Dragons and Mythical Beasts
A Mini-Bibliography for Children in Middle Grades
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Cassette Books
The Boggart by Susan Cooper.
RC 36547.
The Boggart is an ancient, pesky, but good-hearted spirit who lives in a Scottish castle. That is, until he is inadvertantly trapped by Emily Volnik, whose family inherits the castle and brings the Boggart to Canada. Dismayed at first, the Boggart quickly adjusts once he realizes that there is lots of ice cream and other treats to steal. But the Volnik's are driven to their wit's ends by a plague of missing items and practical jokes. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
The Boggart and the Monster by Susan Cooper.
RC 46299.
In this companion to The Boggart, the Volniks return to Scotland to visit Castle Keep, which they sold to Mr. Maconochie. When Mr. Maconochie travels with Emily and Jessup Volnik to Loch Ness, the Boggart tags along, hiding in the camping gear. Soon he feels a connection to his cousin Nessie, and strange things begin to happen. For grades 4-7.
The Book of Dragons by E. (Edith) Nesbit.
RC 55130.
Eight stories about dragons. In "The Deliverers of Their Country," two children try to wake St. George when a plague of dragons descends on England. For grades 4-7.
Creatures of the Cosmos by Catherine Crook de Camp.
RC 15033.
Eight imaginative stories about beasts that never were. The tales are spiced with magic, terror, fantasy, and adventure for animal lovers and science-fiction fans. For grades 4-7.
The Dragon of Og by Rumer Godden.
RC 19719.
For hundreds of years the gentle Dragon of Og has quietly eaten an occasional bullock from the herd of the lord of the castle. No one has minded because the Dragon brings luck to the countryside. But the lord, a stubborn and stingy man, declares war against the Dragon and hires a courtly knight to kill him. A witty story based on an old Scottish legend. For grades 4-7.
Dragon’s Boy by Jane Yolen.
RC 35389.
Drawing on Arthurian legend, the author tells of the education and coming-of-age of thirteen-year-old Artos (Arthur). Old Linn (Merlin) is to be his teacher, but, doubting he can capture the boy's attention, Old Linn constructs a fire-breathing dragon as a facade. Artos then discovers the dragon's identity and becomes angry. Soon Old Linn explains Artos's lineage to him and hints that the boy is destined to become a leader. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
Dragon’s Milk by Susan Fletcher.
RC 36623.
Kaeldra is tall and fair, and has never been accepted by her foster mother. Kaeldra's own mother was a dragon-sayer, an inherited ability hidden from Kaeldra until her foster sister becomes gravely ill and can only be cured by dragon's milk. When a mother dragon is killed, Kaeldra takes the three orphaned draclings and searches for a new family for them—against the wishes of evil men determined to stop her. Violence. For grades 5-8 and older readers.
The Dragonslayers by Bruce Coville.
RC 45191.
A dragon is stalking King Mildred's land, and the king has promised half his kingdom and his daughter's hand in marriage to the person who can slay the dragon. Only the old squire, Elizar, and a young page, Brian, are willing to try. But unbeknown to them, the king's daughter, Wilhelmina, has also set out to kill the dragon. For grades 4-7.
Eddie’s Blue-winged Dragon by C.S. Adler.
RC 32596.
Eleven-year-old Eddie, a tough, gutsy kid with cerebral palsy, has a burning desire to get even, just once, with Darrin, the bully who makes his life so miserable at school, and with Miss Clark, an unfair teacher who claims she can't understand his sometimes garbled speech. When Eddie buys a glass dragon as a birthday gift for his sister Mina, reality and fantasy blend as the dragon turns into a living weapon of revenge. For grades 5-8.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling.
RC 52451.
Special edition of an approved textbook used by Harry Potter at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An A-to-Z listing of magical beasts, it briefly describes such creatures as the centaur, hippogriff, troll, unicorn, and ten breeds of dragon. For grades 4-7.
Fire and Wings: Dragon Tales from East and West by Marianne Carus.
RC 56791.
Fifteen stories about dragons. "The Fourth Question: A Chinese Legend," tells about dragons of long ago and far away. "The Last of the Dragons" by E. Nesbit is set in the modern days of cars, buses, and gasoline. For grades 3-6.
Flight of the Dragon Kyn by Susan Fletcher.
RC 42628.
In this prequel to Dragon's Milk (RC 36623), the king directs Kara to use her power to call down dragons. When Kara summons a friendly dragon, she watches in horror as the king's archers slay it. Kara flees to join a "kyn" of dragons and help them take refuge from human predators. For grades 5-8.
The Glory of Unicorns compiled by Bruce Coville.
RC 47880.
Short stories and a poem celebrating unicorns. In "The Ugly Unicorn", a blind girl in ancient China believes a homely creature is a gorgeous unicorn. In The Healing Truth, no one believes chronic liar Crystal when she reports that a unicorn lives in the supply closet. For grades 4-7.
Half-Human edited by Bruce Coville.
RC 55769.
A collection of stories about such creatures as mermaids and centaurs, who are part-human and part-animal or part-plant, and their struggles to understand their true identity. For grades 6-9.
The Hunting of the Last Dragon by Sherryl Jordan.
RC 55420.
England, 1356. When the last fire-breathing dragon destroys Jude's family and village, Jude vows to slay the beast. This unlikely hero forms a bond with Jing-wei, a young Chinese noblewoman, whose heritage gives her a knowledge of dragons. Together they search for the dragon's lair. For grades 6-9.
Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville.
RC 40262.
When eleven-year-old Cara jumps from the church bell tower into the Land of Luster, home of the unicorns, she just misses being caught on Earth. Cara guards a magic amulet and a special message given to her by her grandmother as she goes off to meet the unicorn queen. Accompanying her is an assortment of friends, including Lightfoot (a rebellious teenage unicorn), Dimblethum, and Squijum. For grades 4-7.
Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville.
RC 37037.
Sixth-grader Jeremy Thatcher hates being small for his age--and he hates the bullies that pick on him. He also hates Mary Lou Hutton, whose one goal in life is to give Jeremy a kiss. One afternoon, trying to escape Mary Lou, he runs down a street he has never seen before and stumbles upon a magic shop. There he purchases a dragon's egg that soon hatches, making Jeremy the proud parent of a baby dragon that only he and Mary Lou can see! A Magic Shop book. For grades 5-8.
The Maze by Peni R. Griffin.
RC 45354.
Just as eight-year-old Caroline is getting to know her new stepbrother, a strange painting is delivered to their house. The children enter the fantasy world in the picture, which shows a mountainous maze with bizarre, mythical creatures. After an exciting odyssey, the two return home as friends. For grades 4-7.
My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett.
RC 25589.
When Elmer Elevator befriends an old alley cat, he hears the story of the captive baby dragon on Wild Island and decides to rescue him. For grades 4-7.
Mythical Birds and Beasts from Many Lands by Margaret Mayo.
RC 45702.
A collection of ten folktales gathered from around the world. Each story centers on an imaginary creature including Pegasus, a mermaid, a unicorn, the thunderbird, a dragon, a sea serpent, the feathered snake, the Minotaur, naga, and the phoenix. Contains source notes. For grades 3-6.
Sign of the Dove by Susan Fletcher.
RC 52532.
As the last of the dragon eggs that were laid long ago begin to hatch, Lyf becomes a reluctant friend who tries to save both the dragon mothers and their newly born children from their enemies. Sequel to Dragon's Milk (RC 36623). For grades 5-8 and older readers.
The Song of the Wanderer by Bruce Coville.
RC 52153.
In this sequel to Into the Land of the Unicorns (RC 40262), Cara, newly arrived in Luster, makes a perilous journey across the land to fetch her grandmother, the Wanderer, whose presence is required by Arabella Skydancer, queen of the unicorns. For grades 4-7.
Strange Monsters and Great Searches by George Laycock.
RC 7836.
Exciting account of searches for 12 mysterious creatures, including the Loch Ness Monster, the Abominable Snowman, Bigfoot, the Komodo Dragon, and the DoDo. For grades 4-7.
The Truth about Unicorns by James Giblin.
RC 35381.
From ancient Greece and China to medieval Europe, and from Hindu myth and the Bible to contemporary T-shirts and greeting cards, belief in the unicorn has had an enduring hold on the human imagination. Although scientists have discredited the idea that unicorns exist, the unicorn remains a symbol of sensitivity, courage, and love. For grades 5-8 and older readers.
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine.
RC 52087.
Until Princess Meryl was struck with the Gray Death, Princess Addie had always been afraid of everything. Now Addie battles specters, gryphons, ogres, and dragons while seeking a cure for her sister. Along the way, she fulfills an ancient prophecy. For grades 5-8.
Braille Books
A Book of Mermaids by Ruth Manning-Sanders.
BR 961.
Sixteen tales of sea creatures from the folklore of many countries, including Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Iceland, Denmark, Brittany, Portugal, Italy, India, Germany, America, and Arabia. For grades 3-6.
The Case of the Logical I Ranch by Pauline Preiss.
BR 13827.
The Olsen twins find an unusual mystery waiting for them at the Logical I dude ranch. Are the rotten egg smells, rumbling noises, and black smoke really caused by a dragon, as old-time ranch hand Dusty claims? For grades 4-7.
Eddie’s Blue-winged Dragon by C.S. Adler.
BR 8463.
Eleven-year-old Eddie, a tough, gutsy kid with cerebral palsy, has a burning desire to get even, just once, with Darrin, the bully who makes his life so miserable at school, and with Miss Clark, an unfair teacher who claims she can't understand his sometimes garbled speech. When Eddie buys a glass dragon as a birthday gift for his sister Mina, reality and fantasy blend as the dragon turns into a living weapon of revenge. For grades 5-8.
Falcon and the Charles Street Witch by Luli Gray.
BR 14750.
When Falcon's Egg ended, Falcon feared never seeing the dragon (Egg) again. But they meet in an unusual way: Falcon's younger brother, Toody, falls out of an airplane, closely followed by Falcon—who lands in a witch's yard in New York City! For grades 4-7.
Falcon’s Egg by Luli Gray.
BR 10546.
Eleven-year-old Falcon Davies is in Central Park when she finds a most unusual egg. It is large and red and hot to the touch. She tells only three adults: her neighbor Ardene, who agrees to house the egg; her great-aunt Emily; and Emily's friend who is an ornithologist. They all agree they have no idea what it is, and they think it would be best to keep it secret. When the egg finally hatches, they realize they were right. For grades 4-7.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling.
BR 13499.
Special edition of an approved textbook used by Harry Potter at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. An A-to-Z listing of magical beasts, it briefly describes such creatures as the centaur, hippogriff, troll, unicorn, and ten breeds of dragon. For grades 4-7.
Here There Be Dragons by Jane Yolen.
BR 10910.
Five poems and eight stories about dragons by Jane Yolen, who precedes each with an introductory note about the piece. The collection includes "Why Dragons?" "The Dragon's Boy," "The Making of Dragons," and "Here There Be Dragons." For grades 4-7 and older readers.
A Small, Elderly Dragon by Beverly Keller.
BR 7458.
A fun-filled spoof on fairy tales. Blystfylyl, a dragon past his prime, is no longer interested in hurting anyone, especially the citizens of the chaotic kingdom of Minervia. But when a housing development threatens the peace and quiet of his lair, he has no choice but to create an uproar. Then an evil sorcerer turns Bly into a parrot and takes over the kingdom. For grades 4-7.
Trouble with Dragons by Oliver G. Selfridge.
BR 3937.
Three foolhardy princesses attempt to slay a dragon in order to win the hand of a handsome price. A contemporary fairy tale for grades 5-8 and older interested readers.
The Two Princesses of Bamarre by Gail Carson Levine.
BR 13432.
Until Princess Meryl was struck with the Gray Death, Princess Addie had always been afraid of everything. Now Addie battles specters, gryphons, ogres, and dragons while seeking a cure for her sister. Along the way, she fulfills an ancient prophecy. For grades 5-8.
Large Print Books
The Boggart by Susan Cooper.
LP 50036.
The Boggart is an ancient, pesky, but good-hearted spirit who lives in a Scottish castle. That is, until he is inadvertantly trapped by Emily Volnik, whose family inherits the castle and brings the Boggart to Canada. Dismayed at first, the Boggart quickly adjusts once he realizes that there is lots of ice cream and other treats to steal. But the Volnik's are driven to their wit's ends by a plague of missing items and practical jokes. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
The Troll King by John Vornholt.
LP 1237.
Rollo, a young troll from Bonespittle, wants to help build a bridge across the Great Chasm to the Bonny Woods, but he must face his fear of the terrible creatures that he has always been told live there. For grades 4-7.
The Troll Queen by John Vornholt.
LP 1419.
As Rollo, the troll leader, escorts Clipper to her people in the Forbidden Forest, Ludicra decides to send a rescue party in search of Rollo, but in the Great Chasm, the rescue party itself runs into trouble. Sequel to The Troll King. For grades 4-7.