Rereading Dealing With Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

Linderwall was a large kingdom, just east of the Mountains of Morning, where philosophers were highly respected and the number five was fashionable. The climate was unremarkable. The knights kept their armor brightly polished mainly for show- it had been centuries since a dragon had come east. There were the usual periodic problems with royal children and uninvited fairy godmothers, but they were always the sort of thing that could be cleared up by finding the proper prince or princess to marry the unfortunate child a few years later. All in all, Linderwall was a very prosperous and pleasant place.

Cimorene hated it.

Cimorene is the youngest daughter of the king of Linderwall, very different from her six older sisters. She likes to learn magic and fencing, Latin, philosophy, and cooking. So when her parents try to force her to marry the rather dim-witted Prince Therandil, she runs away and becomes the dragon Kazul's princess. But the wizards are causing trouble with the dragons, and something's going on. It's up to Cimorene and her friends to find out.

This is one of my favorite middle-grade fantasies. Yes, it's easy, but it has a matter-of-fact and humorous way about that makes me reread it again and again. I love the character of Cimorene; she's untraditional, but really wonderful. Morwen the witch is also amusing, as is Kazul. Cimorene is a princess who doesn't hesitate to take her fate into her own hands. Dealing With the Dragons is the first of a series of four books, and while the other three are good too, it's definitely my favorite.

Read Dealing With Dragons:

• if you like fantasy, particularly with good dragons
• if you like stories with determined female protagonists
• if you're looking for an easy but entertaining read

212 pages.

 

Outstanding Book That Will Stay On My Bookshelf For Rereading (jf I own it)!