Dragon Slippers
By Jessica Day George
Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books
2007
Dedication: For Mikey, who has put up with an awful lot over the past nine years, but who never gave up on me or let me give up on myself.
And for the dragons.
Target Age Group: Girls, ages 10 through 14
Must Read
Good Read
Should Read
Synopsis
Creel and her brother are orphans, left in the care of her aunt and uncle, who are as poor as their parents had been. Creel’s aunt has a wonderful idea: Creel should be captured by a dragon (a dragon who, by the way, hasn’t been seen in two generations). She’ll be rescued by a noble knight, and taken to live happily ever after in the knight’s castle (where her entire family will join them, of course).
But an old, brown dragon named Theoradus does show up. And he does capture Creel. He just doesn’t want to fight. After all, it’s too easy for a dragon to roast a knight inside his armor. So Creel offers to help. She will make sure Theoradus doesn’t have to fight the knight if she can have one item from the dragon’s hoard. Theoradus agrees.
Creel is disappointed to find out that this dragon’s hoard isn't gold or jewels, but shoes. That's right, this dragon collects shoes. Oh well, a deal is a deal, so Creel selects a comfortable pair of shoes from the hundreds that Theoradus has.
What Creel doesn’t know, and what the dragons don’t tell her, is how special this particular pair of shoes is.
Creel bids farewell to Theoradus to travel to King’s Seat, the largest town in her country of Feravel, where she plans to open her own dress shop. She thinks she will never see Theoradus or any other dragons again. But she couldn’t be more wrong. Instead of her own dress shop, Creel finds adventure, intrigue, a charming prince, a spoiled princess, true friendship and stunning betrayal.
Book Review
I loved this book. It’s told in first person from Creel’s perspective. She frequently adds her own comments to the narrative. And what’s wrong with that? She calls a spade a spade, but unfortunately, her tongue tends to get her in more trouble then she intends.
This is Jessica Day George’s first novel, and while it was originally intended to be a book on its own, it has become the first book of the Dragon Slippers Trilogy.
Characters
Creelisel Carlbrun (Creel) – 15 years old and the heroine of our story. Creel has straw-yellow hair that’s also straw-straight, blue eyes and a small, freckled nose. From Carlieff Town, she doesn’t realize how much of a country girl she is, until she meets the Princess Amalia.
Theoradus – A brown dragon, 670 years old who lives in Carlieff Town. He’s fought a few knights in his younger days but has no desire to do so any longer. He just wants to be left in peace, with his cherished collection of shoes.
Shardas – A golden dragon, living near King’s Seat. He’s a full century older than Theoradus, but far more active. He collects windows, and has a secret he keeps from Creel.
Luka Mulin – The younger son of King Caxel. He’s around Creel’s age, and appreciates her honesty.
Miles Mulin – The crown prince of Feravel, which means he’s the older son of King Caxel and next in line for the throne. His engagement to Amalia was rather sudden, and not everyone in King’s Seat is happy about it. But it’s a royal match designed to keep peace between their two countries.
Amalia – The princess of Roulain. She’s a petulant brat with a yippy dog. She wants Creel’s shoes. After all, why should a country girl from Carlieff Town have such fine shoes? And why can’t she -- a princess -- just take them if she wants to?
Derda – The proprietress of an extremely fine dress shop in King’s Seat. She agrees to give Creel work, as long as Creel can keep a civil tongue.
Marta, Larkin and Alle – The other girls who work in Derda’s shop. They appear to like Creel, but are they really her friends? Or will they use her to get ahead themselves?
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