Dragon Slippers [Hardcover]

Jessica Day George (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 2007 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Many stories tell of damsels in distress, who are rescued from the clutches of fire-breathing dragons by knights in shining armor, and swept off to live happily ever after.

Unfortunately, this is not one of those stories. 

True, when Creel's aunt suggests sacrificing her to the local dragon, it is with the hope that the knight will marry Creel and that everyone (aunt and family included) will benefit handsomely. Yet it's Creel who talks her way out of the dragon's clutches. And it's Creel who walks for days on end to seek her fortune in the king's city with only a bit of embroidery thread and a strange pair of slippers in her possession.

But even Creel could not have guessed the outcome of this tale. For in a country on the verge of war, Creel unknowingly possesses not just any pair of shoes, but a tool that could be used to save her kingdom…or destroy it.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Creel, the heroine of Dragon Slippers is hardly a damsel-in-distress. After her aunt totes her out to the local dragon in desperation (with the hope that the local prince will rescue her from certain death and marry her), Creel refuses the haughty prince and finds friendship with the dragons, who set her on a journey to the center of the kingdom with a pretty pair of what only seem to be ordinary slippers. Along the way we discover Creel’s enormous talent at embroidery, and you can’t help but linger over the rich descriptions of her lovely tapestry-like gowns, which quickly make her the most sought-after dressmaker in the kingdom. But soon enough those mysterious slippers begin to wreak havoc, and it’s up to Creel to save the kingdom from disaster and defend the dragons from certain doom. Creel’s feisty spirit breathes fiery new life into this epic world at every turn, making this one of the most memorable and fun fantasy debuts to hit shelves since Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart.

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Five Questions for Jessica Day George

Amazon.com: In fantasy novels, dragons are typically fierce and fearsome. In Dragon Slippers however, Shardas and Feniul are peaceful, caring creatures who are dangerous only under the sway of human control. What was your inspiration for re-imagining this legendary species?

Jessica Day George: I had a number of imaginary friends growing up, all of them talking animals: a wolf, some horses, a tiger. And a dragon. Oh, I wanted a dragon for a friend so badly! (Still do!) There are books where the dragon is not the bad guy (Anne McCaffrey, Gordon Dickson), but I wanted still more. I wanted the dragons to have their own lives: friends, hobbies, food allergies. I saw no reason why large, magical, intelligent creatures couldn't be just like humans--only scaly and winged. If humans can be good or evil, vain or kind, why can't dragons?

Amazon.com: Your descriptions of Creel’s "fancywork" are so rich with detail and color that I have to believe that you must be an expert sewer yourself. Are you? Can you tell us more about why you chose this particular talent for your heroine?

Jessica Day George: I can sew, although I doubt very much a duchess would hire me to make her a gown! Creel sprang into my head as a fully formed personality with her own talents and opinions firmly intact, I just knew that her name was Creel, she had freckles, and she wanted to be a dressmaker. The "fancywork" developed as a way for her to pay homage to her friend Shardas and his collection.

Amazon.com: Why do the dragons in Dragon Slippers hoard treasured human possessions like shoes and dogs instead of gold? Shardas’ collection of beautiful stained glass is particularly unique--does this tell us anything about his true nature?

Jessica Day George: People collect all kinds of crazy things: spoons, stamps, books. I once lived next door to a woman with sixty (yep, 6-0) toy poodles. So why should dragons not all hoard the same thing? Why not tapestries or pets or shoes? And what makes Creel and Shardas such good friends, I think, is that they both have a good eye for color and form. They can both appreciate the way colors combine, the way light changes the look of things and plays off the colors.

Amazon.com: Of all the fantasy literature you’ve read, is there a particular author who inspired you to write your own novel? What would be your top five favorite books in the genre?

Jessica Day George: The first time I read Robin McKinley's Damar novels (The Hero and the Crown, The Blue Sword) I thought "Yes! This is what goes on in my head! I could do this!" If I had to narrow it down to five favorites (only five?!), I would say: Beauty by Robin McKinley, Tam Lin by Pamela Dean, The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams, His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik, and J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. (Those all count as one big book, right?)

Amazon.com: What’s next in store for Creel and Luka? Will they have more dragon adventures in your next book?

Jessica Day George: My next book is not connected to Dragon Slippers at all, but the one after that will be a sequel. I hate to spoil any surprises, but we will get to see what happens when a dragon turns evil (of its own free will). There are also two weddings, Marta gets a pet monkey, and Feniul falls in love.

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From Booklist

Creel's aunt plans to end the family's poverty by foisting her orphaned niece on the local dragon, hoping that the knight who comes to Creel's aid will want to marry the rescued maiden (and share his riches with her relatives). This daffy reasoning gets George's debut novel off to a lurching start. Once Creel meets and befriends the local dragon, though, the story takes off. Creel heads to the city, where she hopes to start a dress shop, and along the way, she befriends new dragons and receives a mysterious pair of slippers that link her to a dangerous political plot. A chance meeting with a prince becomes a warm friendship, and Creel calls on her dragon cohorts to help him restore peace in the land. The plot elements are sometimes awkwardly stitched together, but the exciting, fairy-tale action and vivid scenes, from glittering dragon cave to posh dress shop, are captivating, and readers will easily connect with brave Creel, who weathers betrayals and learns to value true friends and her own talents. Engberg, Gillian
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens; First Edition edition (March 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599900572
• ISBN-13: 978-1599900575
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #653,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

It's all about the books. Friends, family, school, "real jobs", they were just obstacles to be tackled so that I could return to my true love: books. All I have ever wanted in this world is to read and write books. My criteria for choosing a purse is that it must be able to fit a paperback book inside. I took books on my honeymoon, and bought more while we were there. I picked my major because it looked like I would get to read a lot of books, and also I thought it would provide me with interesting background information for my own books (which it did). From the time I was twelve on up, I told people that I wanted to be a writer. When they said, "So, you'll teach and then maybe try to write a book?" I would just shake my head. No, I was a writer, and that was all I wanted to do. So over the years until I got published, I lived in Idaho, in New Jersey and Delaware, and in Utah, because it didn't matter. I could read and write anywhere. I've worked at a wedding invitation factory (Bet you didn't know they made them in big scary factories, did you?), at a video store (back at the birth of DVD), at libraries and bookstores, and even been an office lady at a school while I waited to get published. I knew that I would be published eventually, because . . . well, I just had to be.

Now, don't get me wrong, I have other interests. I took eight years of German, four of Norwegian, and even studied Old Norse so that I could read the great Viking sagas in the original language. I knit like a maniac: hats, scarves, sweaters, dog sweaters, socks, felted purses, you name it. I play the piano and viola, love to travel and to watch movies.

But mostly, it's about the books.

Visit Jessica at http://www.JessicaDayGeorge.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A clever mix of fashion and fantasy to create the ultimate adventure!, June 19, 2007

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dragon Slippers (Hardcover)

Since she was a small child, Creelisel "Creel" Carlbrun has dreamed of fulfilling her talented mother's dream of making her way out of the small, rural city of Carlieff Town, and opening up her very own shop in the booming King's Seat, where she can display her talent for embroidery to the high and mighty who could, quite possibly, appreciate her magnificent work. But when her parents die, and she and her fourteen-year-old brother, Hagen, are forced to take up residence with their crazy aunt, and slightly whipped uncle, Creel feels as if her dreams will never come true. Scrounging for money, and interested in becoming a royal, Creel's aunt comes up with a bizarre plan to help the struggling family's financial situation. Accompanied by Hagen, and her two cousins, Creel shall travel to the local dragon's lair, and offer herself to him. Once she is in the dragon's clutches, her aunt will summon the Lord of Carlieff's son, and have him ride to the cliffs to slay the dragon, save Creel, and make her his wife. Creel realizes that this is the most ridiculous idea, and wants nothing more than to deny her aunt's request. But, wanting to please her scattered guardian, she agrees, and offers herself - pure and true - to the dragon, known as Theoradus. Theoradus appears gruff, but his vast shoe collection makes Creel unafraid of his hulking presence. And, when she makes it out of his cave alive - no thanks to the prince of Carlieff Town, of course - Creel decides that it's time for her to move on. Treading lightly on a pair of new shoes that make her toes itch like crazy, Creel sets off for the King's Seat, determined to make her mark on the world. But, when she runs into trouble, Creel manages to make nice with yet another dragon, this one named Shardas. While he's large, and breathes fire, like Theoradus, Shardas is a gentle, kind old soul, and Creel can't help but think of him as a very close friend. A lover, and collector, of stained-glass windows, Creel begins drawing inspiration from Shardas' wide array of belongings, and translates their beauty to her designs. While Shardas seems to adore Creel's company, and she his, Creel can't help but feel that, as enticing as living with Shardas for the rest of her days truly is, she wants to fulfill the dream her mother always had. And, her strange blue slippers upon her feet, Creel continues on her journey to the King's Seat. But, as she soon learns, the King's Seat isn't as wholesome a place as she hoped. The people on the street are a step up from crooks, and refuse to provide a stranger with any help. And, when Creel comes face-to-face with the soon-to-be princess, and future queen, she realizes that looks can be deceiving; and that making a fortune when you have nowhere to open shop, and no money to assist you in your quest to make a better life for yourself, is enough to dash anyone's dreams. But as she works to sell her designs, and find work, Creel is forced to succumb to the terror and war that has begun raging throughout the King's Seat, threatening to destroy the beautiful city forever as she knows it. And, without the knowledge that the shoes in her possession are tools to save the King's Seat, Creel will be unable to do anything more than stand idly by as the place she has begun to call her home is destroyed. Unless, of course, she can call upon some very unlikely allies to help her save the day.

Dragon tales make me giddy. I love the adventure, the magic, the characters. Robin McKinley and Patricia C. Wrede have both provided me with hours of entertainment and joy over the years. And now, with the release of her debut DRAGON SLIPPERS, Jessica Day George has managed to win herself a spot alongside some of fantasy's greatest; as well as in my heart. From the very first sentence until the very last, I found George's writing lyrical and enjoyable, with a twist of magic, a dash of friendship, and a sprinkle of uniqueness. Creel is an unforgettable, irresistible character, whose talent in embroidery is amazing; while her humbleness makes her likable. Her tongue - which is as sharp as a dragon's tail - however, works in her favor to illustrate what a confident, cool, collected, intelligent individual she is. Her ability to verbally make mince-meat out of anyone she comes in contact with - be it royal or peasant - is humorous; and her unlikely friendships with dragons of all shapes and sizes is quite reminiscent of Patricia C. Wrede's ENCHANTED FOREST CHRONICLES. While Creel's character alone can carry the tale from beginning to end, she is surrounded by a quirky cast of characters who each provide the reader with even more entertainment. The prissy Marta, whose curls are always perfect is an unlikely lovable character who could bring a smile to anyone's face; while the mute Tobin illustrates that a handicap doesn't stop someone from being rough and tumble. Tobin is so jovial, yet he masks it by his gruff demeanor. Still, he manages to make an appealing character, whom you can't get enough of. George introduced some unique aspects within the pages of DRAGON SLIPPERS. Her discussion of the dragons various hordes is interesting, and gives each dragon their own personality - from Shardas who collects stained-glass windows, to Theoradus who collects shoes, and even to Feniul, who collects, of all things, dogs. Their own personal likes and dislikes help the reader separate them from one another, and make it quite easy to choose favorites within the story. DRAGON SLIPPERS is an amazing debut, that leaves room for a sequel that is sure to be fabulous. A clever mix of fashion and fantasy to create the ultimate adventure!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Princess Bride meets Dragon Rider, December 23, 2007

By 

Kim Baccellia, "YA Books Central reviewer... (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dragon Slippers (Hardcover)

What do you get when you mix a sassy damsel, dragons who hoard everything except gold, and some fancy slippers? A page turning fun tale similar to the PRINCESS BRIDE meets DRAGON RIDER.

Creel's aunt suggests sacrificing her to the local dragon in order for the family to get financial gain. True a dragon comes but he's nothing like the village tales. First, he doesn't care to eat humans. Second, he doesn't hoard gold but other things. One of which is shoes. Creel asks for a pair and the dragon lets her have them.

Creel goes to the King's city to get employment as a seamstress. But something is going on with the slippers. Her feet itch something terrible but she ignores them. Once in the city she ends up stepping on the spoiled queen to be, Amalia's, dog. Needless to say Amalia doesn't care for Creel. But the princess doesn't like anything. Nothing that is except Creel's slippers, which she says she'll get.

Little does Creel know that she holds the secret to either peace or destruction for her kingdom.

I really got into this tale. I'm not one for dragon stories but this story kept my interest from the very first page. Creel is spunky and doesn't like it when others, including snotty Amalia, put their noses down at her because she's a common villager.

Creel meets others in her travels. Marta, another seamstress with dream of opening her own dress shop. Luka, the younger prince, who is interested in Creel. Shardas, the dragon who's friendship means alot to Creel even if this means she has to put her life in danger to protect him and the other dragons.

This is a fun tale that reminds me of PRINCESS BRIDE. Readers who love dragon tales with a twist will especially love this story. Now I can't wait for the sequel.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful, March 30, 2007

By 

Avid Reader (South Jordan, Utah United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dragon Slippers (Hardcover)

I grew up hooked on Patricia C. Wrede's Searching for Dragons, et al, and this book was like a wonderful return to childhood (okay, I'm only 25, so it wasn't that long ago, but still). Even as an adult, I was delighted by the clever twists the novel takes and awed by the huge tasks Creel confronts. I loved this book and plan to buy it for all my siblings (who similarly devoured Wrede's series as we grew up).