Review Detail

Kenny & the Book of Beasts by Tony DiTerlizzi is a magical adventure filled with fantastical creatures and the bonds of friendship. It's been a few years since Kenny's last adventure with his best friend, Grahame the dragon, and things have changed as they often do when you are growing up. Kenny's now the older brother to twelve baby sisters who are always underfoot, his best and oldest friend is leaving town, his other friends are at new and different schools, and even Grahame is busy catching up with an old friend. Feeling a bit rebellious and left out, Kenny must put those feelings aside to stop a witch bent on trapping magical creatures in her book.
The adventure begins when Grahame wants to see if they can find other mythical creatures like him. Kenny and his dragon friend soon encounter a witch who offers to help them on their quest. However the witch isn't who she appears to be. Is Grahame the last of his kind? Will Kenny put his trust in the wrong friends? Despite having not read the first book in the series, this one was easy to pick up and quickly understand what was going on in the world and learn who the characters are.
In addition to the adventure, Kenny's growth is handled delicately and also so true to life in this story. He feels left out and alone, his friends have all left him behind, but that isn't really true, is it? Most preteens feel this way as they navigate middle school and high school and split from friends they've known most their life. The author shows this through Kenny and his friends.
Final Thoughts: A story about the meaning of true friendship, having compassion for others, and learning to adapt to changes, Kenny & the Book of Beasts will be an excellent addition to any home or classroom library.