Handbook for Dragon Slayers: A Middle Grade Coming-of-Age Adventure About a Princess with a Crippled Foot Who Battles Dragons for Children (Ages 8-12) - Hardcover

Haskell, Merrie

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0062008161 ISBN 13: 9780062008169

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2013

Synopsis

Like Gail Carson Levine's books, Merrie Haskell's middle grade fantasy adventure Handbook for Dragon Slayers mixes magic, mythical creatures, thrilling action, and a wonderful cast of characters.

Political upheaval sends Princess Tilda fleeing from her kingdom in the company of two hopeful dragon slayers. The princess never had any interest in chasing dragons. The pain from her crippled foot was too great, and her dream was to write a book. But the princess finds herself making friends with magical horses, facing the Wild Hunt, and pointing a sword at fire-breathing dragons. While doing things she never imagined, Tilda finds qualities in herself she never knew she possessed.

Handbook for Dragon Slayers is a deeply satisfying coming-of-age tale wrapped in a magical adventure story.

About this title

About the Author

 Merrie Haskell grew up half in Michigan, half in North Carolina. She works in a library with over 7 million books, and finds this to be just about the right number. Merrie's first novel, THE PRINCESS CURSE, was a Junior Library Guild selection. HANDBOOK FOR DRAGON SLAYERS is her second novel.

From the Back Cover

Tilda has never given much thought to dragons, attending instead to her endless duties and wishing herself free of a princess's responsibilities.

When a greedy cousin steals Tilda's lands, the young princess goes on the run with two would-be dragon slayers. Before long she is facing down the Wild Hunt, befriending magical horses, and battling flame-spouting dragons. On the adventure of a lifetime, and caught between dreams of freedom and the people who need her, Tilda learns more about dragons—and herself—than she ever imagined.

Merrie Haskell, author of The Princess Curse, presents a magical tale of transformation, danger, and duty, starring a remarkable princess as stubborn as she is brave.

Reviews

Gr 6-8-In this entertaining fantasy, 13-year-old Princess Matilda of Alder Brook yearns to abandon her royal responsibilities and run away to copy books in a cloister scriptorium or, even better, write a book of her own. Tilda never imagines how prophetic this is until she is taken hostage by her evil cousin Ivo, who is intent on wresting ownership of her castle away from her for himself. He believes it will be easy to take control of her principality because Tilda was born with a crippled foot and everyone believes she is cursed. He convinces her that no one in Alder Brook wants her as their princess. Secretly, Tilda is relieved because now she is free of her obligations and can make her own choices. With the help of Parzival, 14, a failed squire, and Judith, her loyal handmaiden, Tilda escapes, and they embark on a quest to slay dragons. During their adventures, the friends are captured and placed under a spell by a Bluebeard-like Lord who has buried seven wives and intends for Tilda to be his eighth. This fast-paced tale celebrates courage and perseverance. It refreshingly portrays Tilda as strong and intelligent yet flawed as she is forced to acknowledge her shortcomings and learn from her mistakes. Fans of Gail Carson Levine or Shannon Hale will be enchanted.-Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trentonα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journal. LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Wicked cousin Ivo imprisons 13-year-old Princess Tilda and plots to seize her family’s estate and castle. Tilda is secretly relieved to avoid returning home, where many of the superstitious locals fear her because she was born with a pigeon-toed and twisted foot. Escaping Ivo’s clutches, Tilda flees with two young friends. They are determined to find dragons and succeed beyond their expectations. After adventures involving magical horses as well as dragons, Tilda discovers that she cares about her home and her people more deeply than she knew. This accessible medieval fantasy features three likable young people, several imaginatively depicted magical animals, and a couple of dastardly villains. A surprising transformation scene provides Tilda with a new point of view and a catalyst for her change of heart. As in Haskell’s The Princess Curse (2011), elements from European fairy tales inspire parts of the plot. This engaging fantasy traces the adventures of a bookish but brave heroine. Grades 4-6. --Carolyn Phelan

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0062008161
• ISBN 13: 9780062008169
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336