Tracey West

{My thoughts} – Rori finally gets to show us what her dragon Vulcan is made of. Rori and Vulcan are the only two they have yet to connect. Throughout the book, they are put to the ultimate test and are forced to work harder at communicating. It appears that most of it is misunderstanding of direction, but that does change, eventually.

In this book, the castle is under attack by the evil wizard. He shows up with his dragon Hydra and there is much damage that occurs. Vulcan ends up hurt and show more Worm’s life gets threatened. However, in the end it all comes together nicely. I really enjoyed how well put together this story was in this particular book. It helped to show so many different emotions throughout the characters.

I look forward to reading the next book soon. show less

I was so annoyed with the last beginning chapter series I tried (Kingdom of Wrenly) that I didn't feel like ever reading another beginning chapter fantasy again. However, several people suggested this Branches series, "Dragon Masters" and I got back up onto the horse (or dragon, as it may be) and gave it a go.

I really liked it. It's not perfect, it's not exactly what I'm looking for, but it avoids a lot of the flaws I've seen in other beginning chapter fantasies and I think it will be show more popular.

In the first book, Rise of the Earth Dragon, Drake gets taken from his family's onion farm up to the castle to become a dragon master. He's assigned to an earth dragon, whom he names Worm, and meets the other dragon masters and their dragons. Drake is excited and scared to be a dragon master, especially when the other kids aren't friendly and it becomes apparent that there many secrets; what does King Roland want with the dragons? Why are they a secret?

The second book, Saving the Sun Dragon, continues the story. After the children's adventure in the tunnels, when they are saved by Worm, some of the dark magic they encounter has affected Ana's dragon, Kepri. The children and the wizard who mentors them try to heal her, especially when King Roland threatens to take away Wizard Griffiths, but they are unsuccessful. Only when Drake discovers another secret power of his dragon Worm are they able to heal Kepri - and go on an exciting adventure.

Each of the four children are loosely associated with the nationality of the mythology their dragon is drawn from. Worm and Drake, and the general setting of the story, are Welsh, Rori and her dragon Vulcan are Irish/British, Bo and his dragon Shu are Asian, Ana and her dragon Kepri are Persian maybe? The stories still stick to the European boy as underdog hero, but at least a variety of nationalities and genders are included. I also liked that the stories don't glorify feudalism (or, at least they haven't yet). King Roland isn't the good and wise king of Disneyfied fairy tales and the children and dragons miss their homes and families.

Verdict: There are not a lot of beginning chapter fantasies available and I don't get asked for them often, but I wonder if that's cause and effect; if there were more available (and I promoted them more) would kids ask for them more? Regardless, I think this is the best that I've looked at so far. Tracey West has an engaging writing style and knows what kids will enjoy reading. If you're looking for beginning chapter fantasies, these are a good choice.

Rise of the earth dragon
ISBN: 9780545646239

Saving the sun dragon
ISBN: 9780545646253

Published 2014 by Scholastic; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library show less

OK, I know it is probably insane to kvetch about plot issues in this kind of book -- but I'm going to anyway.

If they had the ability, all along, to nullify the magic powers by saying the name backwards, then they didn't need all the fretting and figuring out how to beat the pixie at its own game. Right? And, by the way, they did NOT beat the pixie at its own game; they nullified its powers. AND, what's up with the adults letting four balls score at the same time? and nobody noticing balls show more behaving outside the laws of physics?

This would have been a perfectly fine early chapter book of this genre (admittedlynot my favorite) -- except for all the absurd plot holes, which drove me crazy and which make me knock it down a point from dead middle (3 stars) to substandard (2 stars). show less

I was so annoyed with the last beginning chapter series I tried (Kingdom of Wrenly) that I didn't feel like ever reading another beginning chapter fantasy again. However, several people suggested this Branches series, "Dragon Masters" and I got back up onto the horse (or dragon, as it may be) and gave it a go.

I really liked it. It's not perfect, it's not exactly what I'm looking for, but it avoids a lot of the flaws I've seen in other beginning chapter fantasies and I think it will be show more popular.

In the first book, Rise of the Earth Dragon, Drake gets taken from his family's onion farm up to the castle to become a dragon master. He's assigned to an earth dragon, whom he names Worm, and meets the other dragon masters and their dragons. Drake is excited and scared to be a dragon master, especially when the other kids aren't friendly and it becomes apparent that there many secrets; what does King Roland want with the dragons? Why are they a secret?

The second book, Saving the Sun Dragon, continues the story. After the children's adventure in the tunnels, when they are saved by Worm, some of the dark magic they encounter has affected Ana's dragon, Kepri. The children and the wizard who mentors them try to heal her, especially when King Roland threatens to take away Wizard Griffiths, but they are unsuccessful. Only when Drake discovers another secret power of his dragon Worm are they able to heal Kepri - and go on an exciting adventure.

Each of the four children are loosely associated with the nationality of the mythology their dragon is drawn from. Worm and Drake, and the general setting of the story, are Welsh, Rori and her dragon Vulcan are Irish/British, Bo and his dragon Shu are Asian, Ana and her dragon Kepri are Persian maybe? The stories still stick to the European boy as underdog hero, but at least a variety of nationalities and genders are included. I also liked that the stories don't glorify feudalism (or, at least they haven't yet). King Roland isn't the good and wise king of Disneyfied fairy tales and the children and dragons miss their homes and families.

Verdict: There are not a lot of beginning chapter fantasies available and I don't get asked for them often, but I wonder if that's cause and effect; if there were more available (and I promoted them more) would kids ask for them more? Regardless, I think this is the best that I've looked at so far. Tracey West has an engaging writing style and knows what kids will enjoy reading. If you're looking for beginning chapter fantasies, these are a good choice.

Rise of the earth dragon
ISBN: 9780545646239

Saving the sun dragon
ISBN: 9780545646253

Published 2014 by Scholastic; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library show less