The Dragon and the Stone

March 15, 2022
A girl has many questions sparked by an inherited magical stone. Twelve-year-old Lily McKinley lives with her mom, a hardworking nurse, and often takes responsibility for helping to care for her grandmother. Her life changes dramatically after she spots a dragon in the kitchen, eating chili out of the slow cooker. Soon after, Lily finds her recently deceased father's precious stone, a pendant hanging from a silver chain, tucked away in her beloved copy of a book about King Arthur. She decides to wear it. More strange things begin to happen: Lily is cornered by school bully Adam and, without meaning to, summons Sir Lancelot, a knight in shining armor. The dragon, whose name is Cedric, reappears and whisks Lily off to the Realm, explaining that she is desperately needed. Through an unfortunate miscommunication, Adam is also transported into the Realm. Along their journey, they encounter wild terrain, ogres, and a regal unicorn along with many other creatures. While Lily despises Adam, she learns that they have a lot more in common than she knew, and the two eventually develop a friendship. Unexpected twists make Lily question what really happened to her dad and cause her to seek the truth about who he actually was. Main characters read as White; names indicate diversity in the supporting cast. An appealing, imaginative adventure tale with classic fantasy elements. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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May 23, 2022
Butler (Between Life and Death, for adults) blends magic and faith in this adventurous series opener. Twelve-year-old Lily McKinley is miserable. Her father died two months ago while on a trip overseas, her grandmother is exhibiting dementia symptoms, her overworked mother is exhausted, and she’s being bullied at school. Lily’s only comfort comes from stories, such as King Arthur and His Knights, and her own imagination. Following the sudden appearance of a dog-size dragon named Cedric in her kitchen, she discovers a teardrop-shaped stone on a chain, which used to be her father’s, tucked in between King Arthur’s pages. Cedric reveals he’s a scout from the Somnium Realm, the land between dreams and the waking world, sent to find Lily, who has inherited her father’s role as a dream keeper, Somnium’s designated protectors. After whisking Lily—and, inadvertently, her bully, Adam Sykes—to the magical realm, the unlikely duo must find a way to get home while being pursued by an ancient evil. Much of this fanciful adventure centers familiar struggles between good and evil, but internal challenges, such as Lily’s palpable grief and her tentative friendship with Adam, provide an emotional backdrop to the philosophical telling. Most characters cue as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Erik Wolgemuth, Wolgemuth & Assoc.