There's just something about dragons

Kids from middle grade on up to young adult are flocking to fantasy these days--and who can blame them? With Harry Potter drawing reluctant readers to the book shelves, more publishers have stepped up and provided them with yet more reason to hang out. The Dragon Codex series is a great example. Though the entire series is 'authored' by R.D. Henham, R.D. has received a lot of help from various scribes along the way. One of these 'helpers' is Rebecca Shelley, who wrote the Red Dragon Codex, and Brass Dragon Codex--books designed for middle-grade readers with plenty of adventure but without some of the more mature themes in some fantasy books geared toward teens.

R.D. Henham is a scribe in the great library of Palanthas. In the course of transcribing stories of legendary dragons, the author felt a gap existed in the story of the everydragon: ordinary dragons who end up doing extraordinary things. With the help of fellow scribes, R.D. had filled that gap with the Dragon Codices.

The blurb for Red Dragon Codex:

Mudd lives a peaceful life in his small town, tinkering with the mill and any mechanical devices that he can find. But his peaceful life soon changes when, out of nowhere, a red dragon attacks, burning the town and kidnapping Shemnara, the village seer. Only one clue is left behind--a cryptic note telling Mudd, "Seek the silver dragon."

And for Brass Dragon Codex:

Never start a conversation with a brass dragon--it might never end! In another volume of the companion series to A Practical Guide to Dragons, orphaned baby brass dragon Kyani ventures out into the desert to find something to eat, and finds a gnome named Hector instead. Hector is not so sure he wants a chatty, hungry brass dragon following his every move. But several groups ready to go to blows over the marvelous invention Hector guards with his life, he may need the help that only a fun-loving brass dragon can provide.


An Amazon reviewer had this to say: Red Dragon Codex is a great fantasy story that includes not just dragons, but all kinds of magical creatures. The best part is that it is written specifically for middle grade readers. Girls and boys alike will love that the plot moves along quickly, and the story is full of action, thought and bravery. I grew to love Mudd, Hiera, Kirak, Greenthumb, and Iroden. I highly recommend this book.

Unfortunately, the publisher decided to stop this series before the entire series was published, but the good news is there are seven fun, clean titles you can search out at your local library (for your child or yourself), or buy for your personal library at home.