Talking to dragons

Gr. 6^-10. In the fourth entry in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Cimorene's son, Daystar, now 16, embarks on a mystifying grand adventure, during which a hotheaded firewitch and a very young dragon in search of its own princess join Daystar in rescuing his father. The previous books are Dealing with Dragons (1990), Searching for Dragons (1991), and Calling on Dragons (1993).

Gr 4-7-Two rules one must always remember when traveling in the Enchanted Forest: always be polite and never say yes to a favor until you know what you're being asked to do. So begins this delightful rendition of Patricia C. Wrede's Talking to Dragons (Harcourt, 1985). In book four of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, the next generation starts as Queen Cimorene sends her 16-year-old son, Daystar, into the forest with nothing but a magic sword. His mission is to help King Mendanbar escape from an evil wizard's spell. But Daystar has yet to learn that the King is his own father. As the youth wanders around, he meets Shiara, a high-strung but loveable fire-witch, and a host of new and old characters from Cimorene's past. Produced and directed by Bruce Coville, the full-cast performance features sparkling dialogue, charming characters, and excellent sound quality. Listeners will not be disappointed in Daystar, the new main character and his companion Shiara, who has all the makings of a future princess. While this work can satisfy on its own, listeners may want to brush up on the previous novels in the series: Dealing with Dragons (Harcourt, 1990), Searching for Dragons (Scholastic, 1991), and Calling on Dragons (Scholastic, 1994). This energetic presentation shimmers like Daystar's magic sword.-Celeste Steward, Contra Costa County Library, Clayton, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Daystar, the son of Cimorene and the King of the Enchanted Forest, undergoes adventures with assorted dragons, elves, witches, cats, and wizards in order to rescue his father. Fantasy fans will regret that this fourth volume is the conclusion to the witty fantasy series. From HORN BOOK 1993, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

According to the jacket, this is the ``conclusion to Wrede's Enchanted Forest Series''--but don't bet on it. Volume number four opens 16 years after Calling on Dragons (p. 382), with King Menenbar still imprisoned in his castle by wizard's spells, and Queen Cimorene living quietly at the Forest edge, raising their son Daystar (who narrates) until he's old enough to wield the magic sword and free his father. Does Daystar succeed, despite wizards, bad elves, witches, and a rock-crunching quozzel? You can bet on that. In the process, he acquires as companion--and likely future princess--the young fire-witch Shiara; so, as they say, the story continues. The series is getting a little formulaic, and--despite the title--the dragons are now distinctly minor players here; still, the characters and their effervescent dialogue continue to charm. (Fiction. 12+)