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LEV
A Tale of Two Castles (age 8-11)
by Gail Carson Levine
fantasy ... mystery ... knights/castles/dragons
Publisher comments: Newly arrived in the town of Two Castles, Elodie unexpectedly becomes the assistant to a brilliant dragon named Meenore, and together they solve mysteries. Their most important case concerns the town's shape-shifting ogre, Count Jonty Um: Someone is plotting against him. Elodie must disguise herself to discover the source of the threat amid a cast of characters that includes a greedy king, a giddy princess, and a handsome cat trainer.
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DIT
Kenny and the Dragon (age 8-11)
by Tony DiTerlizzi
knights/castles/dragons ... fantasy ... friendship
Publisher comments: What do you do when your new best buddy has been designated a scourge by the community and marked for imminent extermination? Just ask Kenny Rabbit. When the simple folks in the sleepy little village of Roundbrook catch wind that there's a dragon running loose in the countryside, they get the wrong idea and the stage is set for a fight to the death. So it's up to Kenny to give his neighbors front-row seats to one of the best-known battles in history, the legendary showdown between St. George and the dragon, without losing a friend in the fray.
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THO
Dragon's Egg (age 8-11)
by Sarah Thomson
adventure ... fantasy ... voyages/journeys ... knights/castles/dragons
It is a rare talent, and only she can care for the Inn's herd. She feeds them, gathers their eggs, and tends to their injuries. But Mella dreams about the dragons of legend, even though hardly anyone believes they still exist. Dragons are small farm animals, not huge fire-breathing monsters. Everyone knows that. Until one day changes everything. A Knight of the Order of Defenders arrives at the Inn. Signs of the mythical dragons have led him there, he says. Then a simple errand takes Mella through the forest, where she stumbles across a dragon's egg...and faces the true, terrifying dragon guarding it. On the spot, Mella vows to get the egg safely to the fabled Hatching Grounds. She must leave her home for the first time, and she finds an unlikely companion in the Defender's squire, Roger. For Mella and Roger, this one day is the beginning of an adventure. Where will it take them?
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PRI
The Lily Quench Series (age 8-11)
by Natalie Jane Prior
knights/castles/dragons ... adventure ... fantasy
As a family of dragon slayers, the Quenches of Ashby have always been burning successes... until the evil Black Count invades, and the family's fortunes go into a downward spiral. Then a dragon unexpectedly arrives and Lily, the last of the Quenches, is called upon to fight it. Soon she finds herself on a desperate, magical quest to save Ashby from destruction and restore the lost heir to his throne....
title: Lily Quench and the Dragon of Ashby
title: Lily Quench and the Black Mountains
title: Lily Quench and the Treasure of Mote Ely
title: Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor
title: Lily Quench and the Magicians Pyramid
title: Lily Quench and the Hand of Manuelo
title: Lily Quench and the Search for King Dragon
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MCA
Digory and the Lost King (age 8-11)
by Angela McAllister
fantasy ... humor ... adventure ... knights/castles/dragons
King Widget has vanished, and once again Digory must give up his simple life of writing poetry and playing his lute to set off on a quest to find the beloved King. As usual, Digory’s journey is not without hazard, and Digory must find his courage in order to save the day. With some mud-slinging, a short stay in a dungeon, and (of course) dragons, Digory and the Lost King is a delightful companion to Digory the Dragon Slayer.
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MCA
Digory the Dragon Slayer (age 8-11)
by Angela McAllister
fantasy ... humor ... adventure ... knights/castles/dragons
Nothing much ever happens to Digory during his walks through the forest. He mostly plays his lute and writes beautiful songs to sing. But one day, he finds a dragon’s tooth and his village assumes he’s slayed a dragon! They immediately make him a knight and send him off in search of other dragons to slay. Will Digory be able to face a snarling dragon but live to be an ordinary boy again?
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MAY
Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe (age 8-11)
by Marianna Mayer
knights/castles/dragons ... historical
The Saxon knight Ivanhoe returns from the Crusades to a chaotic England ruled by the enemies of the absent King Richard the Lion-Hearted and finds himself disowned and dishonored, forced to fight for his name and the people he loves.
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DRA
The Dragonsdale Series (age 8-11)
by Salamanda Drake
knights/castles/dragons ... fantasy ... animals
Imagine a stable full of dragons! A place where a group of young girls are busy grooming the beautiful beasts and getting them ready for competition--with all the ups and downs, all the drama that inevitably results! Dragonsdale is such a place. The stable is run by Cara's father, but, after a tragic dragon accident in which her mother lost her life, Cara herself is strictly forbidden to fly. Yet she cannot resist the lure of the magical fire-breathing creatures, and so in secret she trains Skydancer, her rare, wild Goldenbrow dragon, and dreams of the day when she, too, can take flight.
title: Dragonsdale
title: Riding the Storm
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CHE
The Enchanted Book (age 8-11)
by Ruth Chew
knights/castles/dragons ... folklore ... fantasy ... magic
Instead of making another copy of the King Arthur book, the magic words whisk Serena and Jay back to the time of castles, knights, dragons, and magic.
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CRE
The Castle Corona (age 8-11)
by Sharon Creech
fantasy ... knights/castles/dragons ... family
Long ago and far away . . . There was a castle. But not just any castle. This was a castle that glittered and sparkled and rose majestically above the banks of the winding Winono River: the Castle Corona. And in this castle lived a family. But not just any family. This was the family of King Guido: rich and royal and . . . spoiled. And King Guido was so spoiled that neither jewels nor gold nor splendid finery could please him, for what he longed for most was . . . a nap and a gown that didn't itch. Far below this grand, glittering castle lived two peasants. But not just any peasants. These peasants, though poor and pitiful, were plucky and proud. And in possession of a stolen pouch. But not just any pouch. A pouch whose very contents had the power to unlock secrets and transform lives . . .
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KRE
The Dragon Circle (age 8-11)
by Stephen Krensky
adventure ... knights/castles/dragons ... magic
The magical Wynd family becomes involved with dragons needing help in recovering treasure lost centuries before at the bottom of a lake.
sequel: The Witching Hour
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HAS
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (age 8-11)
by Selina Hastings
magic ... knights/castles/dragons ... folklore
Retells the story of Gawain's quest for the Green Chapel and his puzzling encounters with Sir Bercilak and his lady.
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COW
How to Train Your Dragon Series (age 8-11)
by Cressida Cowell
growing up ... humor ... knights/castles/dragons
Meet Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III, heir of the Viking chiefdom, but a boy with one very big problem: a hero he is not. How to Train Your Dragon is the riotous story of Hiccup's quest to hunt down the fiercest dragon, bring it into submission, and (hopefully) pass his initiation. Instead, he ends up with the smallest, most ornery dragon ... it's even toothless! Thus begins the hijinx of the world's most lovable, unlikely hero and a most reluctant "beast."
title: How to Train Your Dragon
title: How to Speak Dragonese
title: How to Twist a Dragon's Tale
title: A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons
title: How to Cheat a Dragon's Curse: the Heroic Misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III
title: How to Break a Dragon's Heart: the Heroic Misadventures of Hiccup the Viking
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GRA
Falcon's Egg (age 8-11)
by Luli Gray
growing up ... family ... magic ... knights/castles/dragons
Eleven-year-old Falcon has just found a mysterious egg in Central Park--a dragon's egg, though she doesn't know it yet. And when the egg hatches, magic will hatch with it. Falcon will begin to see her hectic life and eccentric family in a different and altogether more joyous way. After all, when magic comes into someone's life, it comes for a reason.
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STE
Backyard Dragon (age 8-11)
by Betty and Samuel Sterman
fantasy ... friendship ... knights/castles/dragons
With the help of three friends, a young boy and his grandfather help a fifteenth-century Welsh dragon find its way home.
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NIX
The Seventh Tower Series (age 8-11)
by Garth Nix
knights/castles/dragons ... fantasy
In the first of this series, The Fall, Tal lives in the Dark World, high in a mountaintop castle, isolated in darkness. He does not think to question the status quo. And then one day he tries to steal a precious sunstone, the only way of assuring his family's position among the Chosen people of The Seventh Tower. After his attempt fails, he falls from the castle straight into the unknown.
title: The Fall
title: Castle
title: Aenir
title: Above the Veil
title: Into Battle
title: The Violet Keystone
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SCI
The Time Warp Trio Series (age 8-11)
by Jon Scieszka
knights/castles/dragons ... fantasy ... humor
In the first installment, Knights of the Kitchen Table, Joe, Fred, and Sam are sent back in time by a magic book, they find themselves face-to-face with giants, dragons, wizards, and the Knights of the Round Table. Each book finds our trio in another wacky time travel adventure.
title: Knights of the Kitchen Table
title: The Not-So-Jolly Roger
title: The Good, the Bad, and the Goofy
title: Your Mother Was a Neanderthal
title: 2095
title: Tut, Tut!
title: Summer Reading is Killing Me!
title: It's All Greek to Me
title: See You Later, Gladiator
title: Sam Samurai
title: Da Wild, Da Crazy, Da Vinci
title: Hey Kid, Want to Buy a Bridge?
title: Marco? polo!
title: Me Oh Maya
title: Oh Say, I Can't See
title: Viking It and Liking It
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ROD
The Rowan Series (age 8-11)
by Emily Rodda
magic ... fantasy ... adventure ... knights/castles/dragons
Because only he can read the magical map, young, weak and timid Rowan joins six other villagers to climb a mountain and try to restore their water supply, as fears of a dragon and other horrors threaten to drive them back.
title: Rowan of Rin
title: Rowan and the Ice Creepers
title: Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal
title: Rowan and the Travelers
title: Rowan and the Zebak
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EAG
Half Magic (age 8-11)
by Edgar Eager
knights/castles/dragons ... magic ... fantasy ... adventure
Four children looking forward to an ordinary summer enjoy a series of fantastic adventures by double-wishing on an ancient coin.
sequel: Magic by the Lake

Sat Aug 25 11:55:25 2012
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