Dragons in a Bag

August 6, 2018
When nine-year-old Jaxon’s mom leaves him to stay with “Ma,” the woman who raised her (presumably, his grandmother), he is startled by a mysterious, moving package on her table. Soon, Jax learns that Ma is a witch to whom his mother was once apprenticed, and that the package contains three baby dragons that must be delivered to a parallel realm, since Brooklyn lacks sufficient magic to sustain the beasts. Jax joins her, deciding he’d like to be her apprentice, but the transporter, an old guardhouse in Prospect Park, mistakenly deposits them in the Mesozoic era instead. When a dinosaur threatens them, Ma pushes Jax and her dragon-filled purse into the transformer, and Jax arrives back in Brooklyn with two essential missions: save Ma, and safeguard the dragons. Filled with entertaining characters, including the grandfather Jax has never met and a man who may just be invisible, the story entertains from start to finish. Readers will mirror Jax’s surprise at and joy in discovering the world Elliott (Bird) brings to life. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary.

August 1, 2018
Grades 2-4 Jaxon and his mom have been a team for as long as he can remember. When Jaxon's mother needs to deal with a crooked landlord trying to evict them, she takes Jaxon to Ma, the woman who raised her. Jaxon is surprised and scared?his mother is leaving him with a stranger? And it gets weirder: on her kitchen table lies a package with stamps from Madagascar all over it . . . and it moves. Jaxon is intrigued. Ma, who is a witch responsible for protecting magical creatures, invites Jaxon to take the package back to the magic place where it needs to be. Dragons, dinosaurs, an invisible man, and more await Jaxon as he discovers where his family comes from and where his grandfather has been. Readers will relate to Jaxon's city life, diverse friends, and family dynamic, and Elliott does a wonderful job of interweaving fantasy, adventure, and character relationships. The language is not too complex for new fantasy readers and speeds right along. A wonderful, and wonderfully inclusive, fantasy for any collection.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

September 1, 2018
There are two things you should never do when dealing with dragons. First, do not let them out of the bag; and second, do not feed them anything sticky and sweet. At the beginning of this likable and suspenseful chapter book, Jaxon ( Jax ) is dropped off by his mother at the home of a stranger: the old woman who raised her. It turns out that Ma, as the woman asks Jax to call her, is a witch who has just received a special package containing three dragons from Madagascar. Ma tells Jax that the dragons cannot stay in Brooklyn because there is not enough magic there to sustain them. They came from one world, and they're on their way to another. The plot is engaging, with a number of unexpected twists and turns involving time travel, magic, and a host of interesting and vividly portrayed characters. Ma, for example, appears cantankerous and mean on the surface, but her actions toward Jax reveal her to be a compassionate and loving caregiver. Each chapter features one or two black-and-white cartoon illustrations depicting pivotal moments, objects, or people (e.g., Ambrose, one of Ma's helpers, who is invisible except for his clothing). Considering the scarcity of African American middle-grade fantasy, this novel is a welcome addition. It ends with Jax headed out for another adventure related to one of the dragons, so readers can look forward to a second installment. jonda c. mcnair

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2019
Jax meets Ma--who has just received a package containing three dragons. The dragons cannot stay in Brooklyn ("They came from one world, and they're on their way to another"), and the pair's quest to deliver the creatures takes several unexpected turns involving time travel, magic, and a host of vividly portrayed characters. This likable, suspenseful illustrated novel is a welcome addition to the underpopulated genre of African American middle-grade fantasy.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from August 1, 2018
Nine-year-old Brooklynite Jaxon meets a witch, becomes her apprentice, and protects baby dragons all in one eventful day.As the story opens, Jaxon and his mom are being evicted. While Mama tries to secure a place to stay, she leaves him with Ma, the woman who raised her. Ma clearly doesn't want Jaxon around, but it becomes apparent that's at least partially due to a mysterious package she's received. Jax soon discovers that Ma's a witch, his mom used to be Ma's apprentice (a mantle he takes up), and that Ma's package contains...baby dragons! The dragons need to be taken to the magical realm, but a transport malfunction strands Ma while Jax is sent back to Brooklyn. Desperate to save Ma, Jax enlists the help of his friend Vikram, whose little sister, Kavita, tags along. Curious--or is it nosy?--Kavita discovers the dragons and does the worst: feeds them. This not only increases their size, but bonds them to her. Thankfully, Trub, Jax's maternal grandfather, is a magic user and helps Jax find Ma and get the dragons to the magical realm, where (discerning readers won't be surprised) they discover one dragon is missing....What a breath of fresh air: a chapter-book fantasy with an urban setting, an array of brown-skinned magic wielders, and a lovable black protagonist readers will root for and sympathize with. Geneva B's black-and-white illustrations depict a cast of color and appear every few pages.Good, solid fantasy fun. (Fantasy. 6-10)

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Starred review from August 1, 2018

Gr 2-5-When nine-year-old Jaxon's mother goes to court to fight an eviction order, she leaves him with a grouchy older woman she calls Ma. As it turns out, Ma is a witch, and she's been sent a trio of dragon hatchlings that she must return to their home. After a rocky start together and an incident with a glitchy transporter, Ma ends up stuck in the Mesozoic era while Jaxon is returned to Brooklyn to find help and protect the baby dragons. With the aid of Ma's network of friends, Jax manages to reunite with Ma in the realm of magic. A few loose ends leave this story open for future installments. Historically, most chapter books featuring magical tales of witches and dragons center the experiences of white protagonists and characters; Elliott offers something much needed in the genre: a black protagonist in an urban setting. Elliott skillfully introduces themes about creating positive change, examines issues of othering and the fear of differences, and touches upon the complexities of family, gentrification, and segregation. VERDICT A promising start to a new series, this fantasy should find a home in all libraries.-Lauren Strohecker, McKinley Elementary School, Elkins Park, PA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.