Remember about Stargazing

By Matt Forrest Esenwine, Sonia Maria Luce Possentini (illustrator),

What is this book about?

What is the most important thing to remember about stargazing? When to do it, who to do it with, what to look for? It's none of those! This picture book's spare, lyrical text offers many possible ways to do stargazing: with a friend, with family or alone; on a moonless night, or with a full moon, or even with some clouds; on the beach, lying in the grass or standing on a snowy hill. There is only one rule of stargazing, which is saved for the end, and that is just to do it! Magical illustrations show polar bears, whales…


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Penal Colonies 13 books
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