Dragon Slayers' Academy The New Kid At School

Written by Kate Mcmullan and Illustrated by Bill Basso

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Dragon Slayers' Academy The New Kid At School is an entertaining and adventurous chapter book. This is the first in a series of books under the Dragon Slayers' Academy. The books are about 90 pages long and include a few illustrations. At the end of the book there is a copy of the "DSA (Dragon Slayers' Academy) Yearbook," which includes a map of the academy and profiles the students, faculty, and other interesting characters.

Dragon Slayers' Academy The New Kid At School is about Wiglaf, the misfit (if the only normal) son of a cabbage farmer, who is sent to the Dragon Slayers' Academy by his parents with the hopes that Wiglaf will defeat a dragon and win his treasure stash. Unfortunately, Wiglaf is a bit tenderhearted and fighting does not come naturally to him. At one point he actually attacks his teacher's hairpiece instead of the stuffed dragon he is supposed to be practicing on. In the end Wiglaf has the "opportunity" to slay a dragon, and he does a very admirable, if unconventional job.

Since the arrival of Harry Potter, dragons and all things magical have become very popular. These books are a fun twist on the "fantasy" theme and are entertaining for both adults and children. Wiglaf's pig Daisy has a spell put on her which allows her to speak...however, she only speaks pig Latin...which is pretty creative. (Be forewarned---your children will love it.)

The pictures are fun as well and are quite detailed. For example, a picture showing Wiglaf's arrival at DSA has his pig Daisy looking off the drawbridge in the corner. There are a pair of eyes looking back at her. It's these little details both in the illustrations and writing that make the book a big hit.

As The New Kid At School is the first in a series, a lot of time is spent on developing background information. Subsequent books build on the information already given in the first book, allowing for more adventures and a faster pace. The New Kid At School is well worth owning.