"In order to gain wisdom, you must learn to read inter linea, between the lines."
Artos doesn't know who his parents are, just that kindly Sir Ector and Lady Marion took him into their castle when he was a baby. Though Sir Ector raises him as one of his sons, Artos never feels he truly belongs. The other boys of the castle -- Cai, Bedvere, and Lancot -- make fun of him and never invite him to join in their games.
One day, while searching for Sir Ector's missing brachet hound in the fens around the castle, Artos stumbles across a musty cave in a hill where a very old dragon lives. Though he is afraid, he is drawn to the beast by both the dragon's knowledge and his promise to teach Artos the game of wisdom. With the dragon's guidance, Artos begins the slow journey to his destiny-one that he never dreamed could belong to him.
Notable 1990 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
A good introduction to Arthurian legend, this is a retelling of the education and coming of age of 13-year-old Artos (Arthur). Old Linn (Merlin) is to be his teacher, but, doubting he can command the boy's attention, he constructs a fire-breathing dragon as a facade. Behind this imposing apparition, he impresses Artos into becoming his student. However, when Artos discovers the dragon's true identity, he becomes angry. When Old Linn explains Artos' lineage and hints that his destiny is to be a leader of men, the boy reconsiders their relationship. Basing the story on recognized Arthurian scholarship, Yolen skillfully develops those aspects of Artos' character that will guide him in his adult life--courage, compassion, and fairness. The book serves as a foundation for further reading of Arthurian tales. Some of the vocabulary and references to Celtic folklore may be unfamiliar to readers, but these add authenticity and richness without detracting from the enjoyment of the story. --Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VT Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
About the Author
Jane Yolen is the award-winning author of more than two hundred books, including fantasy, science fiction, and poetry, which earned her the moniker the American Hans Christian Andersen. Her titles include Odysseus in the Serpent Maze, The Dragon's Boy, and The Girl Who Loved the Wind. Jane Yolen divides her time between a farmhouse in Massachusetts and a house in Scotland.
Born and raised in New York City, Jane Yolen now lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She attended Smith College and received her master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts. The distinguished author of more than 170 books, Jane Yolen is a person of many talents. When she is not writing, Yolen composes songs, is a professional storyteller on the stage, and is the busy wife of a university professor, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother. Active in several organizations, Yolen has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1986 to 1988, is on the editorial board of several magazines, and was a founding member of the Western New England Storytellers Guild, the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and the Bay State Writers Guild. For twenty years, she ran a monthly writer's workshop for new children's book authors. In 1980, when Yolen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the citation recognized that "throughout her writing career she has remained true to her primary source of inspiration--folk culture." Folklore is the "perfect second skin," writes Yolen. "From under its hide, we can see all the shimmering, shadowy uncertainties of the world." Folklore, she believes, is the universal human language, a language that children instinctively feel in their hearts. All of Yolen's stories and poems are somehow rooted in her sense of family and self. The Emperor and the Kite, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1983 for its intricate papercut illustrations by Ed Young, was based on Yolen's relationship with her late father, who was an international kite-flying champion. Owl Moon, winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal for John Schoenherr's exquisite watercolors, was inspired by her husband's interest in birding. Yolen's graceful rhythms and outrageous rhymes have been gathered in numerous collections. She has earned many awards over the years: the Regina Medal, the Kerlan Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Society of Children's Book Writers Award, the Mythopoetic Society's Aslan Award, the Christopher Medal, the Boy's Club Jr. Book Award, the Garden State Children's Book Award, the Daedalus Award, a number of Parents' Choice Magazine Awards, and many more. Her books and stories have been translated into Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Afrikaans, !Xhosa, Portuguese, and Braille. With a versatility that has led her to be called "America's Hans Christian Andersen," Yolen, the child of two writers, is a gifted and natural storyteller. Perhaps the best explanation for her outstanding accomplishments comes from Jane Yolen herself: "I don't care whether the story is real or fantastical. I tell the story that needs to be told."
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 starsA very different take on the Pendragon myth..., September 25, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: The Dragon's Boy (Hardcover)
I read "The Dragon's Boy" originally as a short story in Jane Yolen's collection "Here There Be Dragons," and found it thoughtful, moving, and above all a purely enjoyable story. When I found it had been expanded into a novel, I was a little wary. I wasn't quite sure what would happen to it. Then I read the novel, and all fears were set to rest. While there are distinct differences in the action of the endings of the short story and the novel, the main point remains unchanged, and I enjoyed finding small episodes of the short story fleshed out into chapters of the novel without ever becoming overblown. Most of all, I love the final revelation of "The Dragon's Boy," when Artos, who has been gaining wisdom from a dragon hidden in a secret cave on the moors, finds out at last the true identity of his dragon. I would argue that the ending is the high point of the book, not anticlimactic of all. I was not entirely surprised when I read it for the first time, because I had enough familiarity with various Arthurian retellings to pick up on certain names when they came around-but rest assured, that did not in any way diminish my enjoyment of the story. "The Dragon's Boy" is a fascinating slant on the early life of King Arthur (made famous in "The Sword and the Stone," by T.H. White) and an excellent novel in its own right. Read, by request of the dragon, and you will certainly enjoy.
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My son and I raced through this book (on separate but concurrent tracks). While he enjoyed it thoroughly, he was disappointed at the turn at the end. I must admit that I was a bit let down, too. The advantage of reading the book together, tho, is talking about it. In the discussion following our reads, we both made peace with the story. It is really a lovely story about truth, friendship, and courage--as well as a fun spin on the Arthur legend. I would not recommend it for kids who love knight/dragon/adventure books, unless they were thoughtful readers or have a thoughtful guide.
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I think this book is totally great. It is a mystery in disguise, and the ending is totally wonderful. I think there ought to be a sequel, but I don't know if there is one!
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