The Dragon's Apprentice
The Dragon’s Apprentice
James Riley
Random House, 2025
229 pages
Grades 3-6
Fantasy
Our story begins with an except from the journal of Bianca of Skael, an apprentice to the dragon Scorch, who is teaching her magic. A young girl named Ciara finds the journal. Although it was written in the past and Bianca must be long-gone, Ciara secretly tries to teach herself magic in order to heal her mother from the Skael Cough of which she may die. The evil Warden is withholding much needed medicine from the villagers and forcing them to work in the mines, which is literally killing them. He wants to get his hands on Bianca’s diary in order to learn the magic himself. When he discovers that Ciara has possession of the important book, he readies to kill her. Luckily, the book is able to summon the sleeping Scorch, who teaches Ciara enough magic to save herself and hide from the guards. Now she must rescue her mother and save the village from the Warden’s wrath. Only, she tends to go half-cocked and Scorch eventually forbids her to do magic. Should she still try to save the day and risk losing her tenuous relationship with her new dragon teacher?
Alternating points of view tell the story of Ciara and her new relationship with dragon Scorch—with excepts from Bianca’s journal as an extra layer. Veteran fantasy author, Riley tells a fresh tale of magic with adventure and humor thrown in for good measure. Ciara is a likable protagonist and readers will immediately identify with and root for her. She must save the day with courage and moxie and fearlessly pushes herself perpetually forward. The reading level is in that hard to reach place, higher than introductory chapter books, but lower than most middle grade, placing it as an excellent choice for kids not quite ready for Harry Potter or Rick Riordan. There are no illustrations, which will challenge some readers who have come to rely on them, but the plot is so rollicking, they may not notice. Riley includes some spells in the back that I am guessing readers will give a try at home. Who wouldn’t want to learn magic from a dragon, even if he is a bit cranky? There is an immediate hook to the book and readers will fall into it’s pages. Though the main arc of this story is satisfied, the author leaves many plot-points dangling, leading readers to the next installment in the series, Revenants Return, released this past February and already a hit at my library.