Stan Pollux has got a lot on his plate and when his little sister, Poppy breaks his telescope he about snaps. But when he looks through his telescope he sees something impossible. The next day he wants to verify what he sees and ends up being kidnapped. Poppy sees her brother disappear and wants to help him and ends up being kidnapped too, but not by the same dragons. The Space Dragons need Stan’s help to save the universe and he is going to need their help to save his sister.

Stan has his hands full with a bully from school, a father that is gone a lot working, and his annoying little sister. But once he gets kidnapped he learns that he has had contact with the Particle of Light. I loved how the dragons were based from Greek and Roman mythology but also relate to the planets. I also have to admit that for being five years old Poppy is very spunky and I loved how she kept Hades on his toes.

This is a wonderful mid grade read that I think will delight any child to adult. It has many topics that can help children that miss their parents, deal with bullies, and cope with younger siblings. I loved all the mythology and astronomy that is in the book. It’s a great introduction to all of these sciences. It’s definitely one to add to your shelves.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

Space Dragons is the humorous story of Evan Pollux, who unexpectedly finds himself in the middle of a godly disagreement and must travel across space to rescue his annoying little sister. If he’d had any sort of prior warning however, he’d have definitely wore different underwear. Before I even get into this review, I want to say that fans of funny space stories such as Dr Who, Hitchhiker’s Guide, or even Guardians of the Galaxy, will find joy in Space Dragons. It doesn’t take itself seriously, the author isn’t afraid to crack a joke or include something incredibly subtle for the grownups, and at the end of the day, there is a sweet story amongst the giggles. I’d also say this will be a fantastic book to add to the shelves of your avid younger readers. It’s clean (that more grownup joke I mentioned is not adult or mature, this book is excellently written for its target audience), and will get kids into lore and legend, in a unique way.

That’s easily my favourite thing about this novel. Bennet has taken mythology and turned the Roman gods not only into literal inhabitants of their named planets, but into dragons who live in the seventh dimension (that’s the timeless dimension in case you were curious). For this alone, I highly recommend it to any and all lovers of myths and legends – while this isn’t a serious book, nor long, it’s different, and I loved it for that. My one curiosity around the use of mythology (not a critique) would be the choice to call the God of the Underworld, Hades, and not Pluto… as well as the addition of Cerberus in the story, who didn’t exist in Roman Mythology, but kids are unlikely to question that as much as the 28-year-old nerd with too much time on her hands. Fun fact for my other nerds – Cerberus is the Latinised version of Kerberos, which translates to spotted. Hades called his dog Spot. Told you it was a fun fact.

Whatever the choice behind these style decisions, I wish there’d been more consistency, but overall, didn’t ruin the story in any way, shape, or form.

Written in 3rd person, Space Dragons follows Stan as the main narrator, with dottings of Poppy, Stan’s sister, taking the lead. This dual POV gives us two awesome views of the plot. Stan is a shy kid, who doesn’t talk much and would much rather have his nose deep in a book. Through the story, he must learn to face his fears, where as Poppy must learn that sometimes her brother just needs his space. Neither of those lessons are the main point, but this novel is full of wonderful, unexpected life lessons, all of which are important for the target audience. I enjoy children’s books with messages, themes, and unexpected truths, and this fulfilled that quota through these two narrators. Poppy was my favourite between the two, for her fearlessness, but overall, I liked them both. I could relate to Stan, and I feel young readers drawn to the genre will too.

The book isn’t a long one, but enticing, and keeps the page turning. It’s also written to be incredibly accessible, and easy to take in, which I found charming. Pacing wise, I thought the book was well planned and written with purpose, showing Bennet’s experience and ability. There’s often a risk within the genre to dumb down things, and become almost patronising, but I didn’t find that here. I have no idea if the author aims to further the universe, but I truly hope he does, and in the meantime, I’ll be checking out his other work.

If I had to give a critique, as I’m one to do, I wish the mom wasn’t painted in an aloof, distracted way. She seems constantly preoccupied, but that could be a purposeful choice. By showing her as unaware nor invested, Stan’s story can be relatable… but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Her totally preoccupied with her tablet at dinner or falling asleep in front of the TV and not hearing either of her kids go out at night, or even not validating the kid’s issues when they argue… she just comes across very sad, and lonely. The dad is portrayed even worse, but real life has gotten in the way in that regard. Whatever the directorial decisions behind this, I just wish it wasn’t a standard to create parents who don’t pay attention. I do understand however, the story couldn’t have taken place if the mom was on the ball, but still.

Overall, this book is a great, new way to see classic tales, and one I feel will make kids of all ages laugh. If you enjoy fiction that doesn’t take itself seriously, give this a go.

Reviewed for World Geekly News by Paul Childs

As a writer myself I always remember story writing lessons at school. We were taught how to plan our story in advance with three simple steps:

Synopsis – A breakdown of the basic plot
Characters – Names and descriptions of each major character
First sentence – Open with something that instantly grabs your reader’s attention

And it’s this third step we were always told was the most important because the reader will have made their mind up about whether they will like the story in those few words. And so that made me wonder, was Robin Bennett in Mrs Bolton’s English class circa 1987? I ask this because, while Space Dragons doesn’t open with something as classy as, say ‘Pride & Prejudice’ or ‘A Tale Of Two Cities’, as mysterious as ‘Nineteen Eight Four’ or ‘Beloved’ or as outrageously shocking as ‘Lolita’ or ‘The Crow Road’, what it did do was exactly what I was taught. It made me sit up and pay attention, and more importantly, it made me look forward to reading the rest of this book.

It wouldn’t be too much of a spoiler for me to share it here, what with it being right at the start, but to do so would rob any potential readers of the surprise and joy of reading it for the first time – something one can only do once, and I think it best to do so in the context of having the book in one’s hand. What I will say is that in one sentence we are introduced to our hero in a wonderfully humorous fashion, but humour that’s not at the expense of story or intrigue. The opening sentence refers to something that’s often said every day (hint: it’s about underwear) but is twisted in such a funny and fantastical way that you can’t NOT want to carry on to find out where it’s going to go next.

But enough about that brilliant opening line – there’s much more to Space Dragons than that.

So What’s It About? Dragons in Space, Perchance?
Well yes, the dragons do play a major part in the story but first, we are introduced to our protagonist, the introverted Stan Pollux. All twelve-year-old Stan wants is to be left alone in his room to play computer games, gaze at the stars through his beloved telescope, and for his little sister Poppy to stay out and stop taking his stuff. When Poppy breaks the telescope Stan attempts to fix it and he sees something through it which he should not have. After attracting the attention of the Space Dragons, interdimensional beings with awesome powers who protect our world from dark forces, Stan and Poppy are thrust into an adventure which sees them travelling to the far reaches of the solar system.

Wait? Dragons? In Space? Really?
Yep – that’s right. Not only are these dragons from space, but each of them also represents a planet in the solar system and a deity from ancient Greek and Roman (and a touch of Norse for good measure) mythology. The metallic, talkative Mercury who humans once worshipped as the messenger of the gods, the brash, fiery Mars the Bringer of War, Venus, the God of… well, she won’t say in front of Stan or Poppy because they’re not old enough for that kind of thing just quite yet. Over this short novel (it took me about 3 hours to read it in total) we’re introduced to many more fantastical beasts whose attributes and powers match the celestial body and god they represent.

So It’s About Ancient Mythology Then?
I know what you’re thinking. “Haven’t series like Percy Jackson and Thor already done the whole mythology in the modern day thing?” Yes, they have, but not quite like this. Mythology only plays one part in the story. Astronomy and geography of our solar system are equally as important here, and the story is every bit as much a space opera or astronomy lesson as it is an epic fantasy.

What Did You Think?
While I was conscious a lot of the time that I was reading a book aimed at around the ten to twelve years old age group, I never felt talked down to. In fact, often I found the writing as intelligent and articulate as any so-called adult literature (not that kind of adult literature, you saucy rascal). Once I was immersed in Stan’s world I found it to be a well-written story which transcends age boundaries. It might not be for everyone (it’s a space adventure with dragons, after all) but I’d recommend giving it a try if mythology, outer space, science fiction or fantasy are of interest to you.

To Sum Up…
A witty dialogue filled, exciting adventure with enough history, science and folklore to make this stand out from other similarly themed books. Pre-teens will lap this up, especially if they like space and/or dragons. If you’re looking for an entry point for your kids into the darkly humorous fantasy worlds of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams or Neil Gaiman then you could do far worse than Space Dragons.

Posted on my blog. Very enjoyable - different to The Hairy Hand, and for a slightly younger audience.

This is a fun, middle grade sci fi adventure.

Stan is an eleven-year-old who lives with his parents, five-year-old sister, Poppy, and their dog. Stan gets bullied at school by the tougher boys who make fun of his love of science. They are just beginning the summer vacation when Poppy, breaking house rules, enters his room and accidentally knocks over Stan’s telescope. Stan is so angry he doesn’t realize at first that his favorite rock, a treasure from his grandmother, is missing from his collection. Stan is alarmed when he sees a scary eye starring back at him through his broken telescope.

Stan steps outside the next night to see if the problem is with his equipment or the view from his room. Suddenly he is overshadowed by a darkness and scooped away from his home. Shockingly he finds himself traveling through space on the back of a gray dragon. Once Stan realizes he is within a safe air bubble he begins to be awed by the experience. Still he wants the dragon, Mercury, to explain what is happening.

Poppy is upset when she watches Stan disappear from their backyard. She runs outside hoping to find him but instead she is kidnapped by a monstrous, three-headed dog. Stan is all for letting the dragons and enemy Titans sort out their own problems until he learns that his sister has been captured by the other side. Can Stan find the courage to stand beside the dragons and face the enemies while they try to save Poppy? And can Stan and Poppy work together to prevail against the enemy?

This is a fun story with space dragons named after planets, titan characters and creatures (Cerberus the three-headed hound of Hades) from mythology. The plot is well developed with adventure, battles and sibling relationships that should be enjoyable to middle graders. The sibling relationship is naturally real and there are plenty of laugh out loud comments. I recommend this as fun sci fi for young people.

Source: 2019 NetGalley.

Space Dragons instantly struck me as a book that would appeal to so many different children (and adults for that matter), whether they have a fascination with dragons, are a future astronomer, have a passion for mythology, or are just fans of adventure. Add to this the fact that although the main character is a young boy, he has a fiesty little sister who girls will love, and this book really does have something for everyone.

As a Rick Riordan fan and a lover of mythology in general, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this incarnation of the ancient gods. Having the appearance of each dragon reflect that of their namesake planet is just such a clever way of educating children without them even realising, and with each dragon taking to the extreme their individual quirks and foibles, the astronomical information takes on a form that will give kids a point to focus on so it will stick in their memory. Add to this the little facts and snippets of information at the start of each chapter and you have a young scientists dream.

Although this book is clearly aimed at the young market, the language used manages to feel mature enough for adults to also enjoy it, but still perfectly reflects the thought process of an 11 year old boy. Even as an only child I could feel the frustration caused by a careless younger sibling, and by the inability to stand up to the school bully. I think a lot of children will find Stan to be an extremely relatable character.

I loved getting to know each of the dragons, with their complicated family dynamics. Their reunion dinner on Jupiter was a true feast for the imagination, both in terms of the food they eat, and the way they interact with each other. I found I was particularly fond of excitable Mercury and fierce Mars. I even found I developed a soft spot for the hellhound Cerberus.

This book is a thoroughly enjoyable read for all ages, and struck me as the perfect bed time reading, when the young readers could view the night sky as they read, and maybe spot a dragon of their own.

This book is aimed at young people. However I have to say I really enjoyed the story line.
It was unusual , they way the story focussed on not one hero but two . I'll say no more .
The interaction between all the main characters is good . You find out what they are like easily and build a rapport with them well.
I have let my 10 yr old grandson read this and his words are
" This is ace Granny".... What more praise do you need

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources, the publisher, and the author for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

› Plot
Eleven-year-old Stan is dealing with a bully, an annoying five-year-old little sister, and missing his Dad who's often away for work. After his sister, Penelope (Poppy) accidentally breaks his telescope Stan is at his wit's end. He takes a peek into the telescope and sees something very strange. He embarks on a dragon space adventure to save the universe where he discovers his courage and a new appreciation for his sister.

Space Dragons has info about crystals, light particles, dimensions, dragons, planets, and even some Greek and Roman mythology wrapped up in a super exciting story with DRAGONS in SPACE. I mean, can it get even better than that for a kid? This is a FANTASTIC book for kids 8+, especially reluctant readers. A lightning-fast plot will have kids turning the pages as they get to learn cool stuff about our universe.

Whilst this book is aimed at children, it most certainly has a lot to offer adults too, either those reading to or helping children to read for themselves or, like myself, an adult reading it to review. It is an imaginative book which will have children hooked by the story, the supplementary information about the Dragons and the illustrations. The text is very descriptive and I feel that at one point that descriptive text might prove too much for the younger end of the 8 to 12 target age. I would suggest that, like me, you read the book and judge for yourself. Maybe I am too sensitive??? Overall, a really enjoyable book which most children and adults will enjoy.

I admit…I picked this book up because of the title, Space Dragons. If you know me, I love Sci-Fi and Fantasy, and I’m obsessed with dragons. Combining them all into one title had me hooked.

Space Dragons is a really fun Middle Grade that follows Stan, who is (literally) swept up into an adventure with dragons. I love the mixture of Roman mythology and space facts. Not only is this a great adventure story for kids, but it also has some facts for them to learn from.

But this story isn’t just great for the target audience of Middle Grade. Adults can love it too. It’s fast-paced, well written, and had me hooked from beginning to end. I highly recommend checking out Space Dragons!

*I read this book through a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*

If you’re looking for a story that will keep younger readers entertained from start to end, ways reading but full of things to keep an active mind engaged and curious, then this is the perfect book!
The characters are just relatable enough whilst also being that bit different and exciting. The story progresses at a quick pace without seeming to be rushed or lacking in detail, rather the details are done cleverly to give the reader enough information whilst allowing a young readers imagination to flourish.
The story is just that bit different to other childrens books, and has wonderfully grasped the fine balance between Sci-Fi and Fantasy. i often find that stories tend to stick to one or the other, where there is much room to span both. This author has used both in an entirely original and exciting way.
The book itself is also unique, looking entirely different to others on the market whilst maintaining a similar look to the Authors previous book. That difference will certainly appeal to younger readers and they certainly look GREAT on the bookcase! But aesthetics aside, the story is fun and exciting.
If you have a young reader who devours books, or are trying to convince someone you know to read more, this will certainly give your younger readers a giggle, and to be honest.... maybe even yourself!

Stan Pollux is a year seven pupil at Long Wittenham Primary School. Interested in space, he's a boy lucky enough to own a telescope. He also has a little sister called Poppy who likes taking his belongings. One day, whilst rummaging in his bedroom his sister knocks over the telescope. Stan soon finds out something isn't quite right with his treasured belonging as he peers into the eyepiece... 

Space and dragons are popular themes and together, the author has blended them into a well-crafted story which should resonate with many children. As someone who grew up with a younger sibling, six years younger than myself, I definitely identified with Stan's annoyance at his sister's snooping around his bedroom! Yet, the story promotes the joy of having a close family and I liked how Stan looked beyond his irritation and became the protective big brother. 

Targeted at children between eight and twelve years old, but I feel this novel has a slightly wider reach based on my own personal experience with my son. Myself, I particularly liked the humour injected within the story:
'It was the sort of summer's day that you only get once or twice a year in England.'
As well as the creative way the author blended two popular themes together with an added twist.
As readers view things differently, I know for a fact the things I laughed at are different from what my son has found funny so far.

As I write this review, my son (Ogmoe) is at the 60% point in the e-book version and is really enjoying it. He found the book difficult to get into at first because the introduction didn't pique his interest, but once Stan's adventures began around chapter three, his Kindle has become his new 'best friend' again. As a young reader, he has just finished year seven at school (Norway), so relates to Stan and his interests in astronomy and PC games… The space-related information and facts are nothing new to him, but with the inclusion of the dragons and mythological references, he's now absorbed within the narrative, laughing out loud and telling me he doesn't want any spoilers from me now that I've finished reading Space Dragons. After the shaky start, I'm pleased he's fully invested in finishing this adventure with the same enthusiasm he's had for his favourite books (Warrior Cats series by Erin Hunter and the William Wenton series by Bobbie Peers)

Overall, a big thumbs up from our household and we look forward to more adventures featuring Stan and Poppy in the future? 

4.5 stars

***review copy generously received courtesy of the publisher Monster Books***

This is the story of one young boy whose fate was turned towards to extraordinary...thanks to the meddling of his kid sister.

Yes, we all know the tale of old...brothers and sisters just don't get along, and yet deep down (some deeper down than others), they would love each other. They would follow each other to the ends of the earth, having the others back come what may...but what happens AFTER the ends of the earth are reached? What if the trouble extended into the far reaches of the galaxy and beyond? Would that "I'm always here for you" be so easy to extend if circumstances placed you BOTH in life ending danger far beyond our stratosphere with ginormous creatures most belief to be mythical and on the battlefield for the very survival of the universe? Yeah...having second thoughts there, now aren't you.

Stan and Poppy were quite the little duo. Seemingly your average brother and sister, only to be revealed as the potential defender of our species and keepers of the particle of light, respectively. Talk about having to grow up quick! I love how honest Stan's reaction to the whole debacle was. He was more worried about his place in things than the well being of his sister...AT FIRST. Don't get me wrong, we want him to care more about her, but given the circumstances, it felt more like what a kid would do in a snap decision scenario. He never intended to leave her to her own devices, nor would he abandon her in deep space (not that she couldn't handle herself...she's a smart cookie!), but he like anyone else wanted a little "me" time, a bit of the spotlight to shine on him. I applaud his growth over the course of the story, as well as his determination to see things through, come what may. Poppy, on the other hand, was quite the SURPRISE! Who'd have thought the precocious tyke could hold the dragon version of Hades at bay? Right?! I mean, talk about a powerful little "princess"! Her rash decisions get her both IN and OUT of trouble, but she always acts with kindness at heart.

Aside from our little leading humans, we have the GREAT AND MIGHTY SPACE DRAGONS! No, really...they are dragons in space, but not really our space because they are outside our dimension where time doesn't reach and...I'm getting ahead of myself. Suffice it to say, they are awesome...and in the story, the reptilian equivalent to the gods and goddess of Greek Mythology, so yeah...can we say future interests/reading options for the kiddos? Exactly. Don't you just LOVE a story that follows you off the page? Anywho...these dragons are rather impressive, but they have issues just like us wee humans. Family squabbles, inability to see eye to eye, jealously, indecision, and the like...thank goodness our man Stan is around to crack the proverbial whip and get these guys back into shape to safe both their own kind and ours!

In the end, is it too cliche to say it was definitely an out of this world adventure? Okay well then let me say that although it's high flying, space soaring "fun" (meaning cool yet dangerous! ), it also reminds us to hold close the ones we love even, if they drive us a bit batty at times.

From the very first paragraph, this story had me laughing out loud! It is a fun sci-fi for middle grade readers involving eleven year old Stan Pollux initially resenting his five year old sister, Poppy, but then needing to help rescue her when they inadvertently become embroiled in an interplanetary feud between space dragons! It is only by the siblings working together that they can help themselves and every living in the solar system to survive. No pressure then, is there?

It is an intriguing mix of mythology, science fiction and superhero story, something children will be enthralled by and will incidentally help them learn about the solar system and mythology as the story progresses. It also involves differing attitudes to bullying and I loved the ending regarding this!

This is a great adventure, one reaching to the outer reaches of space and involving siblings helping to fight to save the universe in a fantastic read that I have no hesitation in highly recommending for children - and adults - to read. It certainly had me smiling and turning the pages as the story progressed.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

Stan isn't a typical hero's name but that's just what year 7 Stan Pollux is - although he doesn't know it yet! His adventures with a race of huge planet size celestial dragon are unexpected but an enjoyable read. I thought the references to Greek and Roman mythology were interesting and I loved the fact that the character you perceive to be the weakest, Stan's annoying little sister, turns out to be the bravest in the end. Looking forward to reading further adventures, dragons are my favourite (mythical) creatures and this book is chock a block full of 'em! Good MG read for adventure/fantasy lovers.

Anyone who is eccentric and economical enough to abstract normalities and themes will thoroughly ingest this book in one sitting. I sat down and just could not put it down!! It is a must read check it out guys!! It won’t disappoint.

Space Dragons tells the story of a boy named Stan who after having his telescope broken by his sister gets kidnapped by a space dragon. That might be scary enough, except his sister gets kidnapped too and he must work with the dragons to help free his sister and save the universe.

In this story every dragon is unique - from their color (or what their body is made of ) to their flame and that both match or have consistency with that dragon's home planet. In addition to this information at the beginning of the chapters is that the author also provides various information about space or the planets. What I didn't expect, but should have, was how Roman mythology is woven within the story. Children reading this book will not only learn about our solar system, but also about Roman mythology.

The story in engaging and very likeable and funny. I read the first sentence to my 10-yr old nephew and he started giggling - I think it was the 'underpants' part. But, I must admit there were parts that made me giggle too, especially the quote within the story "Do you like dressing up too?"

I can definitely recommend this book, with the only notable item that kids that are not from Great Britain may need help in understanding some of the slang. I look forward to when it becomes released so that I can purchase it for my nephew.

Fabulous fun read, I loved this book! An adventure begins when a boy and his little sister fight because she went in his room and knocked over his telescope. He is sure it is broken and when he tries to look through it he sees a large eye looking back at him. Frightened he has a rough night thinking something is coming to get him. The next day he realizes that the crystal his grandmother gave him is missing from his collection. He knows his sister must have taken it but before he can confront her something is out in the yard. He goes outside to see what it is and finds a grey dragon. His sister is looking out the window , but she can't see the dragon she just sees her brother disappear. So begins an adventure of astronomical proportions!!! I highly recommend this book to all ages.

A fun and action-packed story that I would highly recommend. Loved the references to Greek and Roman Mythology and the distinct personalities of each of the dragons.