The Dragonsitter

July 27, 2015
Originally published in the U.K., this entertaining series opener from Lacey (Island of Thieves) takes place over a chaotic week in which Edward Smith-Pickle and his family look after a dragon belonging to his Uncle Morton. The story unfolds almost entirely through Edward’s increasingly harried emails to his uncle: “Dear Uncle Morton, What’s a tether? I don’t know and Mom won’t tell me, but she’s at the end of hers.” The emails go unanswered, leading Edward to worry about Uncle Morton’s safety. Parsons’s b&w cartoons, cleverly framed as photos attached to Edward’s emails, reveal a house in ruin, with curtains aflame, a gaping hole in the fridge, and neighborhood cats fleeing in terror. The discovery that dragons love chocolate helps set things right, paving the way for future destructive adventures. Ages 6–10.

June 15, 2015
Caring for a traveling relative's pet isn't usually quite so...fraught. In a series of increasingly frantic email messages to his oddly unresponsive uncle Morton, young Edward Smith-Pickle recounts a series of household mishaps caused by the large dragon so hastily dropped off to mind for a week. For one thing, the animal isn't housetrained. For another, what does it even eat-besides little sister Emily's bunny? In the wake of incidents ranging from scorched curtains to a hole torn in the refrigerator, Edward's disgusted mom would happily foist the beast off on the police or the zoo, if only they didn't keep hanging up on her. But worse disasters are warded off when Uncle Morton at last writes back to suggest feeding the creature chocolate, and the dragon is instantly transformed from surly headache into a charming, compliant companion. Good thing, because Uncle Morton has upcoming junkets planned, and this short opener, first published overseas in 2012, already has four sequels either out or planned. Amid Edward's pleas and Morton's soothing replies, Parsons intersperses large scenes of domestic chaos, frowning (later smiling) people, and an inscrutable, horse-sized dragon flopped bonelessly on the sofa. Except for the chocolate cure, it's much like trying to care for an oversized cat...that, OK, breathes fire. (Farce. 7-9)

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July 1, 2015

Gr 2-4-Edward Smith-Pickle, "Eddie," finds himself in a pickle as he is taking care of his uncle's dragon while he is away. Unfortunately, his uncle didn't leave any instructions, and the dragon isn't exactly on his best behavior as he devours endless amounts of food, tears up the house, terrorizes the neighborhood pets, and sets the curtains and the mailman on fire. Eddie emails his uncle asking for help but doesn't get any replies. His mom is at her wit's end, and Eddie wonders what to do next. Finally, he gets some advice from his uncle, which turns things around. Told entirely through emails, this story provides plenty of funny moments, as Eddie manages to sound both upbeat and worried at the same time. This is the first of a planned four-book series, and its humorous tone and illustrations will appeal to young readers. VERDICT A solid purchase for collections in need of short chapter books.-Laura Fields Eason, Parker Bennett Curry Elementary School, Bowling Green, KY

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2016
This British series opens with a desperate email from Eddie to his vacationing uncle: the dragon-sitting isn't going well. These two stories are told almost entirely through emails explaining the trouble caused by dragon Ziggy, with added layers from the subject lines and "photo attachments" (Parsons's illustrations). Humor and an engaging format make the series approachable fare for new chapter-book readers.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)