Dragons in a Bag

Dragons in the Bag unleashes imaginative fantasy creatures—yes, dragons—in the middle of present-day, gentrifying Brooklyn. The heart (and there’s a strong heart here) of the story is Jax, a Black protagonist. The book combines a real sense of place with magic, family mysteries, and an adventure challenge of managing a bag of dragons. I loved the way that the author, Zetta Elliott, created believable and lovable characters, such as Ambrose, an apparent homeless man, that drive the story forward in unforgettable ways. A solid read even for people like me who don’t normally pick up fantasy stories.  

If there’s anything that I love almost as much as witches, it’s dragons, so the combination of the two makes for perfect fantasy reading. I’m a sucker for a grumpy old lady witch, and this book is filled with fun and surprises and good-plans-gone-wrong as young hero Jax struggles to complete his task of seeing three baby dragons safely home.