An enjoyable book. I liked becoming immersed in the world it was set in. I feel like it had kind of Studio Ghibli vibes but if Studio Ghibli were Eastern European. I appreciated the themes of inclusion and defying stereotypes and prejudices.

A warm and wonderful historical reimagining—but make it magical! With dragons! Truly, what more could one ask for? Such a well-developed story with fantastic worldbuilding and characters you love to root for!

This is an alternative historical fiction meets hidden magical talent coming of age story. Anya's is the only Jewish family in her tenth century Eastern European village during a time when the Jewish people were considered outsiders, magic was outlawed and dragons had been hunted to extinction. Or at least that is what everyone believed.

This is a story about family, making new friends, figuring out who you are and being brave. It is full of laughs and comedy, along with the hunt for a dragon, and a touch of historical nuance to lend the story depth.

My library owns a copy of this book.
To date, I am not even half way through, but so far I'm really enjoying it.
If the book continues on this path, I will be recommending it to the kids.

Anya's adventures with Ivan and Hakon continue. Anya misses her father so much that she is determined to find him and fetch him home, despite being very far away in a war zone. Her friends travel with her, but they are rerouted by Lena, a spirit readers met in the first book. Instead, Anya and company end up in Kiev, facing the Tsar himself and some unexpected challenges. The fictionalized tsarist Russia is an interesting setting for a children's book and Anya's Jewish heritage is a prominent part of her character. Give this to readers who like magical adventures with a twist. Review from e-galley.

I absolutely loved Anya and the dragon! The story, the setting, and cultural background were amazing and the resolution did not let me down. I have already passed this one along to some of our fantasy/ dragon loving patrons.

Though this lacked the action that was expected, I felt that the charm and heart of it made up for that a good deal. I loved Amy's and her friends and family, I can't wait to read the next one and I hope my daughter reads this one next.

I took a big hiatus from reviewing books here, really from reading in general, but I’m back!

Anya and the Dragon had been sitting in my NetGalley queue for a long time. It is the first novel I have read since August, and it was like getting a nice cold drink of water after being really thirsty on a long hike. I missed reading, and this was a great story to sit down with after a very stressful semester.

Anya and the Dragon was a story about a girl, her goat, a new friend, a dragon, and tough choices. I loved most of it, but there was one little thing that bothered me.

I’ll start by telling you what I loved about this book.

I love novels with Slavic folklore, and this one was filled with it. I loved how the Domovoi’s personality.

Speaking of personality, Zvezda the goat was my favorite. He was adorable. He was brave, stubborn, loyal, and always chewing on something.

I loved how the plot seemed to meander for a little while, letting the readers really get a full taste of the characters and the world before the plot really picked up the pace. Shortly after I reached the half-way mark, the story flew by and I couldn’t put the book down.

The voice, imagery, and the friendships that developed were beautiful.

The story felt very grounded in historical context and how in spite of that context, I didn’t feel completely smothered by some of the social issues and prejudices of that time.

Anya seemed certain she didn’t want to get married, not even when she was older. While adult characters may have seemed a little skeptical when it was mentioned once, no one was telling her she had to get married when she was older. No one was every telling she could or couldn’t do something because she was a girl. I loved that the adults in town didn’t treat her any different than the treat the boy characters her age. Sometimes historical fantasy gets bogged down in alleged period sexism. This story didn’t.

Sexism may not have been an issue in this story, but it didn’t completely ignore other prejudices of the time. The narrative discussed the antisemitism of the time. One of the antagonists was very anti semitic, but then he got what deserved in the end…or maybe a kinder fate than he deserved.

I feel like with historical fiction, addressing some of the prejudices of a time period is necessary, to an extent, and when done right, it can drive home how bad that kind of hate was.

The problem comes when it becomes gratuitous and/or the narrative doesn’t criticize the hate.

Which leads me to the one little tiny problem I had with this book.

There was one scene in Chapter 6 where the narrative hinted that Ivan, the second most prominent human character, isn’t straight, but it came up in the context of his brothers making fun of him for having water-magic, like his mother, and for thinking a boy was cute once.

Nothing about the narrative voice seemed critical of these bothers. There are much kinder ways to hint that a character is possibly gay or bi.

I was excited to learn Ivan once thought a boy was cute. I’m always excited to see LGBTQ+ rep in books, especially middle grade books. I just wish the author could’ve found a better way to work it into the narrative. Using this casual homophobia as a way to say “this character isn’t straight” is not cool.

That is the reason this book has 4 stars and not 5, because honestly, I loved just about everything else about it.

Anya and the Dragon takes place in Russia during the Middle Ages (although you wouldn't know that by the cover). Anya and her family are the only Jews in their village. Dad has been conscripted and sent off to fight the Tsar's wars. Anya and her family are magic users even though magic is forbidden. They live in peace with their neighbors except for the evil tax collector who wants to take their land away. When a family of fools moves to town hunting dragons, Anya befriends the youngest Ivan. The Fools believe dragons are evil and should be eliminated, but Anya isn't so sure. After she actually meets a dragon, she definitely knows he isn't evil. So she decides to save the last dragon from those hunting him.

I enjoyed this story but it took me a long time to read. I just never felt compelled to get to the end. I enjoyed the setting of medieval Russia and I also liked the way magic and Jewish culture was woven into the story. Anya and Ivan were fantastic. I just think the story could have benefited from a bit of editing to make the pace better.

This book contained a plucky herione with a fun humorous spin. I will be recommending this to kids looking for a new fantasy read.

I really enjoyed this Russian-Jewish cultural story with fantastical elements! I liked the storyline very much as it twisted and turned in unexpected ways. If you've got kids who like the Percy Jackson style books, I think they might like this one as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This little girl and her life kept breaking and repairing my heart. I didn't realize this was the author's debut until I was checking if she had written anything else. I'd love to see more of Anya & Ivan's adventures. She's a strong willed little girl who is immensely relatable and endearing. She's wise beyond her years, but in a very realistic way.

“'Annushka, that burden isn’t yours to bear.' 'It’s got to be someone’s.'”

My biggest complaint is that while this book had a nice ending, it didn't feel finished. It also would have been helpful to have a little glossary in the back for some of the Russian terms.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read and was incredibly engaging. It really brought you along with them on their adventures. I look forward to reading more by this author.

This was a fantastic middle grade Slavic folklore fantasy tale. I was enamored through the whole book.

The cover was really what drew me to this ARC--and my current love of Slavic folktales. The end result was very worth it.

The writing is youthful and whimsical while being sturdy and serious when needed. Anya and Ivan were fantastic characters with the foibles of youth but not the agonizing angst.

The intrigue was strong enough to pull me along the story (to the point I finished the entire book in one day, much to the chagrin of all my chores around the house), but not overly complicated to lose the younger reader.

I found the balance of this book for entertaining youth and the parents who will read it alongside their children to be top notch and highly recommend this story to all fable lovers. Oh, and there are dragons. Come on, who doesn't love dragons?

Anya and the Dragon has many redeeming qualities including likeable characters, humor, and heart, but it wasn’t a book that I fell in love with. My disappointment with this story could be a case of mistaken identity. I think the cover art is partly to blame for setting an inaccurate expectation of fantastic adventure. And I’m to blame for not seeing the details hinted at in the publisher’s blurb. I was hoping for a little more magic and a more compelling dragon. What I found instead is a historical novel heavily inspired by Russian and Jewish folklore with the touch of fantasy one finds in folklore.

The novel’s Russian element is both its strength and one of its weaknesses. While we need more diversity in our books, characters, and content, Pasternack does not give the necessary explanation as clearly or as frequently as I feel she should for a reader like me to understand the Jewish names, customs, and folkways she employs. I haven’t seen a starred review of Anya and the Dragon, but the critical reception for the novel is overwhelmingly positive. Despite the critics approval, I’d venture to say that the book will struggle to find traction with young readers. In addition to the complexity presented by the possibly confusing Jewish elements, I think the target audience wants a faster moving plot with more action. And though Anya and the Dragon picks up interest once the dragon is spotted, it may not be the kind of dragon readers are hoping to find.

As a fable, this tale carries a moral. It’s important for Kid’s fiction to impart values and lessons, but you can’t teach kids without first gaining and maintaining their interest. Anya learns lessons about friendship, kindness, and overcoming prejudice. And while she discovers that there are more important things than the magic she had hoped to possess, readers may be left wishing Anya and her story were more magical.


Verdict: 3 of 5 Hearts. Folklore with a message, but lacking in magic.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I would like to thank Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for allowing me access to Anya and the Dragon. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I love dragons and had high hopes for this. I loved the mix of fantasy elements and Russian and Jewish history and folklore but alas the dragon didn't really appear until at least 1/2 the book was over and there just wasn't enough of him. Bummer.

This is a sweet, fun book that I think will delight its target audience. I could totally picture it being read aloud with all the voices and a few goat and chicken noises tossed in, too. It's packed full of Russian Jewish folklore, with interwoven tales of various spirits and domestic traditions. I think it's a great introduction to a culture kids may not be familiar with, braided with magic and folklore.

I love, love, love the cover, but it may mislead readers into thinking this is an epic adventure book akin to Anne McCaffrey's or Christopher Paolini's work, with an intrepid hero setting off on a quest across the world, leading up to a final face off against a scary beast. There's a quest, and there's a face off, but the tone is much lighter, the beast is far from scary, the actual dragon hunting makes up a very small proportion of the book, and the story remains centered around a homestead and small village. There's a funny line other reviews have already quoted about needing to pause the dragon hunting to make challah. That's very much the tone of the book. It's full of prat falls and silly goats and jokes about chores and fools and ironic names. Every scene has a smile in it. It's a world built with great imagination and profound love of the culture within. It's clearly meant for young audiences and I think readers who pick it up with that in mind will enjoy the humor and warmth of the tale. Those looking for an epic adventure story full of journeys and menacing battles can find it in other titles. When you meet this dragon or pick up this book, don't prepare to be frightened or anxious. Be prepared to be charmed.

This was so delightful! I loved how brave Anya was and loved her dedication to her family. The fantastical aspects were wonderful and I loved how unapologetically Jewish this was - there is a fair amount of anti-Semitism, so if that might trigger you, be careful. I had some hold ups that come down to personal preference and my own complicated relationship with middle grade books, but I absolutely recommend this one.

This is a fun magical history book about Anya, who is Jewish and lives with her mother and grandmother in a small village in Russia. Her father has been conscripted into the army and they aren't certain where he is or when he'll be back. To help the family, Anya agrees to help a dragon hunter to make money to help pay off the family's debt. There are some lovely Jewish cultural points, some excellent magic as well as breathtaking chase scenes, dramatic rescues, and evil villains. I liked this one a lot and I think it will get a lot of reading in our elementary school library.

Anya and the Dragon has all the elements of a great middle grade novel mixed with the sense of magic only found in a fairy tale. The Eastern Europe setting, Jewish family, and volume of mythical creatures contained in the novel set this one apart from other middle grade fantasy. Anya is a wonderful main character that breathes life into the story and inspires readers to never give up, no matter what you have to face. Full of exciting action scenes and moments that make you step away from the page to think, Anya and the Dragon is a story you don't want to miss. Highly recommend to fans of middle grade, excited dragons, fun magic, and a unique fantasy setting.

Such great world building and an interesting journey following Anya. While I loved the dragons, magic and the adaptation of both Jewish and Russian cultures there were things I struggled with as well. The characters are great especially Anya, and there were so many great lessons throughout especially for this age group. I did struggle with how drawn out some parts felt and worry younger readers will get bored easily and there were some wording choices that tie in to the culture but younger readers may find confusing. Overall I did enjoy this adventure and Anya's journey.