The Dragonet Prophecy (Wings of Fire, #1)

by Tui T Sutherland

[Beth C.]

You've been raised, along with 4 other dragonets, your whole life. It is the only thing you've ever known. Your keepers are not your parents, but other, more gruff dragons - they teach you to fight and that someday you will have a destiny to fulfill as part of a prophecy. You never see the sky, and your keepers are harsh - and sometimes even cruel. After learning that one of you is considered less-than-worthy for the prophecy and is to be killed, you band together with the other four dragonets - the only true family you have ever known - and plot an escape. Problem is, you have escaped from the frying pan into the fire of war in the outer world. Survival will be a test of all you've learned and all you want to be.

I got this book to read, because I generally enjoy books about dragons, even though I'm far from the target audience. I was also hoping that it might appeal to my 11-year-old son, who enjoys reading but can be finicky about *what* he reads. He got to it first, finished it in a couple of days, and was anxious to re-read it. I told him I needed to read it first, and he asked every couple of days if I had finished it yet. He was fascinated with the guide in the front of the book that has drawings of each different kind of dragon, as well as information about them - he says that was one of his favorite things. He also said he really liked the book because of how the story all fit together. The story might start off a little bit slow, but it picks up speed fairly quickly.

Wings of Fire appears to be the first book in a series for middle-graders. It's a little young to be considered Young Adult, and is certainly not elementary. While it would be good for reading out loud, there is some violence and a few descriptions of the aftermath of war that might bother the younger set. There is a definite resolution, while still being apparent that there is more to come.

I would have given the book 4 stars, while my son said that he would give it 10 if he could. Since he fits squarely within the target audience, I bowed to his decision and gave it 5. I'm certain that he will be looking forward to reading the sequel!