Dragonhaven

Horn Book

In her customary way McKinley evokes a complete, detailed alternate reality . . .

Publishers Weekly

Set in a world nearly identical to our own-except for the existence of Draco australiensis(gigantic, reclusive, fire-breathing dragons who raise their infants in marsupial-like pouches)-this big, ambitious novel marks a departure of sorts for Newbery Medalist McKinley, whose previous works take place either in the realm of fairy tale and legend (Spindle's End) or the magical land of Damar (The Hero and the Crown). But fans will instantly recognize its protagonist, the tightly wound and solitary Jake, as classic McKinley. On his first-ever solo expedition in remotest Smokehill (the Wyoming dragon preserve and national park where he was raised), Jake stumbles across the single surviving newborn of a female dragon slaughtered by a poacher. Jake takes on the challenge of raising the orphaned creature, describing the process in minute and loving detail ("She was hopeless as a lapdog-the wrong shape, and she was too thick-bodied to curl properly-but she'd lie pretty contentedly on my bare feet, or behind my ankles-that's whenshe was willing . . . to lie down at all. She went on wanting skin [contact], and she still spent nights lying against my stomach"). When Jake attempts to reintroduce the dragon to her own species, a brave new era of dragon-human relations begins. One quibble: because Jake tells the story as a memoir, some climactic moments tend to be relayed at arm's length. On balance, McKinley renders her imagined universe so potently that readers will wish they could book their next vacation in Smokehill. Ages 12-up. (Sept.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

VOYA - Natalie Solski

Fans of realistic fantasy/science fiction will enjoy McKinley's latest work. Taking a fresh twist on the traditional dragon tale, Dragonhaven is a believable story led by a strong teenage protagonist. The dragon's playful antics will strike a chord in anyone who has ever loved a pet. The author does an excellent job of fleshing out her characters, yet some readers might find the detailed background information in the first chapter somewhat tedious.

VOYA - Rebecca Moore

In an alternate America, fourteen-year-old Jake's life is turned upside down when on his first solo overnight in the Smokehill preserve, he finds a dying dragon by the mangled body of a would-be poacher. What is worse is that the dragon has just given birth, and one of the dragonlets is still alive. Jake knows that it is illegal to save a dragon's life. He knows that he could ruin his own life, his father's struggling dragon-study institute, and Smokehill itself-to say nothing of its highly endangered dragons. He picks up the dragonlet and names her Lois. In the years that follow, while a crusade by the poachers' parents threatens all Jake holds dear, Jake learns the trials of trying to raise his dragon-daughter in secret-and that there is more to dragons than anyone ever suspected. McKinley effortlessly works a realistic animal epic as in The Yearling (Scribner's, 1938) into a traditional fantasy, creating a tale that will linger long with thoughtful readers. At a leisurely pace, McKinley offers a seamless, believable world, a self-deprecating narrator whose voice never hits a false note, and a poignant message. Most important, though, she manages to find a fresh angle on a much-overworked topic-Lois is an utter delight. Only the book's awkward structure precludes a 5Q. The climax comes too early, and the last quarter is a years-later epilogue that would have worked better in a sequel. Recommend this one to readers who like stories that they can sink into and to those who prefer world building and character to action.

VOYA - Rachel Jiang

Breaking the traditional fantasy mold, this novel portrays dragons as a scientific, not-so-magical endangered species, which makes the plot captivating and easier to connect with. Humorous images and hilarious vocabulary whisk the reader through the pages. As bumbling, babbling dragonet Lois grows up, her house-pet actions bring her out of the book and into the reader's backyard. Teenagers will enjoy the relaxed way Jake tells about his harrowing adventures with his fire-breathing friends.

VOYA - Serena Liu

McKinley's explores the well-worn theme of dragons from an original perspective, introducing readers to a futuristic world that still retains many familiar aspects. The dragons, Lois in particular, are well-developed, captivating characters that enliven a somewhat leisurely plot. The story is unique, providing an interesting take on dragons and their care; it will probably appeal most readily to dragon-lovers or those interested in the genre.

Children's Literature - Sharon Oliver

Jake has spent his entire life at Smokehill, a wilderness refuge for dragons. In this alternate future, dragons have become an endangered, feared and little-seen species. On Jake's first solo overnight camping trip into the wilds of Smokehill, he stumbles across a dying dragon and a dead poacher. He also finds the sole survivor of the dragon's newborn litter. Though there are laws against assisting dragons, Jake saves the dragonlet's life, an action that changes the lives of everyone at Smokehill. While definitely a book for the lover of dragon stories, much of this story is Jake's journey into adulthood. The responsibility of caring for a dragonlet accustomed to living in its mother's pouch are demanding for Jake and those close to him. He begins to experience headaches that he comes to realize are communications from the dragons. When a threatened dragon snatches Jake and the dragonlet, he comes to learn much more than he ever anticipated about dragons and their mythology. This mix of fantasy and realistic fiction will have appeal for a wide range of readers. Reviewer: Sharon Oliver

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up
A novel set in an alternate contemporary world. Viewing dragons as fire-breathing, non-sentient animals with gigantic appetites for livestock, humans have hunted them for centuries, and now they survive only in a few wilderness havens. Jake Mendoza has grown up at one such haven, the Smokehill National Park in the American West, and has inherited his scientist parents' commitment to the park's secret inhabitants. When he rescues an orphaned baby dragon, he sets in motion a cascade of events that may eventually save these top predators from extinction. Readers will find the book to be less about the joys of the human-dragon bond and more about the challenges of raising an infant and communicating in a vastly different language. As an exhausted Jake explains, he is the first human in history to find out that a marsupial baby dragon out of its mother's pouch still expects a round-the-clock source of food, warmth, and company for over a year. Also, their telepathic communication gives Jake and his fellow Smokehill residents debilitating head-aches, and no one on either side is ever entirely sure they've got the message right. Once readers get through Jake's overdone teenage diction in the first few chapters, they will be engaged by McKinley's well-drawn characters and want to root for the Smokehill community's fight to save the ultimate endangered species.
—Beth WrightCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.