Scan barcode
johannawilbur's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
kiperoo's review
5.0
Ahhhhh, I love this book so much! Maybe most of all because it might include one of my favorite dragons ever? But wait, there's more! I absolutely love all the Russian words and phrases and Jewish folklore included. This world has such richness, such flavor. And then of course there are the characters (beyond the dragon). Goats with personality, a loving farm family, an entire set of Ivans (!), some really terrible villains, and of course, Anya herself: brave, quick-thinking, and caring. One of my daughters ripped ANYA out of my hands as soon as I told her I'd finished (I do often let them read books first, but I couldn't wait with this one), and I think it's going to find oodles of young fans. Highly recommend!
margaret_k30's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This is a fantastic book for middle or younger readers that has all the elements of a fantastic fairytale with explanation of real world concepts in a fairly age-appropriate way (anti-Semitism being the major one as the main character and her family is Jewish).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Antisemitism, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, and War
Minor: Colonisation, Death, Genocide, Grief, and Death of parent
farronlady's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Wow this was really fun to read! Loved it, easier to read as it is meant for children but with a plot that really holds up!
jcarsrud's review against another edition
5.0
This was an entertaining book! I loved Anya and her courage! If you like Rick Riordan books, you should read this one!
schnoebs13's review against another edition
3.0
3.75⭐️
Anya and her family have always stood out in their village since they are the only Jewish family in the community. When a family of fools come to town in search of a dragon, she realizes just how different they are. She’s grown up knowing about the magical creatures that live here but what she knows about them is completely different what the fools say they are. When her family is in desperate need of money, Anya decides to help the new comers find the dragon in hopes of saving everything and everyone that she loves.
This took me a while to get into it I ended enjoying the adventure that was Anya’s hunt for the dragon. Learning about the different magical creatures and also many things about the Jewish faith really grabbed my attention since I wasn’t very familiar with either. The incorporation is racism and intergenerational pain was explained extremely well for young readers to really grasp. I also appreciated that the author didn’t shy away from having the characters experience real danger. It helped to make the story so much more believable. Not sure if I’m in a rush to continue but I wouldn’t be opposed to picking up the next one.
Anya and her family have always stood out in their village since they are the only Jewish family in the community. When a family of fools come to town in search of a dragon, she realizes just how different they are. She’s grown up knowing about the magical creatures that live here but what she knows about them is completely different what the fools say they are. When her family is in desperate need of money, Anya decides to help the new comers find the dragon in hopes of saving everything and everyone that she loves.
This took me a while to get into it I ended enjoying the adventure that was Anya’s hunt for the dragon. Learning about the different magical creatures and also many things about the Jewish faith really grabbed my attention since I wasn’t very familiar with either. The incorporation is racism and intergenerational pain was explained extremely well for young readers to really grasp. I also appreciated that the author didn’t shy away from having the characters experience real danger. It helped to make the story so much more believable. Not sure if I’m in a rush to continue but I wouldn’t be opposed to picking up the next one.
asahome's review against another edition
4.0
A Russian Jewish girl must deal with all kinds of creatures and eighty seven boys named Ivan.
msbedelia's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. A sweet and charming story that really shines as a quick, child-appropriate introduction to a variety of Slavic folk creatures. Worth noting though that are some very scary moments in terms of main characters being in peril! Not at the hands of those creatures, who are mostly benign, but some young readers may get scared at some of the human violence. I got scared!
The Jewish protag is authentic and charming, but the Judaism in this book won't be for super traditionalists given the high level of magic interwoven with it. I personally loved the domovoy in the kippah but am mindful that not everyone will. Additionally, there's a not-great translation (arguably a mistranslation) of one of the ten commandments that provides a jumping off point for one of the book's major themes, a theme that has a lot of payoff... but that mistranslation is always a particular annoyance for me. Which is to say, (adult) readers who care at that level of detail might struggle more with the specifics on how Judaism is integrated. I would argue that as an addition to Jewish fiction for kids, it's solidly worth it anyway.
Additionally, it was a bit of a slow beginning and took me awhile to get into. It helped once I realized it was both a story and a trip through magical creatures. And the introduction of the, ahem, third child to the group was so charming that it allowed the narrative to really take off!
I'll be reading the sequel and subsequent books from this author because the themes are so near and dear to me.
The Jewish protag is authentic and charming, but the Judaism in this book won't be for super traditionalists given the high level of magic interwoven with it. I personally loved the domovoy in the kippah but am mindful that not everyone will. Additionally, there's a not-great translation (arguably a mistranslation) of one of the ten commandments that provides a jumping off point for one of the book's major themes, a theme that has a lot of payoff... but that mistranslation is always a particular annoyance for me. Which is to say, (adult) readers who care at that level of detail might struggle more with the specifics on how Judaism is integrated. I would argue that as an addition to Jewish fiction for kids, it's solidly worth it anyway.
Additionally, it was a bit of a slow beginning and took me awhile to get into. It helped once I realized it was both a story and a trip through magical creatures. And the introduction of the, ahem, third child to the group was so charming that it allowed the narrative to really take off!
I'll be reading the sequel and subsequent books from this author because the themes are so near and dear to me.
onionaitor's review against another edition
3.0
Hm maybe like a 2.8 or something but rounded up because why not. It was alright I guess, the pacing was a little weird for me but also I've not read many middle grade so maybe that's the reason.
irasobrietate's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0