Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George

From the Publisher

Many stories tell of damsels in distress, who are rescued from the clutches of fire-breathing dragons by knights in shining armor, and swept off to live happily ever after.

Unfortunately, this is not one of those stories.

True, when Creel’s aunt suggests sacrificing her to the local dragon, it is with the hope that the knight will marry Creel and that everyone (aunt and family included) will benefit handsomely. Yet it’s Creel who talks her way out of the dragon’s clutches. And it’s Creel who walks for days on end to seek her fortune in the king’s city with only a bit of embroidery thread and a strange pair of slippers in her possession.

But even Creel could not have guessed the outcome of this tale. For in a country on the verge of war, Creel unknowingly possesses not just any pair of shoes, but a tool that could be used to save her kingdom…or destroy it.

Children's Literature

Creel is a poor, orphaned, farm girl with a talent for embroidery. When her aunt decides to sacrifice her to a dragon in order to lure a knight or prince who might marry her, Creel sees it as a way to escape her boring life. She does not expect to meet a real dragon in the caves above her village, so she is even more surprised when the real dragon does not want to eat her. Creel makes a deal to keep the approaching mob away from the dragon's lair if he gives her a pair of fabulous shoes from his hoard. The shoes Creel picks turn out to be the most valuable treasure in all of her kingdom, and they enable her to communicate with the dragons. As she sets off on her way to pursue her dream of working in a dress shop in the king's city, Creel is rescued from bandits by another friendly dragon. Creel and the dragon Shardas strike up a special friendship that becomes the centerpiece of the novel. Creel continues on to the king's city, where she finds work, friends, and adventure. As the story continues, Creel discovers that her special shoes have the power to save or destroy the kingdom, and she must face the future with bravery. The novel's female characters are spunky, the dragon lore is well-crafted, and the story is a balance of comic and tragic elements. This is a fun first novel from George that would delight fantasy fans of Shannon Hale or Gail Carson Levine.

VOYA

To raise the family out of poverty, Creel's aunt concocts a plan to sacrifice Creel to a dragon so that a wealthy knight will save and marry her. But Creel has her own plans, and to finance her adventure, she decides to bargain for a piece of the dragon's gold. But this dragon hoards shoes, not gold, and Creel is given a beautiful pair of blue slippers, which she soon discovers have special powers. Finding herself victim of an evil princess and in the middle of a war that threatens to destroy everything including her dragon friends, it is up to Creel to outwit the enemy and save the innocents. Mixing the comic-fantasy tradition of Patricia C. Wrede with the heroine quest elements of Robin McKinley and Tamora Pierce, George creates a marvelous fantasy that fans of those authors will relish. The plot is fast paced with all the right touches of romance and adventure. Only minor lapses, such as a lack of a real explanation of how the evil princess gained knowledge of the slippers' powers and thus her exact role in initiating the war, tarnish the work. The characters are wonderfully drawn, and Creel is particularly dynamic and strong. While staying solidly within the bounds of a traditional fantasy setting, George creates something new that will undoubtedly delight readers with its unexpected twists and turns, and the satisfying yet mysterious ending will leave readers clamoring for more from this first-time author.

Kirkus Reviews

Creel wants to go to the King's Seat so she can earn her living by embroidering her unique designs. But danger and adventure ensue. There are dragons, magic slippers and a handsome prince. There is also treason, war and destruction. But Creel is not meek or passive; she takes the initiative and leads perilous defensive and offensive maneuvers that eventually win the battle. George weaves a picaresque tale with a cast of quirky characters into a medieval fantasy. Relationships among social classes and the trials and tribulations of women trying to improve their lot are nicely incorporated into the context of the story. While the names and events sound suitably archaic, at times the syntax of the narration and dialogue has a decidedly modern twist. But this serves to make the tale more accessible and Creel a more sympathetic and human creation. Not entirely original, but clever, well-plotted and good fun. (Fiction. 10-14)

Product Details