Thank you Netgalley, James Riley, and the publisher.

This was a solid middle grade read. I've bought a finished copy for my 12 and 10 years old to read. Ciara just wanted her mom to be okay. She made many mistakes along the way not for her own gain but to try to help. Which I think is a very good lesson for kids to learn, that even though they are trying to do good/help it can still be a mistake/turn out wrong and that you need help. I can't wait to see what happens once the prince arrives. Also to find out what happened to/ where the dragon mage is.

In this fun adventure, Ciara becomes an apprentice to an irritable dragon named Scorch to try to save her mother – and hopefully her whole town.

One of the most notable things about the book is the tone it’s written in. The writing sounds like something a 12-year-old would enjoy, and the diary prologue in particular sounds like it could be in a kid’s voice. I personally don’t like some of the ways people are called certain names, and the tone may be grating on some readers (particularly older ones).

The characters overall are likeable when they were supposed to be, and the characters that are the bad guys are nicely unlikeable. I loved Scorch the grumpy dragon, but I wish we’d learned more about his motives through communication or plot rather than through individual POV chapters.

I liked the book’s magic system and the interesting world. I’m curious about future books and how they might continue to establish the world. I liked how Ciara has to figure out some of the truth of the past to figure out what she needed today.

This book is humorous and fun, suitable in particular to young middle grade readers. The story or characters aren’t particularly original, and the humor is most suited to younger readers.

This is such fun middle-grade adventure! The tone reminds me of the Dragon Slayer's Academy series and it would be a great next step for kids who have read all of those and are looking for something new. I can't keep dragon books on my library shelves right now so I'm thrilled to have another one that is genuinely engaging, entertaining and funny to recommend.

I absolutely loved this book! It was so cute and Scorch and Ciara are the best characters ever! Read this book now! It’s that good.

Twelve year old Ciara discovers a book of magic spells. The very first page warns the reader to STOP, don't read any further, and under no circumstances should anyone perform any of the spells (because spells are very dangerous, especially when you don't know what you're doing). But when you're twelve year old, OF COURSE you want to read on and read a spell or two out loud (effectively 'performing' the spell). When Ciara reads a spell she calls forth a dragon. Yup, a fire-breathing, honest-to-god Dragon! Named Scorch. Who has a bit of attitude about being called by a little girl with no magic experience.

But for all his gruffness, Scorch is a bit of a softy inside, and even though he's really old he and Ciara teach each other a lot about a lot of things. While Ciara is initially frightened by the appearance of a dragon, her personality is such that she stands up to him and pushes back when he acts all cranky.

Scorch is reminded of the last time he was called by a young girl, Bianca. And while Bianca and Scorch once had a relationship similar to his the one now had with Ciara, times have changed, even if people have not. Together, Scorch and Ciara will need to trust each other in order to grow and make some necessary changes in the world.

This was such a cute and fun book. It's light and lively with a bit of a message - though that message is contained within the story so as not to be too obvious to the younger reader.

Both Scorch and Ciara have strong personalities that read easily and obviously. They are also wonderfully opposite, setting up some nice, middle-school-appropriate conflict. We also have our 'bad guy' - the Warden - who is also appropriately characterized. How can you NOT dislike him?

My favorite part of the book are the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter. Generally 'quotes' from Bianca's writings almost always made me chuckle. For instance:

Someone once said that dragons are quite simply the most perfect creatures ever to exist. ...
It was a dragon. A dragon said it. -- Bianca of Skael
My first time using magic, I surprised Scorch with my strength and skill.
He'd never imagined anyone could have so little of either. -- Bianca of Skael
This book isn't going to have any truly lasting effect on any reader, but it will be enjoyed in the moment. Young readers will want to read it, and they should! Reading for pleasure should be encouraged, and frankly anytime a youngster is interested in reading, put the darn book in their hands!

Young readers and even reluctant readers will have fun with this.

Looking for a good book? Young readers, and even reluctant readers, will enjoy the fantasy elements and the humor of James Riley's The Dragon's Apprentice.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book difficult to enjoy, which was not what I anticipated. I have read other books by the author in the past and felt that I knew what to expect. The characters were not very likable. Ciara deliberately hides a book that she knows will get her and her mother into trouble if it is found. When it turns out that she can summon a dragon from the ancient legends, she and the dragon, Scorch, do not get along at all. Although she promises to follow his directions so that she can learn magic and try to save her mother, she disobeys him constantly. He, in turn, is curmudgeonly and never seems to take all the factors of the current situation into account. By the end of the story I was exhausted with the bickering between them and the poor decisions Ciara repeatedly makes. The small clues about what life was like back during the last time Scorch was in the human world are just enough to be frustrating, but not helpful in figuring out what is going on. The whole experience was like going to the second installment in a movie trilogy and leaving the theater feeling that the whole film was just a bridge from movie 1 to movie 3. At the end, it seemed like the whole book was only a lead-in to the second book.

I will not be posting about this online, this is feedback for the publisher only.

Great first book setting up a series. World building, magic system reveal, and character intros were all really well done.
This is clearly the start of a fantastic series through a world that is coming to life off the page. The pacing and exposition were handled very well for its intended audience with nothing being overwhelming nor getting bogged down in too many details. I found myself very engaged in the story wondering how these characters were going to get themselves to the end. I was very happy with the story and plot as they both illustrated that the author definitely knows how a 12-year-old would try to handle their obstacles.

Really great story about a 12-year-old who thought they needed to handle it all on their own.
As a reader, I really enjoy diving into middle grade books as they are soothing and healing to my own inner 12-year-old. Ciara is a very strong, smart, and capable young lady. She CAN do what she sets her mind to, but this story is super important to illustrate that even if you think you need to take care of it all on your own, you probably have an amazing team around you. Ciara and her friends learn a lot of great lesson and the power of working together.

The Final Verdict: Great middle grade story about telling the truth, standing up for what’s right, and being a great friend.
Stars 4
Would I Recommend? Yes

Ciara has a lot on her plate right now - namely that her entire village is starving, her mom has caught the deadly Skael cough, and instead of helping her or any of their neighbors, the Warden has decided to arrest her mom for having a forbidden book: the diary of a former dragon's apprentice that's filled with magical spells. The only trick is that her mom never had the book - Ciara does.

Desperate to save her mom, find a cure for the cough, and hopefully take out the Warden in the process, Ciara opens the book and becomes a dragon's apprentice herself.

Overall this was delightful, if sometimes a bit over the top. I think I personally got burnt out on the tone, but the characters were fun, the dragons and magic were enjoyable, and the villains were preposterous in the best way. This was well-crafted and goofy. The cover is perfect, also, because I think the bright colors are exactly what this felt like to read (if that makes any sense?). Can't wait to find out what happens to Ciara and Scorch next!

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

It was a pretty compelling book--but it's chock-full of sequel bait. Nothing gets wrapped up here and not everything is explained, you'd have to wait for the next book to find out more.

Ciara and Scorch were both extremely self-centered and whiny characters, so the book was a bit hard to get through. The worldbuilding/magic was confusing and shallow--dragons can't use magic, but they can teach humans magic, which is a bizarre rule. The book was very dark, even though the cover and title indicated a light-hearted fantasy, which it is not. It's more dystopian than anything.

This delightful fantasy romp is bursting with humor, heart, and just the right amount of magical mayhem. From the very first page, the book’s playful tone and clever narration pull you into a story that refuses to take itself too seriously—even while dealing with dragons, forbidden magic, and a tyrannical emperor.

Ciara, our brave and slightly chaotic heroine, is an absolute joy to follow. Her accidental summoning of Scorch—a cranky, ancient dragon with a sarcastic streak—is both hilarious and oddly heartwarming. Their banter is a highlight of the book, and their growing friendship adds a layer of emotional warmth beneath all the jokes and magical mishaps.

The humor is pitch-perfect for middle-grade readers (and grown-ups who appreciate witty storytelling), with plenty of tongue-in-cheek warnings, silly surprises, and laugh-out-loud moments. The book leans into its absurdity with charm, making it a refreshing take on the classic fantasy quest.

Despite the light tone, the story still delivers meaningful stakes, especially as Ciara sets out to rescue her mother and challenge the Emperor’s rule. It’s a magical adventure full of laughs, heart, and just enough danger to keep you turning pages. A wonderfully funny and imaginative read—highly recommended!

The Dragon's Apprentice by James Riley is a middle grade, childern’s fantasy book. On the surface, this book has everything: a young girl as the protagonist, dragons, an interesting back-story and world-building, and a unique magic system.


Unfortunately, I hated the characters. Ciara is annoying and whiny, the dragon, Scorch, is irritable and cranky. And while an irritable, cranky dragon could be an interesting plot point, it just didn’t work for me.

I only finished this to see if it would get better, but it really didn’t. The only decent characters are Ciara’s best friend Meg, her mother, and Meg’s dad.

I wish there were better fantasy books with girl characters. This was disappointing.

⭐️⭐️ (2 out of 5)

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for an advance copy in exchange for sharing my opinions. All opinions in this review are my own. Links in this review are affiliate links, and I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

This is a great book! I really enjoyed reading it! I am hoping to read a sequel soon. I really liked how the characters interacted with each other.

I will be honest this book was not my favorite middle grade. This may be because i’m not the prime demographic. However I found both Ciara and Scorch to be annoying. Their bickering made the story drag for me. However the plot of the book was interesting and cute. I liked the past and future coming together. Overall this was an okay book for me. I would’ve liked It more if the personalities weren’t so conflicting I think.

I read this with my two children (9 and 7) and they enjoyed it! My daughter is a Dragon Fan Extreme, so I knew this would be right up her alley. My son was a little more wary of it, but there are funny parts he still references from a chapter we read several weeks ago (he's the comedian of the family). So the whole family got something out of it! We enjoyed the characters, especially the sassy main, and my husband and I had fun doing voices for the wide array of personalities.

I think the story didn't move as I expected; I kept thinking Ciara was going to finally leave her hometown, but it looks like that won't happen until later in what is clearly going to be a series. But otherwise, the action was enjoyable and it kept my kiddos engaged. The story was unique and somewhat unexpected, which made it a lot of fun for us all.

I was so lost from the POV and how it was written.
The vibe of this book would be amazing for a middle grade student, but for me it lacked so much depth,

It was nice to see a YA book with good character development. The dragon was a great character that I connected with. The storyline was typical for a YA book. While I had a hard time connecting with the main character, I did enjoy this story and look forward to reading the next installment. I think my students will enjoy this series.

This hilarious, magical adventure story is about Scorch and Ciara, who find each other as Ciara is desperately trying to save her mother and their family home. Ciara has come into possession of a magical book (which is pretty cheeky) and Scorch is a dragon that Ciara awakens after a 1000 year nap. Ciara's mother has been desperately sick and the Warden seems to have the only remedy for her illness. The Warden agrees to give Ciara the medication in return for the family home but goes back on the deal when he finds out she has the magical book. Through the story, Ciara's magical powers grow (with Scorch's help) and Ciara's destiny becomes clearer. Ciara and Scorch are funny and well developed characters that lots of kids will identify with and enjoy reading. The themes of family, both found families and families you're born to, and friendship with also resonate with readers.

The things you do to save the ones you love!

The Dragon’s Apprentice by James Riley is the first in this new fantastical series and is funny, intense, and a grand adventure for new and old fantasy readers alike! I loved that things started with a 1000 year old journal entry which gives the backstory to the overall situation, and a glimpse into what could have been vs the current reality.

I like that the dragon mage started this whole process by bringing everyone together and summoning the dragons to teach the kids. There’s a bit of telling within the story, but it makes sense due to the age it’s intended for. Also the dynamic between the dragon who doesn’t want to do anything, a kid who wants to learn at all costs, and an Emperor who has forbidden magic creates such a beautiful blend of tension.

I really enjoyed the very limited illustrations. Just like the cover, the illustrations within bring in a whimsical feel due to the wisps and curves of the lines. Between things like the smoke and magical swirls in front of solid and darker backgrounds, it creates a nice tone for the story while giving visuals to keep things moving forward. Beautiful artwork!

This would be fantastic for kids 8-12 as well as slightly younger with assistance. Of course older readers will enjoy this as well. It’s a fun entry into fantasy for that middle grade audience. Could be fun for the classroom as well as a family read.

Check out other books by James like The Story Thieves series, Half Upon a Time series, and The Revenge of Magic series.

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of The Dragon’s Apprentice from James Riley via NetGalley

I read this one to the wee ones; 9 and 11. They LOVED it!!!! The Grumpy-Sunshine duo of Ciara and Scorch is truly a set up for comedy gold. We were laughing the whole read and super intrigued by the magic at play and the mystery scattered throughout the story. They constantly had "just one more chapter" syndrome. It really left us hopeful for a possible series? *fingers crossed*

While I'm definitely not the target audience for this book (or series), I found it quite entertaining. I think this story would be perfect for 8-12 year olds and having helped run the Scholastic Book fair at my children's elementary school for many years, I could see many of the students there wanting a book about dragons to gravitate towards this book. While one should never judge a book (solely) by its cover, I think it's fantastic and it absolutely grabbed my attention. While there is a more subtle message about being careful about accepting religious/national belief without question, I think the more obvious message is that if those in power are hurting the very people they're supposed to be protecting, there is something wrong with this and it's important for people to stand up against the injustice, even if they stand to personally lose something.

This story ends in somewhat of a cliffhanger, which of course means kids will be clamoring for the next book. I, for one, am very much looking forward to the second book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.