By Carrie Vaughn
Harper Teen, $16.99, 309 pages
Voices of Dragons is set in modern day but with one glaringly obvious difference; there is a dragon community just across the border! The town’s people don’t know if the dragons are friendly but shy, or if they are planning an attack on the humans. Dragons and humans have been mortal enemies for hundreds of years but no one has ever questioned why until Kay Wyatt falls into a raging river and is rescued by a dragon named Artegal. They become fast, secret friends and over many months teach each other their languages, history and Kay finally gets to fly on his back. Written by adult fiction author Carrie Vaughn, Voices of Dragons is her first novel for young readers and it does not disappoint. Current political and military issues plaguing this country aptly portrayed into this lighthearted fantasy teaching us that sometimes being inquisitive and honest is the only answer to life’s most difficult matters and ultimately is the simplest solution. Superbly written, engaging with just enough balance of dialogue and action to keep the story flowing and the pages turning!