Summary
The dragon's out of the bag in this diverse, young urban fantasy from an award-winning author!
When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she's not his grandmother--but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they'll be safe. There are two rules when it comes to the dragons- don't let them out of the bag, and don't feed them anything sweet. Before he knows it, Jax and his friends Vikram and Kavita have broken both rules! Will Jax get the baby dragons delivered safe and sound? Or will they be lost in Brooklyn forever?
AN ALA-ALSC NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
The Dragons in a Bag series continues! Don't miss The Dragon Thief, and coming in Spring 2022, The Witch's Apprentice .
Author Notes
Zetta Elliott was born in Canada and moved to the United States in 1994. Her poetry has been published in several anthologies, and her plays have been staged in New York and Chicago. Her essays have appeared in the Huffington Post, School Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. She is the author of over twenty-five books for young readers, including the award-winning picture books Bird and Melena's Jubilee. She is also a contibutor to We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, published by Crown Books for Young Readers. Elliott is an advocate for greater diversity and equity in publishing. A longtime resident of Brooklyn, she currently lives in Illinois. Learn more at zettaelliott.com.
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5-When nine-year-old Jaxon's mother goes to court to fight an eviction order, she leaves him with a grouchy older woman she calls Ma. As it turns out, Ma is a witch, and she's been sent a trio of dragon hatchlings that she must return to their home. After a rocky start together and an incident with a glitchy transporter, Ma ends up stuck in the Mesozoic era while Jaxon is returned to Brooklyn to find help and protect the baby dragons. With the aid of Ma's network of friends, Jax manages to reunite with Ma in the realm of magic. A few loose ends leave this story open for future installments. Historically, most chapter books featuring magical tales of witches and dragons center the experiences of white protagonists and characters; Elliott offers something much needed in the genre: a black protagonist in an urban setting. Elliott skillfully introduces themes about creating positive change, examines issues of othering and the fear of differences, and touches upon the complexities of family, gentrification, and segregation. VERDICT A promising start to a new series, this fantasy should find a home in all libraries.-Lauren Strohecker, McKinley Elementary School, Elkins Park, PA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
When nine-year-old Jaxon's mom leaves him to stay with "Ma," the woman who raised her (presumably, his grandmother), he is startled by a mysterious, moving package on her table. Soon, Jax learns that Ma is a witch to whom his mother was once apprenticed, and that the package contains three baby dragons that must be delivered to a parallel realm, since Brooklyn lacks sufficient magic to sustain the beasts. Jax joins her, deciding he'd like to be her apprentice, but the transporter, an old guardhouse in Prospect Park, mistakenly deposits them in the Mesozoic era instead. When a dinosaur threatens them, Ma pushes Jax and her dragon-filled purse into the transformer, and Jax arrives back in Brooklyn with two essential missions: save Ma, and safeguard the dragons. Filled with entertaining characters, including the grandfather Jax has never met and a man who may just be invisible, the story entertains from start to finish. Readers will mirror Jax's surprise at and joy in discovering the world Elliott (Bird) brings to life. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8-12. Author's agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
There are two things you should never do when dealing with dragons. First, do not let them out of the bag; and second, do not feed them anything sticky and sweet. At the beginning of this likable and suspenseful chapter book, Jaxon (Jax) is dropped off by his mother at the home of a stranger: the old woman who raised her. It turns out that Ma, as the woman asks Jax to call her, is a witch who has just received a special package containing three dragons from Madagascar. Ma tells Jax that the dragons cannot stay in Brooklyn because there is not enough magic there to sustain them. They came from one world, and theyre on their way to another. The plot is engaging, with a number of unexpected twists and turns involving time travel, magic, and a host of interesting and vividly portrayed characters. Ma, for example, appears cantankerous and mean on the surface, but her actions toward Jax reveal her to be a compassionate and loving caregiver. Each chapter features one or two black-and-white cartoon illustrations depicting pivotal moments, objects, or people (e.g., Ambrose, one of Mas helpers, who is invisible except for his clothing). Considering the scarcity of African American middle-grade fantasy, this novel is a welcome addition. It ends with Jax headed out for another adventure related to one of the dragons, so readers can look forward to a second installment. jonda c. mcnair (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Nine-year-old Brooklynite Jaxon meets a witch, becomes her apprentice, and protects baby dragons all in one eventful day.As the story opens, Jaxon and his mom are being evicted. While Mama tries to secure a place to stay, she leaves him with Ma, the woman who raised her. Ma clearly doesn't want Jaxon around, but it becomes apparent that's at least partially due to a mysterious package she's received. Jax soon discovers that Ma's a witch, his mom used to be Ma's apprentice (a mantle he takes up), and that Ma's package containsbaby dragons! The dragons need to be taken to the magical realm, but a transport malfunction strands Ma while Jax is sent back to Brooklyn. Desperate to save Ma, Jax enlists the help of his friend Vikram, whose little sister, Kavita, tags along. Curiousor is it nosy?Kavita discovers the dragons and does the worst: feeds them. This not only increases their size, but bonds them to her. Thankfully, Trub, Jax's maternal grandfather, is a magic user and helps Jax find Ma and get the dragons to the magical realm, where (discerning readers won't be surprised) they discover one dragon is missing.What a breath of fresh air: a chapter-book fantasy with an urban setting, an array of brown-skinned magic wielders, and a lovable black protagonist readers will root for and sympathize with. Geneva B's black-and-white illustrations depict a cast of color and appear every few pages.Good, solid fantasy fun. (Fantasy. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Jaxon and his mom have been a team for as long as he can remember. When Jaxon's mother needs to deal with a crooked landlord trying to evict them, she takes Jaxon to Ma, the woman who raised her. Jaxon is surprised and scared his mother is leaving him with a stranger And it gets weirder: on her kitchen table lies a package with stamps from Madagascar all over it . . . and it moves. Jaxon is intrigued. Ma, who is a witch responsible for protecting magical creatures, invites Jaxon to take the package back to the magic place where it needs to be. Dragons, dinosaurs, an invisible man, and more await Jaxon as he discovers where his family comes from and where his grandfather has been. Readers will relate to Jaxon's city life, diverse friends, and family dynamic, and Elliott does a wonderful job of interweaving fantasy, adventure, and character relationships. The language is not too complex for new fantasy readers and speeds right along. A wonderful, and wonderfully inclusive, fantasy for any collection.--Rosie Camargo Copyright 2018 Booklist
