Fun Middle Grade Urban Fantasy

Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliot

Publication Date: October 23, 2018

Summary from NetGalley:

The dragon is out of the bag in this diverse, young urban fantasy from an award-winning author!

When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she’s not his grandmother–but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they’ll be safe. There are two rules when it comes to the dragons: don’t let them out of the bag, and don’t feed them anything sweet. Before he knows it, Jax and his friends Vikram and Kavita have broken both rules! Will Jax get the baby dragons delivered safe and sound? Or will they be lost in Brooklyn forever?

ARC provided by Random House Children’s via NetGalley for an honest review. 

Confession:

Isn’t that cover just adorable!  This is the first book that I have read by this author, who I think has been around for awhile, but somehow I have missed her books before this one.  I will be fixing that, and am looking forward to reading her other works as well as adding them to my school library. 

Jaxon is such a sweet kid, I loved him almost at once.  He cares a great deal for his mother and worries about their future.  His reaction to Ma was spot on.  He didn’t trust her at first, and was put off by her attitude towards him, but he warms up to her eventually.  He is a smart kid, and curious.  He also takes most of what happens to him in stride with little fuss.  

Ma was a great character as well, although at times a little rough around the edges.  She can be sweet when she wants to be though, and it is obvious that she cares for Jax and his mom.  

The magical system is pretty simple and subtle in this book.  No fancy wand waving, but more like Dr Who’s Tartarus and some simple spells.  There are some talking rats and squirrels with attitudes and then of course the dragons.  The dragons were adorable.  

Overall, I just adored this sweet magical urban fantasy.  I am very much looking forward to sharing it with my students.