Garret Freymann-Weyr

This is a beautiful story that I would absolutely recommend for middle-grade readers. The start is a little slow, but it builds to a quest that addresses some pretty deep themes at an introductory level. The post-WWII setting could make it lazily interpreted as allegory, but the book’s really an exploration of memory, trauma, love, friendship, sacrifice, and magic. Maggie and Grisha’s friendship allows them to be safe in each other’s company and understand things about their pasts they show more never had before. At 11 years old, Maggie also begins to see her father and her deceased mother as complicated humans, just like her. While I may have dragged my feet reading the beginning of this book, the end was completely satisfying. I’ll admit I cried during lunch at work as I closed the book. If you enjoy feelings of historical whimsy, magical realism, and intellectual exploration, I recommend “The Language of Spells.” show less

In 1803 the last dragon ever is born, named Grisha. He lives with his mother in the black forest of Germany until he is about 60 years old, when he has an encounter with an evil magician and is turned into a teapot. For 80 years he lives as a teapot, shuffled around Europe in various households. When he is finally transformed back into a dragon, right after World War II, he learns that all dragons from all over the world are heading to Vienna, so he does too.
Several months later he is show more working as a janitor and meets a lonely girl named Maggie. She asks him where all the other dragons are and he .... doesn't remember. Can Grisha and Maggie find out what happened to the dragons, and get them back?

This book has all the elements of something I would really love, but they are not formed into a cohesive world or narrative. I loved the setting, and magic, and dragons, and I mostly really liked Maggie. But other than that I found the book to be way too long and unnecessarily explain-y. It was always telling and rarely showing. I really liked the beginning of the book, learning about dragons and seeing European history from the eyes of Teapot-Grisha, but that turned out to be almost irrelevant to the rest of the book.

The only thing I did not like about Maggie was that the book makes a big deal of how Maggie is "special", in a way I really did not care for, and the perspective of the book is very misanthropic. All humans are mean and cruel, except Maggie and her father. Maggie is lonely and wants to make friends, but when she talks to other kids they think she is weird and don't want to be friends with her. This is presented as "people are terrible" instead of "a kid raised without any contact with other kids is going to have a hard time relating to other kids and so maybe you shouldn't do that."

As far as the magic goes, the author makes a lot of complicated rules and then either ignores them or hand-waves them away as convenient. The evil magician casts a lot of spells, but the magic system is such that if the spells a magician casts are broken, the magician loses their power. Why would a magician bother to cast such pointless spells as turning a dragon into a teapot and selling the teapot if the breaking of that spell would mean that his power would be diminished?

In the end, Maggie saves the dragons by giving up her "first and only friend". However, she actually loses the ability to see or interact with any part of the magical world. Either of those things would make sense as an ending but the book presents them as if they are the same thing, which they are not. It just doesn't quite click.

There's some seriously wonderful material here, but it's lost in a book that desperately needs an edit. My dislike is definitely influenced by the high hopes I had after the first few chapters. I did very much enjoy the *gorgeous* illustrations. It's probably aimed at a middle-grade or younger audience, though it's 300 pages and contains complex language and ideas. show less

This story, told from a cat's point of view, made me alternately weep and laugh. Harvey lives in the city with all its dangers and constant fights for food and safety. Harvey finds his safe place on the roof atop an apartment building, which happens to be the home of the "bakery lady" aka Danielle who has been feeding him. Harvey has his own list of "impossible things" to do, one of which is becoming a brave city cat. Throughout his many adventures, Harvey avoids living indoors, until show more circumstances lead him to his "adoption" and learning to live as an indoor cat. This wee feline fellow is certainly a brave and helpful one, as he navigates his new life, learns to love and trust, and achieves his list of "impossible things."

While this was no doubt intended to be a book for children, as a cat lover I loved this book! The black and white line drawings perfectly capture Harvey and his world. This is a book meant to be loved and shared and read over and over. Older kids who are accomplished readers will enjoy reading this book themselves, while younger ones and their parents or caregivers can enjoy this book together. The story also helps kids learn about how to properly care for animals and appreciate them as fellow creatures. Bravo, Harvey!

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. show less

Grisha is a dragon; the youngest of the last dragons, actually. And, due to the machinations of an evil magician, he's spent most of his life as an enchanted teapot. When the enchantment is broken, he learns that all of the world's remaining dragons have followed a mysterious summoning sound to Vienna. After some time in Vienna, he meets Maggie, a lonely human girl. Together, they discover that something terrible has happened to many of the dragons, and together they embark on a quest to show more rescue them.

This is a lovely, gentle book with a bittersweet ending. The pace is leisurely, but it doesn't drag. I thought the actual quest part went a little too easily, but the best parts of the book are Grisha and Maggie's friendship, and the way the world's magic system works. If you enjoy thoughtful juvenile fantasy, give this one a try. show less