The Dragon of Never-Was (Aladdin Fantasy) [Paperback]

Ann Downer (Author), Omar Rayyan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Aladdin Fantasy

Ever since she was caught up in a magical whirlwind of dragons, spells, and wizards, Theodora Oglethorpe has been doing her best to put the Events of Last Summer behind her and go back to her life as a normal twelve-year-old girl. But no matter how hard she tries to forget about magic, it always seems to find her -- even when she's on vacation! When Theodora's biologist-dad is called to the Scottish island of Scornsay to study a scale believed to be from a previously unknown species, Theodora is thrilled to be invited along. A nice vacation is just what she needs to forget all about wyverns, demons, and magical tunnels through time.

But as soon as Theodora sees the scale, she knows it's not from a fish, a reptile, or anything known to science. It's from a dragon, and as Theodora knows all too well, wherever there are dragons, there are wizards, and then there's sure to be trouble. Before she can solve the mystery of the dragon's scale, Theodora will have to confront her own magical heritage and make a perilous journey to the wizard's limbo known as Never-Was.

The Dragon of Never-Was, the sequel to Hatching Magic, is just as funny, witty, and richly imagined as its predecessor. Filled with eccentric characters, crafty dragons, dazzling spells, good friends, and a feisty heroine that readers will root for, this is a middle-grade fantasy to be savored.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7–A year after her magical adventures with wyverns and time-traveling wizards in Hatching Magic (S & S, 2003), life is more or less back to normal for 12-year-old Theodora. She's taking drawing lessons, missing her friend Mikko, and trying to put the Events of Last Summer behind her. When her scientist father is invited to study an unusual scale found on a small island near Scotland, he takes her along, and uncanny things begin to happen. Theodora and her new friends, siblings Colin and Catriona, encounter an evil wizard who craves dominion over the Wizard Underworld known as Never-Was. A strange man who might be something more than human; a ghost dog; Theodora's old friends Professor Iain Merlin O'Shea and Vyrna, the wyvern hatchling born addicted to chocolate; and the mysterious Book of the New Adept, which contains a prophecy about a young wizard who just might be Theodora, also appear. Readers find out more about the girl's magical heritage and about the inner workings, educational system, and politics of the magical world. Once again, Downer displays her remarkable talent for creating realistic characters and a totally believable universe where magic exists just beyond plain sight. Familiarity with the first book isn't imperative, but will definitely add to the experience.–Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-7. Following a fast-paced prologue set in a British wizard academy, the scene shifts to modern-day Boston, where 12-year-old Theodora discovers that she is to accompany her father to Scotland, where he will examine a large, mysterious scale from an unknown creature. Based on her previous experience in Hatching Magic (2003), Theodora suspects a dragon. In the Hebrides, Theodora befriends a local boy, stumbles on mysterious clues, and begins to recognize, explore, and harness her latent but considerable magical powers. For all the story's magical elements, the narrative remains emotionally grounded in Theodora's sadness over the departure of her longtime nanny, who looked after the girl since her mother's death. Smart, observant, and self-aware, Theodora makes a sympathetic character, convincing even in the most supernatural circumstances. Readers new to the series may not pick up every reference to the previous book, but they will soon find themselves swept up in Theodora's story. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (February 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416954538
• ISBN-13: 978-1416954538
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #257,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read in One Day, June 8, 2007

By 

TeamT (San Gabriel, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dragon of Never-Was (Hardcover)

We did not read the first book in the series. My daughter (13) started this one and put it down, saying it was too confusing. I, however, found it delightful and read it through almost non-stop. And it really is easy to figure out what the first book was about--the "Event Last Summer". Although at times a little dark, this book is full of excitement. The 12-year-old protagonist is, as usual, unsure about whether she wants to participate in magic. (As a girl I always thought I would jump at the chance; why are book characters so darn conflicted?) Anyway, it's fun, and I know my daughter will love it when she gets into it, even without reading the first one.

5.0 out of 5 stars Equally exciting sequel., July 10, 2011

By 

Givemeadragonanyday "DragonLover" (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Dragon of Never-Was (Aladdin Fantasy) (Paperback)

I am a school teacher and often try to read stories prior to placing them in my classroom library. I enjoyed "Hatching Magic" and found the "Dragon of Never Was" equally engaging. I am a fan of all dragon lore and spend my down time reading more adult themed fantasy books. However, taking a break and reading easier material for the younger crowd is just fun. I'm not going to give you a summary, you can read previous reviews for that. Just know that this is an easy fun read for the upper grade or even middle school students. Nothing there that I wouldn't let my children read. You might also enjoy the "Dragon Slippers" stories. Another silly fun read. Keep kids reading during the summer and let them enter a fun fantasy world at the same time.

5.0 out of 5 stars Hopefully Not the Last Book in the Series!, March 18, 2009

By 

R. Fish "Robbie Fischer" (Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Dragon of Never-Was (Hardcover)

Further to Hatching Magic, this book reunites a young wyvern (try to picture a catlike dragon) with a similarly young wizard. Vyrna (the wyvern) and Theodora (the wizard) have been separated by an ocean since the Events of Last Summer - when they put a stop to the plans of an evil wizard that involved time travel, demon possession, and the summoning of a Chinese dragon in the middle of present-day Boston, USA - but one gathers they are still destined to be together.

Since the Events of Last Summer, Theodora has been coping by writing a journal, taking art lessons, and trying to hook up her nanny with her widower dad. But now a power she did not look for or ask for is blooming inside her. Partly to protect that power, partly to exploit it, and partly to decide whether or not to take it away from her, a magical organization called the O.I.G. has seen to it that Theodora and her father arrive in Scotland in time to investigate the discovery of a mysterious scale, belonging to a creature unknown to science.

But more is afoot on the Isle of Scornsay than a nondescript species of fish or reptile. An evil genius is pulling mysterious strings. A wild man, possibly connected to a decades-old missing-persons case, wanders the island searching for something. The tale of a treasure cut out of a dragon's eye crosses threads with rumors about an ancient, forbidden book of magic. The boundary between our world and a strange, nether realm is about to rip open. And with her friends and loved ones in danger, Theodora must quickly learn to accept the changes happening in herself.

Written with fast-paced charm and zest by the author of the Spellkeys trilogy, this is a magical mystery showcasing a growing magical talent that should go right to the heart of Harry Potter fans. Though this book came out way back in 2006, I sense that there are more adventures in store for Theodora and Vyrna.