“Dragon Slippers,” by Jessica Day George

After a couple of weeks delving into the realm of various large reptiles, I’m returning to where my blog began: reviews of books about dragons. Jessica Day George’s “Dragon Slippers” is the first in a series for middle-grades. (That’s grades 4 – 6, for those of you who aren’t children’s writers.)

The initial volume is a fun riff on the legend of a young maiden sacrificed to a dragon. As in many of these books, the maiden rescues herself. The dragon, it turns out, is not a ravaging beast, but a quite civilized collector of shoes. Set free, young Creel sets off in pursuit of her dream, which is to own her a fine dress shop. But before she goes, she wins the right to take one pair of shoes from her unwilling host. She chooses a pair of beautiful blue slippers. Little does Creel know the power in her new shoes, or the danger it will bring upon her kingdom.

The dragons in this book live in hiding, separated from humans they once had a warmer relationship with. Upending another myth, George sets her dragons up not as greedy hoarders, but as connoisseurs who carefully select items for their enjoyment. Each dragon has its own passion: in addition to the shoes, dragons collect stained glass, and even dogs. In a series of clever twists, the various collections actually play a role in the unfolding plot.

Creel’s adventures bring her up against a wicked princess, and into collaboration with a good prince who looks like he will become more than a friend. The whole thing is somewhat light and fluffy, though engaging. Most of the characters are silly in one way or another. Nevertheless, it makes a good read for kids in the target audience, or for adults who want to relax with something quick and light.

The books in the series are Dragon Slippers (2007), Dragon Flight (2008), and Dragon Spear (2010). George also has written a number of stand-alone novels, all based on fairy tales and published by Bloomsbury USA.