With the Dragon Wars over, Creel finds herself bored with life as a seamstress. Then word comes that a bordering country has been breeding dragons in preparation for an invasion. Never one to miss out on the action, Creel throws herself headlong into an adventure that will reunite her with Shardas, the king of the dragons, pit her against a vicious new dragon, and perhaps rekindle a friendship with Prince Luka. Funny, heart-felt, and action packed, new readers and returning fans alike will dive headlong into this exhilarating follow up to Dragon Slippers.
Children's Literature - Michele DeCamp
On the surface, Creel could just be another damsel living in a medieval village; after all, she is a successful seamstress with a massive crush on a prince. However, Creel is not an ordinary dressmaker. She is the one the country of Feravel turns to when a neighboring nation threatens war. She is the one who must negotiate with the king and queen of the dragons to ensure their allegiance. And she is the one who discovers who is really behind the curtain of what will become the second Dragon War. George's novel, a sequel to the well-received Dragon Slippers, is great fun with enough twists and turns to keep readers glued to their copies until the very end. George also avoids being too derivative of other popular dragon novels; her story is original and the dragons, who range from the evil Krashath to the queenly Velika, are distinct presences with human-like emotions. While the story's conclusion is as idyllic as a fairy tale (the Disney kind, not the Grimm versions), Creel gets her prince because of her intelligence and integrity, not her beauty. George has deftly managed to stay true to the archetypes of fantasy literature but she has a unique perspective to share and this novel, while intended for young audiences, will entertain older readers as well. Reviewer: Michele DeCamp
VOYA - Rachel Wadham
This sequel to Dragon Slippers (Bloomsbury, 2007/VOYA June 2007) continues the story of Creel and her dragon compatriots. With the Dragon Wars over, Creel has settled into running her dress shop and making clothes for the new queen-to-be while at the same time trying to ignore the cold shoulder she seems to be receiving from Prince Luka. Adventure soon pulls her out of this dull existence when news arrives that a neighboring country is preparing to invade with an army of dragons. Reuniting with old and new friends, Creel and Prince Luka marshal dragon and human forces alike to overcome an evil dragon lord who is bent on revenge. George creates a very satisfying sequel that adds just the right touches to complete the story. Creel is still a dynamic protagonist whose spunk and intellect ring true. In addition, each dragon character is expanded, and readers will enjoy their new motivation and depth. The clear conflict that leads to loads of tension in the book's last half makes a wonderful action-packed page-turner. Ultimately the conclusion with plenty of romance makes everything complete. Even though the pacing in the first half of the book is quite slow and the extended setting could have been more defined, this novel is excellent. It will find many genre fans. Reviewer: Rachel Wadham
School Library Journal
Gr 5-8 In this lively sequel to Dragon Slippers (Bloomsbury, 2007), plucky heroine Creel is again plunged into adventure. Citatie, a country in the south, has declared war on Feravel, and the soldiers are sure to succeed because they will be mounted on hundreds of dragons enslaved or bred for combat. Creel, an enterprising dressmaker and Feravel's resident expert on these winged beasts, begs the king to allow her to enlist the help of local dragons to try and stop the attack. She works with her friend Marta, a mute soldier named Tobin (Marta's fiancé), and Prince Luka (Creel's love interest)-and several winged comrades-to discover the true power behind Citatie's dragon force and to try to and save her homeland. This medieval fantasy, reminiscent of works by Patricia C. Wrede or Gail Carson Levine, is fast paced and entertaining, and filled with honorable, evil, and quirky characters-both human and dragon. Creel and Marta are both headstrong and enterprising, and their escapades make for an engaging read. This book stands alone, but readers familiar with the first title will better understand the details of Creel's world.-Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton
Kirkus Reviews
Creel, the heroine of Dragon Slippers (2007), has by now established herself as a seamstress, but she secretly longs for more adventure, as she confesses to her dragon pal Shardas. After being summoned to the palace because of her expertise and success in dealing with dragons, she finds herself embroiled in a war led by an evil dragon who has usurped power in a distant land and now threatens to conquer and dominate her own. Creel is feisty, brave, daring and loyal to her dragon friends. She is also in love with Prince Luka, the King's youngest son, who shares her adventures and accepts her as an equal. George endows each of the characters, human or dragon, with a unique personality, and although their tale is set in a distant, mythical past, these characters speak and act with a modern sensibility that makes them accessible to young readers. Action, danger, pathos and romance-this fantasy has it all. (pronunciation guide) (Fantasy. 10-14)
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