Review: Dragon Girls - Azmina the Gold Glitter Dragon by Maddy Mara

Dragon Girls: Azmina the Gold Glitter Dragon by Maddy Mara

Dragon Girls: Azmina the Gold Glitter Dragon – Maddy Mara (Scholastic, $14.99)

Reviewed by Louise Ward, Wardini Books

You may have discerned from the title that this is a book for younger readers and involves dragons and, indeed, girls.

There are many poor to average publications for emerging readers and yes, as long as they're reading something we're happy, but this one is a good one.

Azmina has moved from the city to the countryside – we're not sure why and it doesn't matter. There's no marriage split, death in the family or other miscellaneous crisis; she's a little girl in a new town and she's off on an adventure. Azmina has a great attitude - she sits next to Willa and Naomi at school and is sure that they will become her good friends.

The story begins with Azmina in her new backyard. Mum's unpacking boxes, the autumn sun is shining and Azmina feels herself called into the forest, words of invitation forming in her mind. Off she goes and boom! she finds herself in a magical land.

It takes her a minute or two of coughing up glitter and feeling a bit odd to see her reflection in a pool and realise that … you guessed it … she's a dragon! It's so simply written and so exciting that I wished I could be a dragon too.

The plot thickens with a Tree Queen, two more Dragon Girls (guess who) and some naughty Shadow Sprites and we have a fast paced, magical adventure of quickly solved clues, teamwork and a modicum of mild and not too frightening danger.

Azmina gets a cute sidekick called Buttercub (some kind of large cat cub with wings) and the promise of many more adventures after this one is done.

Azmina the Gold Glitter Dragon is the first in this series which promises to deliver simply told, safe and exciting fantasy adventures for readers of about 6 or 7 years old who are gaining in confidence. The story is well plotted, the vocabulary accessible with a few nicely thrown in challenges and the cover features a golden dragon with textured shiny wings. What's not to love?