Review Detail

Grace is starting a new school in Hong Kong with her mom and new stepdad. While she initially worries about fitting in and making friends, she soon realizes her problems are much bigger than she expected. A mysterious woman gives her a dragon egg, and with the newly hatched dragon, Grace discovers that the mythology about the dragon emperor and the war is true. Her dragon, newly named Nate, has strange powers, and dangerous people are after the dragon and Grace. It’s up to Grace and her new friends to protect Nate and prepare for a war ahead.

3 Reasons to read THE AWAKENING STORM

1.) The colorful illustrations: Vivian Truong brings the mythology to life with elegant artwork, colorful designs, and through epic shots of volcanoes and the ocean.

2.) The theme of morality: I can’t say much here without giving away spoilers, but Jaimal Yogis crafts a clever storyline around morality and the lines people will cross to avoid their fears, even at the expense of other living beings. With a final twist at the end, it’s clear Grace and her friends haven’t seen the last of these people.

3.) The friendships: Grace is nervous about fitting in at her new school in a new city. The friend group she forms is a resourceful, clever crew and has the perfect amount of comedic relief. They all have interesting backgrounds, but Ramesh, with his snappy one-liners might be my favorite.

THE AWAKENING STORM is an exciting beginning to the City of Dragons series and is a great pick for young readers who like action, laughs, and of course, epic dragons.