The New Kid At School (Dragon Slayer’s Academy #1) by Kate McMullan Date of Publication: 2003 ISBN: 978-0448431086 Number of Pages: 117

REQUIRED READING ABILITY: Junior: Low Intermediate: Low
GENRES: Adventure/Humour
THEMES : Family - Prejudice - Loyalty - Coming of Age - Survival

SUMMARY:
Wiglaf, the smallest of his barbaric family, is always picked on for being a weakling. He is the target of all their jokes and made to do all of the household duties. One day a minstrel tells Wiglaf’s future: he is to be a hero. Everyone finds this unbelievable since he can’t even stand the sight of blood. He enrolls in the Dragon Slayer’s Academy…but when he protests events at the school, he is sent out to slay a dragon. His sword fails him, but with this potential disaster, he discovers that dragons do not like bad jokes and conquers the dragon without any violence.

Will Wiglaf become the hero the minstrel predicted...or is he destined to stay a loser forever?

WHO WOULD LOVE THIS BOOK? A kid who...
- likes humour
- enjoys adventure
- is reluctant to read
- likes medieval stories
- likes a quick, easy read


WHAT ELSE?
This is the first book in the Dragon Slayer’s Academy series. It’s a light-hearted, easy-to-read story that seems to be more popular with boys than girls. It is the first of a series of at least thirteen titles, and is a great way to give reading-challenged students studying Medieval Times a book they can enjoy.