Dragons in a bag

Review by Booklist Review

Jaxon and his mom have been a team for as long as he can remember. When Jaxon's mother needs to deal with a crooked landlord trying to evict them, she takes Jaxon to Ma, the woman who raised her. Jaxon is surprised and scared his mother is leaving him with a stranger And it gets weirder: on her kitchen table lies a package with stamps from Madagascar all over it . . . and it moves. Jaxon is intrigued. Ma, who is a witch responsible for protecting magical creatures, invites Jaxon to take the package back to the magic place where it needs to be. Dragons, dinosaurs, an invisible man, and more await Jaxon as he discovers where his family comes from and where his grandfather has been. Readers will relate to Jaxon's city life, diverse friends, and family dynamic, and Elliott does a wonderful job of interweaving fantasy, adventure, and character relationships. The language is not too complex for new fantasy readers and speeds right along. A wonderful, and wonderfully inclusive, fantasy for any collection.--Rosie Camargo Copyright 2018 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

When nine-year-old Jaxon's mom leaves him to stay with "Ma," the woman who raised her (presumably, his grandmother), he is startled by a mysterious, moving package on her table. Soon, Jax learns that Ma is a witch to whom his mother was once apprenticed, and that the package contains three baby dragons that must be delivered to a parallel realm, since Brooklyn lacks sufficient magic to sustain the beasts. Jax joins her, deciding he'd like to be her apprentice, but the transporter, an old guardhouse in Prospect Park, mistakenly deposits them in the Mesozoic era instead. When a dinosaur threatens them, Ma pushes Jax and her dragon-filled purse into the transformer, and Jax arrives back in Brooklyn with two essential missions: save Ma, and safeguard the dragons. Filled with entertaining characters, including the grandfather Jax has never met and a man who may just be invisible, the story entertains from start to finish. Readers will mirror Jax's surprise at and joy in discovering the world Elliott (Bird) brings to life. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8-12. Author's agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 2-5-When nine-year-old Jaxon's mother goes to court to fight an eviction order, she leaves him with a grouchy older woman she calls Ma. As it turns out, Ma is a witch, and she's been sent a trio of dragon hatchlings that she must return to their home. After a rocky start together and an incident with a glitchy transporter, Ma ends up stuck in the Mesozoic era while Jaxon is returned to Brooklyn to find help and protect the baby dragons. With the aid of Ma's network of friends, Jax manages to reunite with Ma in the realm of magic. A few loose ends leave this story open for future installments. Historically, most chapter books featuring magical tales of witches and dragons center the experiences of white protagonists and characters; Elliott offers something much needed in the genre: a black protagonist in an urban setting. Elliott skillfully introduces themes about creating positive change, examines issues of othering and the fear of differences, and touches upon the complexities of family, gentrification, and segregation. VERDICT A promising start to a new series, this fantasy should find a home in all libraries.-Lauren Strohecker, McKinley Elementary School, Elkins Park, PA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Horn Book Review

There are two things you should never do when dealing with dragons. First, do not let them out of the bag; and second, do not feed them anything sticky and sweet. At the beginning of this likable and suspenseful chapter book, Jaxon (Jax) is dropped off by his mother at the home of a stranger: the old woman who raised her. It turns out that Ma, as the woman asks Jax to call her, is a witch who has just received a special package containing three dragons from Madagascar. Ma tells Jax that the dragons cannot stay in Brooklyn because there is not enough magic there to sustain them. They came from one world, and theyre on their way to another. The plot is engaging, with a number of unexpected twists and turns involving time travel, magic, and a host of interesting and vividly portrayed characters. Ma, for example, appears cantankerous and mean on the surface, but her actions toward Jax reveal her to be a compassionate and loving caregiver. Each chapter features one or two black-and-white cartoon illustrations depicting pivotal moments, objects, or people (e.g., Ambrose, one of Mas helpers, who is invisible except for his clothing). Considering the scarcity of African American middle-grade fantasy, this novel is a welcome addition. It ends with Jax headed out for another adventure related to one of the dragons, so readers can look forward to a second installment. jonda c. mcnair (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

Nine-year-old Brooklynite Jaxon meets a witch, becomes her apprentice, and protects baby dragons all in one eventful day.As the story opens, Jaxon and his mom are being evicted. While Mama tries to secure a place to stay, she leaves him with Ma, the woman who raised her. Ma clearly doesn't want Jaxon around, but it becomes apparent that's at least partially due to a mysterious package she's received. Jax soon discovers that Ma's a witch, his mom used to be Ma's apprentice (a mantle he takes up), and that Ma's package containsbaby dragons! The dragons need to be taken to the magical realm, but a transport malfunction strands Ma while Jax is sent back to Brooklyn. Desperate to save Ma, Jax enlists the help of his friend Vikram, whose little sister, Kavita, tags along. Curiousor is it nosy?Kavita discovers the dragons and does the worst: feeds them. This not only increases their size, but bonds them to her. Thankfully, Trub, Jax's maternal grandfather, is a magic user and helps Jax find Ma and get the dragons to the magical realm, where (discerning readers won't be surprised) they discover one dragon is missing.What a breath of fresh air: a chapter-book fantasy with an urban setting, an array of brown-skinned magic wielders, and a lovable black protagonist readers will root for and sympathize with. Geneva B's black-and-white illustrations depict a cast of color and appear every few pages.Good, solid fantasy fun. (Fantasy. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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Mama strokes my cheek with her finger before pressing the doorbell. I feel tears pooling behind my eyes, but I will them not to fall. Mama has enough to worry about right now.   "It's only for a little while, Jaxon. I'll be back before you know it."   I nod and look up at the peephole in the door. If I look down at my feet, the tears will fall and my nose will start to run and Mama will know I don't want her to leave me here.   Mama's biting her lip and tapping her toe nervously. She presses the doorbell again, letting it ring longer this time. We both hear someone stirring--and cursing--inside the apartment. Mama laughs nervously and says, "Ma curses like a sailor sometimes, but she's a harmless old lady. She's fun, too--you'll like her, Jax."   I never even knew I had a grandmother living in Brooklyn. Mama never mentioned her before. Sometimes Mama hides things from me--or that's what I let her believe. Mama thinks I don't know our landlord's trying to get rid of us. She takes down the eviction notices he pins to our front door, but I still know what's going on. Today Mama has to go to court. I want to go with her, but Mama wants to leave me here instead.   A heavy body shuffles toward the door. Mama and I wait patiently as at least three locks are turned. The chain stays on and lets the door open just a crack. I cringe as a raspy voice asks, "What you want?"   Mama smiles sweetly and places her palm against the door. She speaks slowly and politely. "It's just us, Ma. I called this morning and told you we were coming. Remember?"   The woman behind the door barks at Mama, "Course I remember. You called and asked if you could leave the boy with me and I said NO!"   The sweet smile on Mama's face doesn't budge. If anything, it hardens. Mama tries to push the door open, but the chain's still on and my mysterious grandmother doesn't seem ready to move out of the way.   Mama puts her other hand on the doorframe and leans in so that the woman on the other side of the door can see and hear just how desperate she is. "It's only for a few hours. Please, Ma. You're all he has."   I step back and wonder if that's really true. I'm sure Vikram would let me stay at his house for a while. His parents like me and don't mind having me around. Mrs. Patel calls me a good influence. That's what the grown-ups who know me always say. But this mean lady won't even open the door and give me a chance. If she doesn't want me around, that's fine by me.   But it's not okay with Mama. She's whispering to the woman behind the door, but her smile is gone now, and there are tears shining on her cheeks. I want to hold Mama's hand, but instead I take another step back and hold on to the straps of my book bag. Mama's saying one word over and over again: please.   I have never seen my mother beg anyone for anything. But it doesn't work, because the door finally closes. Mama rests her forehead against it before wiping her eyes and turning to me. "Let's go, Jax," she says wearily.   I sigh with relief and take Mama's hand. Just as we start to walk down the stairs, I hear the chain slide, and the door opens once more.   "One day. Give me your word, Alicia. One day."   Mama says, "I promise, Ma." Then she pulls me back over to my grandmother's apartment. The door is open, but the lights are off and I can't see anyone inside. Mama gives me a quick hug and pushes me through the doorway. Before I can ask her when she'll be back, Mama rushes down the stairs and is gone. Excerpted from Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

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