February 1, 2011
Gr 3-6-What if you turned into a fire-breathing dragon every time you got mad? That's the dilemma 15-year-old Princess Millie faces in E. D. Baker's novel (Bloomsbury, 2009). Not only does she turn into a dragon at the worst possible moment, she must also keep her affliction secret. Finding a suitor for marriage proves to be impossible, too. Then Millie finds out her birthday party has been moved to Upper Montevista, a faraway place where many of her friends won't be able to attend. The party turns out to be a disaster, but Millie hears about a Blue Witch who may be able to help her overcome her dragon problem-but she lives in the icy North. Zoe, a vampire friend who turns into a bat, and Cousin Francis accompany her on this perilous journey. The adventure that follows is where the story really picks up. Katherine Kellgren does a superb job of bringing the characters to life. The different inflections are fun to hear and easy to follow, but sometimes the pace is too rapid to relish the details unfolding in the story. Nevertheless, listeners will enjoy this installment.-Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL
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