Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher
Bruce Coville
Harcourt, 1991 151 pages
Grades 3-6
Fantasy
The Magic Shop series #2

Sixth-grade Jeremy finds himself on an unfamiliar street and wanders into a magic shop that he never knew existed. Here the mysterious owner. Mr. Elives, reluctantly sells him an egg with cryptic instructions. Jeremy follows said instructions during the night's full moon and is rewarded when a dragon hatches out of the egg. The dragon is super cool, but how will he take care of it? Jeremy does what all good researches do-he heads to the library. Here the librarian hands him more mysterious information. Jeremy learns how to care and feed his dragon and that it is his responsibility to assign her a name. They both agree on the name Tiamat after a famous dragon from days of yore, and a friendship is born. Tiamat is able to communicate with Jeremy telepathically and they both feed off of each other's emotions. Naturally, trouble ensues as Trimat learns to navigate the world and feed his insatiable appetite. The only other person able to see Tiamat is a fellow classmate--and girl--Mary Lou. She is creative and shares Jeremy's love of reading and magic. They bond over the dragon and become friends, only the other guys make fun of him for having a (yuck!) girlfriend. How can Jeremy take care of his new charge without losing his mind and getting in more trouble?

Jeremy Thatcher has been igniting the imaginations of dragon-loving kids for over a quarter of a century and his story is still strong. Perfect for readers not quite ready for Harry Potter or Wings of Fire or looking for something more serious than the silly hijinxs of How to Train Your Dragon, this title continues to fill a need. Readers will immediately identify with Jeremy and imagine hatching a dragon of their own and solving the problems associated with this wonderful gift. Dragons are so cool and are currently trending, so this title is sure to please readers. The length and level are perfect for reluctant readers and a few interspersed pencil drawings will help them to not feel overwhelmed. Even though the book is relatively short, it contains content and will get readers thinking. Jeremy learns many lessons including what it means to be a friend, responsibility, trust, and how to let something you love free. Although part of a series, each title of the series is a completely different set of characters, linked only by a visit to the magic shop, so it does not need to be read in any order, yet will connect kids with something to read next. Still magical after all these years, readers will relish a ride with Jeremy and his dragon and imagine flights of their own.