Customer Reviews

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

For kids that are too young for the complex "Harry Potter" series, and yet interested in fantasy stories, then Bruce Coville's Magic Shop books might be the thing to hook them up with. Each book is based on a basic premise: a young child with the usual kid problems (home trouble, bullies, crushes, angry teachers, etc) stumble across Mr Elives' Magic Shop, and leave with an unusual purchase that creates more trouble for them, but ultimately teaches them important lessons.

In this case, Jeremy Thatcher escapes two bullies, the resentful nature of his art teacher and the unwanted affections of Mary Lou by ducking into the Magic Shop, where Mr Elives gruffly allows him to take home a strange glistening sphere with a sheet of mysterious instructions - it would seem Jeremy is about to hatch a dragon's egg! With the tiny dragonlet Tiamat born, but growing steadily by the day, Jeremy gains more confidence against the problems in his life, as well as more creative flair with the inspiration that Tiamat magically places in his mind's eye.

Obviously, a baby dragon in the house is not as easy as it sounds, and even though only Jeremy can see her, Tiamat is still able to manipulate circumstances around her with her fiery breath. But Tiamat must eventually return home to her own world, and along with the mysterious, beautiful Miss Priest and Mr Elives, Jeremy participates in the ritual to send her to the "dragon-world". Despite the loss however, Jeremy has found a new outlook on life, had old friendships tested and new ones forged, and come to understand a spiteful teacher better.

With little dashes of real dragon lore mingled in with his own creative liberties, Coville makes the world natural enough for belief to be suspended, although as an older reader, I would dearly like to know more about the Shop, its owner and its associate Miss Priest. Who are they really? How do they pick the children they give gifts to? How does the Shop move around? If he wished, Coville could make these short but sweet stories into something much more deep and interesting.

As I said, the Magic Shop books are great for younger readers, with enough of the every-day troubles to relate to, and enough of the fantasy elements to fire their own imaginations.

Its also worth mentioning that if you're a part of a country that recieves the Great Britain copies of these books, there are some wonderful new covers to behold by the artist Tony Diterlizzi, best know for his illustrations in the "Spiderwick Chronicles", that beautifully capture the children's personalities and their magical companions.

I read this book aloud with my 9 year old daughter, and she gave it the ultimate compliment: 'I wished it would never end'. I must admit, I did too. A very heartfelt and magical book about friendship. I would recommend it to any parent who likes to read with their kids.

"Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" was undoubtedly my favorite book as a child...and now, thirteen years after I first read it, it still occupies a special place in my heart. I honestly think that it is one of the best written children's books of the last fifty years; I still read it from time to time, and my old copy is so beat up (the cover fell off long ago) that I'm thinking of buying a new one--hardback this time. It's that good. I'm excited to think that one day I'll be able to read this to my own children. The characters are so well-drawn and believable, and the plot moves along so well, that I'm pretty sure even most adults (though they might not admit it) would be sucked in. This book is perfect for kids who have been introduced to fantasy through Harry Potter; it is, in fact, the book that first introduced me to fantasy all those years ago. I read "The Hobbit" in third grade because Bruce Coville makes a passing reference to it in "Jeremy Thatcher."

This isn't just a story about a boy and his dragon--though, if it were, and told by Coville, it would still be appealing enough for children. It also deals, very effectively, with the issues that Jeremy faces as he enters adolescence--a girl with a crush on him, an inexplicably hostile teacher. Jeremy grows up quite a bit over the course of the story--and Coville is never preachy, as he sometimes (much as I love him) is in other books ("My Teacher Flunked the Planet," anyone?).

This is a fantastic story told by a fantastic writer working at the top of his game. I highly recommend it to anyone.

I initially read this book as a 4th-grader (ahem, that would be ten years ago) and -- embarrassingly -- I still go back to it. This book is gorgeous. Well-drawn characters fuel a truly inspired plot. Even the illustrations are exceptional, and not intrusive, as many children's books illustrations are. And a word to parents: the fantasy is certainly "light" enough that it isn't at all destructive to young minds. Tiamat the dragon really takes the spotlight here -- kids will fall in love.

Jeremy Thatcher doesn't even look back while he is running away from Mary Lou Hutton's "Kiss of Death." So you're not srprised when he finds a street he's unfamiliar with. He walks into a magic shop, hoping to find something to make Mary Lou dissapear. Instead, he finds a ball of swirling colors and buys it. He finds some wierd instructions in the box it came in and decides to try them out. So he hatches a dragon, and with it comes a whole lot of friendship, adventure, and trust. This is an excellent book and I think you would enjoy it.

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher is an excellent book to read. The main character has a sense of humor. Jeremy's Jokes are funny, but a lot of people don't get them. The book is captivating because Jeremy is believable and he has a normal, ordinary life. The most exciting part of the book was the end when he almost killed the dragon. I would recommend this book to a peer. In conclusion, people who want action, humor, and a great story should read this book!

This story's exciting part never ends. I felt like I was Jeremy. It's a great book if you like magic. While trying to get away from bullies, Jeremy ran into a magic shop. He bought a dragon egg. He thought that it was a pretty marble or pretty ball. He did not know it was an egg. The dragon hatches on a full moon. Read the book to find out what happens.

This book isn't in my top ten, but it is a good book. It is very descriptive and has a lot of suspense. I had to read this book for school, and in the beginning, I didn't want to read it because, I thought, yes, the cover was lame. This book taught me NEVER to judge a book by it's cover.

Full moons light to wake the egg,
Full moons light to hatch it
Midsummer's Night will crack the world,
But St John Day will patch it

This is the incantation that Jeremy Thatcher has to recite in order to hatch a dragon egg!! One day whale fleeing from some bullies and Mary Lou Hutton (a girl who wants to kiss him!) Jeremy stumbles on to a magic shop and saw a sign that reads:

ELIVES' MAGIC SUPPLES
S.H. ELIVES PROP.

He buys a colorful orb, like a "kaleidoscope" which turns out to be a dragon egg!!! Soon the dragon named Tiamat starts to cause an abundance of trouble. No one else can see her besides Jeremy and Mary Lou. What will happen when Tiamat gets too big? Read the book, find out. You won't be sorry.

I would recommend this book for 4-6 graders. I loved this book. I read it again and again. Colville is a genus!

Sixth grader Jeremy Hatcher never would have found Mr. Elives's Magic Shop, had Freddie the Frog Killer and Howard Morton not been trying to hold him down so Mary Lou Hutton could kiss him. But Jeremy ran as fast as he could, and someone ended up in the mysterious shop. Pretty soon Mr. Elives is showing Jeremy all types of different oddball stuff to purchase, like the Skull of Truth, Chinese Rings, and a Dragon's Egg. And, thanks to Mr. Elives' recommendation, Jeremy ends up leaving the magic shop with his hands full of a beautiful colored Dragon's Egg. Of course, Jeremy thinks that the entire thing is a huge hoax, until the egg hatches, and Jeremy finds himself the proud owner of a beautiful baby dragon, who communicates with him telepathically.

Bruce Coville has created a new series (The Magic Shop Series), which is just perfect for those young fans of J.K. Rowling's HARRY POTTER, who enjoy the movies, but just can't seem to grasp the books. Coville is the answer to those children. Featuring four books in a series that is perfect for young magic lover's, JENNIFER MURDLEY'S TOAD, JEREMY THATCHER, DRAGON HATCHER, THE MONSTER'S RING, and THE SKULL OF TRUTH. Fans of Coville's previous works will relish in the fantastical journey they will embark on with Jeremy Thatcher, and his lovely new pet. A must-have.

Erika Sorocco