The Dragon in the Bookshop

I whizzed through this book it is such a lovely little story. well written with a compelling story that is infused with polish folklore and legend and has magic woven through it. I loved the story and I loved the characters. I think children will adore this engaging story.

This book was such a sweet & lovely little story. It was a well written, compelling tale that dealt with loss, friendship, family, & plenty of adventure, with of course a dragon as a cherry on the top. I loved how each element was woven beautifully into each other to really draw you into the story. I love that it was based off of polish folklore and mythology with plenty of magic woven throughout it. I loved the story and I loved the characters. My 10 year old son and I found this story very engaging & I can definitely see him reading it again.

I've really enjoyed Ewa Jozefkowicz's contemporary Middle Grade books so when it was announced that her next was going to be a fantasy I was, naturally, rather excited. It's a retelling of the Wawel Dragon, a Polish myth, and two modern children are pulled into a storybook and have to find a way to make the story happen - but in a better way.

The fantasy section of the book is steeped in Polish mythology. There is the "main" myth of the hungry dragon, but there are also lots of other references to other stories and traditions that help build the world of Medieval Kraków. The weight of history and legends, told through offhand references, really does make a world feel real to me, because it means it exists beyond the narrow confines of a book.

A lot of research has clearly gone into the process of manuscript creation. The children find themselves roped into preserving stories by creating new books to replace damaged ones. The process is described so well, full of the little quirks (like pages vs strips for how they handled the paper) that help distinguish the scribe's location.

The contemporary section has a fair bit to say about dinosaurs. There are fossils and a (fake, I think?) professor, as well as discussions about how we "recreate" dinosaurs from incomplete fossil records. Of course, though, dinosaurs and dragons aren't too dissimilar...

The one thing I will say is that it does take a while (relative to book size) for the book to go from contemporary to fantasy - I did check I'd opened the right file at one point! There's a lot of contemporary set up to ensure you know what's going on in Konrad's personal life, the challenges he's facing. It's not until that's all been laid and Maya's been introduced that they get sucked into the book.

this was a fun, quick read for me. I liked the characters and settings. It took quite a while to get going, so as a result, i felt a little like the 'main' story where they are sucked into a book world actually felt kind of rushed or at least, not as long as it should have been. despite this, i still really enjoyed it. It was fun, exciting and had a really nice message attached to it!
so i recommend this, probably more suitable for younger readers, maybe 8 yr olds. but the long opening may catch them out.

This is an enchanting time travel tale of Maya and Konrad. The story delighted both the children and myself. It is a story of grief and loss but also hope, of helping others to be reunited with loved ones. It truly is a delightfully heartwarming tale.

What a wonderful little adventure this was! I cherish any opportunity to enjoy Polish folklore. A treasure for sure, and one the kiddos will adore!

I love the tale of the Wawel Dragon, and this retelling is a really sweet, enjoyable read. It deals with the loss of a parent, trying to cope and adjust in the aftermath, and the journey of making new friends and opening yourself to trusting others. I loved the characters, and the twist on Polish folklore. It's a heartwarming tale that I think children will really enjoy.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Since Konrad's father's death, Kon didn't talk - not to anyone. His mother was distraught, not knowing how to help him, as he was continually angry, cut off from those who cared for him. But the day he met Maya on the beach, his life slowly changed. Maya was a friend who didn't mind that Kon didn't talk - she chattered on anyway. And when Kon was able to speak to her and told her his name, they became great friends. The bookshop - A Likely Story - that Kon's dad had owned and run, was now being run by his mother, and she was struggling. Taking Maya to the bookshop to show her around before it was sold, was something he needed to do.

When Kon discovered the old book of folk tales that his Dad used to read to him, he was showing Maya, when they were whisked away to long ago days in Krakow, where a dragon was terrorising the village people. What could Kon and Maya do to help? And why had they been transported to ancient times?

The Dragon in the Bookshop is another captivating middle grade read by Ewa Jozefkowicz which I thoroughly enjoyed. I've read two others by this author and both were 5 stars - this one is no different. The story of two children who learned wonderful life lessons, while having fabulous adventures plus it's set in and around a bookshop - perfection! Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.