Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher (1992)

Jeremy loves drawing dragons but is frustrated when his art teacher denies his talent and forces him to concentrate on reality and not fantasy. But fantasy is what helps him deal with his small stature, the school bullies, and the girl who wants to kiss him. But when he stumbles across an ancient magic shop and purchases a small multicolored kaleidoscope ball, he is unaware that his life is about to change. He has been selected to be a dragon hatcher who will raise a small dragon until it is ready to go across the magical barrier to the home of the dragons. Jeremy starts out as a bullied boy and grows along with his secret dragon as he learns about responsibility and friendship. The Magic Shop series was original published in the early 90s. They have been rereleased with new covers to attract a new audience. The stories have a message to each reader that's not overly obvious and focuses around magical objects that come from the mysterious magic shop. ( )

An absolutely fantastic book that is whimsical and otherwise enjoyable from cover to cover. I picked this book up when I was in elementary school and I remembered it vividly for years following. While working at a book store (perhaps my favorite place I've worked to date), I saw it in a miniature hardback and snatched it, at 18 years old, read it cover to cover in a matter of hours that evening (it is rather short, and fits the age group), and even now it rests on my bookshelf. It was definitely a purchase I do not regret, and I lovingly recall it even now, at 24. If I ever have kids, it is one that will be read to them, without a doubt. ( )

I loved this book, and so did both my first-grader and my fourth-grader! This is one of Bruce Coville's Magic Shop Books. The series also includes Jennifer Murdley's Toad, which both of my boys heard at school.

Jeremy Thatcher is a sixth grader, and his struggles are typical for his age. A girl in his class wants to kiss him. His art teacher gives him a hard time, even though art is his best subject. But when he wonders into a magic shop one day after school, he's faced with a task that is anything but typical, hatching and raising a dragon.

The plot of this book had enough depth to it to hold everyone's interest (including mine). But the best part of this book was watching the relationship develop between Jeremy and his dragon. It was the depth of this relationship that made the book's ending so poignant. This book is also very well written, which made it a pleasure to read aloud.

I'm not good at judging the appropriate age range, but I think that this book would be good for almost all elementary school kids. We highly recommend it! ( )

Another book in Coville’s Magic Shop book series. This is a delightful book. I enjoyed it best of all Coville’s books that I have read. ( )

Small for his age but artistically talented, twelve-year-old Jeremy Thatcher unknowingly buys a dragon's egg.