Anya and the Dragon

by Sofiya Pasternack

[Beth C.]

Anya lives in a small village where everyone except her family are Christian. Her family is Jewish. As such, they are somewhat outsiders, though no one goes out of their way to be cruel. Then one day, Anya finds out by accident that the magistrate is trying to take their home from them, AND give it to some newcomers with connections to the crown. So it seems like fate when those very same newcomers employ her to help them find a dragon rumored to live in the area. But sometimes, what seems like the "perfect plan" isn't - and Anya has to decide where she stands as more information comes to light.

This book was a fun, light read. Full of friendship, love, loyalty, and family. It is a middle-reader, but I would go for the younger side of that range, or for students who have a struggle with reading. Occasionally the verbiage falls into the more simplistic, though I felt the story outweighed that. The occasional Russian and Jewish terms are sometimes confusing, but mostly (for me) because I was attempting to pronounce them correctly. They are actually integrated into the story pretty well, making it obvious what they are meant to be.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, and I think it would be an EXCELLENT choice for a classroom read-aloud. Some great lessons woven in the story, and some fun characters to hang out with for a while.