Today in BookTalk: Reviews by Young Readers, I’m thrilled to have Sarah Dukes with us to talk about Jessica Day George’s Middle Grade novel Dragon Slippers. Welcome, Sarah!
Hi, my name is Sarah, and I’m 13 years old! I’m very passionate about writing. With writing you can escape to a place you created. Somewhere with drama, humor, horror, romance or mythical creatures. A dream of mine is to become a published writer. I often day dream of seeing the reaction my book would bring to people when I write. Secretly I wish I could vanish into a book’s world.
I discovered that I also have a love for cooking. One afternoon when Mom told me to make lunch is when it all began. The only part of cooking I don’t like is washing all the pots and pans afterwards. What’s the fun in that?
Family is an important part of my life. They are always there to help me through hard struggles and rejoice with me when there is victory. Spending time with them is a blast. We take lots of mini vacations through-out the year and are very close to one another. My favorite vacation place we have visited so far is Disney World in Orlando, Florida. It’s a truly magical place!
Finally I believe music is words spoken through notes. When I was going into the 6th grade I decided to play the violin. Playing the violin is captivating. It makes you wonder how you can create such beautiful music just by touching down on a string. It’s a wonderful feeling. I’ve played once in my church for Veteran’s Day and have gotten a solo in a music camp I attended.
Review – Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George
In my spare time I soared on dragon wings and lived in Derda’s shop with Cleer. My head was nestled in the book Dragon Slippers.
The book is quite fascinating and is told AMAZINGLY!!! All 317 pages of it, keeps you wanting more. You feel the emotions of the character pull you in. At parts I wanted to strangle Larkin and Amalia for what they did.
It gets so intense that you have to hold yourself from skipping to the end. I enjoyed reading this book and so did my sister. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time!
It’s a GREAT story about dragons and what happens when unusual shoes get in the wrong hands. You’ll love it if you like reading fantasy, action, betrayal, and a pinch of romance!
Thanks, Sarah!! And now a few Q&A. Here we go!
Q&A
How do you choose a book? Is it the cover art that catches your interest? A recommendation from a friend? The jacket flap summary?
I know I shouldn’t do this, but I tend to choose a book on the cover art. Like food it must appeal to my eye before I devour it. If the cover looks good to me then I read the back to see what it’s about. I mentally check it over, and if it seems like the book for me I start reading. Sadly that doesn’t always work out the way I plan.
What kinds of books do you like to read?
Books that take me to far away places such as a dragon’s lair or in a castle. But I think what really wraps a book together is a bit of romance and excitement!
Where is your favorite place to read?
Somewhere where I can let my imagination run wild. Where I can get cozy and comfortable with my mp3 quietly playing background music. Most of the time it’s curled up on my bed. The room seems to disappear and is replaced in the book’s world.
Have you always liked to read?
Surprisingly, no. I didn’t always like to read. I think that when I didn’t like to read it was because it seemed hard and took a lot of work to enjoy. But I really enjoy reading now! It’s that first book that really sparks your interest and gets you started.
Do you have a favorite book? Favorite author?
My favorite book is: My Fair Godmother by Janette Rallison. It’s well told and leaves you smiling. I’ve found her to be my favorite author so far. The way she adds a bit of humor is like the icing on the cake…amazing. Most of her books are romantic comedies.
If a librarian asked you what type of book you’d like to see more of, what would you tell her/him?
I would like to see more appropriate romantic comedies and fantasy books. Ones with dragons, knights, and a damsel in distress.
Did you connect with the main character in Dragon Slippers? Why or why not?
I connected with Creel by the way she felt. Her feelings were similar to mine and very strongly expressed. I loved the way she was always ready to go forth with things. Very brave!
What part or scene from the book resonated with you the most? And why?
I would have to say the scenes of Creel looking at Theordus’ and Shardas hoards. They seemed so beautiful! When I pictured Theordus’ I thought of the Beast’s library from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast except filled with shoes. A whole room filled with shoes, you have to admit it’s a girls dream come true. I imagined Shardas’ to be a huge room circling up with stain glass windows. Shardas’ took my breath away with how I longed for it to exist. I wanted to make it real! It just sounded so amazing and captivating. I would’ve stood looking at the windows for hours.
We know that dragons aren’t real so how did the author make you believe in her fictional world?
The author described the dragons as if they were still in a cave waiting to be discovered. And the brilliant idea of why people never visited them anymore. The stories townsfolk made up about the “evil beasts,m” it just seemed so real. Once you get caught up in the fairytale you live in the world as one of the townspeople too.
Sarah, thanks for the review and sharing your insights.