The Dragon's Child

It seems that Nimmo cannot fail to craft fiction that has a genuine sense of wonder for the young reader. Dando the dragon child finds himself deserted by his mother in a deep cave beside the sea. Threatened by the fearsome Doggins, creatures who 'like nothing so much as a game of catch and torment', Dando is befriended by Manon, an orphaned slave girl. There is a beautiful ebb and flow to their shared adventures as they seek to elude one human or animal predator after another. The Welkin People, Lord Drum, Lady Bolda and Great Smould make up a bewitching galaxy of fantastical characters guaranteed to enthral this age range. Given this is a narrative steeped in the mythical powers of fire-breathing, flying dragons, Marks's illustrations on every page enhance the magic and the text has a satisfying large typeface.