Dragons in a Bag

by Zetta Elliott

When nine-year-old Jaxon’s mom, desperate for a babysitter while she goes to... read more

When nine-year-old Jaxon’s mom, desperate for a babysitter while she goes to court to fight an eviction notice, leaves him with an eccentric woman she calls “Ma,” Jaxon assumes it’s his grandmother, although he never met her. Ma is snappish and stern and clearly reluctant to watch him. Jaxon would much rather stay with his best friend, Vik. But there’s something mysterious going on in Ma’s apartment, too: Jaxon is certain he’s seen a package from Madagascar move all by itself. When he learns that there are three tiny dragons in the package and Ma wants his help returning them to their natural environment, he readily agrees, even though it means traveling through time and to parallel worlds—something at which Ma is clearly experienced. This engaging fast-paced fantasy features a diverse cast of well-rounded characters of color, including its African American protagonist. Unpredictable Ma, the mysterious homeless man Ambrose, and Jaxon’s own grandfather all serve as surprising conduits between the earthly world and the magical one, while Vik and Vik’s little sister, Kavita, prove to be unflappable friends in the winning first volume of this series. (Ages 7–10)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2019

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