Author Biography
Jessica Day George has written fifteen fantasy
novels for children and young adults, including the Dragon(skin) Slippers trilogy, the Princesses of Westfalen trilogy, and the Tuesdays
at the Castle series. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Published By: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Year: 2006
ISBN: 978-07475-8718-7
Reading Level: Grades 8 and up
Reader’s Annotation:
After bargaining with a dragon for her life and a pair of shoes, Creel sets out to achieve her dream of dressmaking. But her new
slippers are more than what they seem… if they fall onto the wrong feet, the
kingdom will be doomed!
Plot Summary:
Fifteen-year-old orphan Creelisel Carlbrun is sacrificed to a
dragon by her dimwitted aunt, in hopes that a wealthy knight will rescue and
marry her. But this dragon prefers shoe-collecting to maiden-eating and lets her
go, along with a pair of blue leather slippers from his collection. Not wanting
to go back home, she sets off for the kingdom’s urban center, the King’s Seat, where
she hopes to turn her talent for embroidery into a career – and befriends yet
another dragon, Shardas, in the process.
Once in the city, Creel slaves away for
the stern dressmaker Derda, and makes an enemy of her best customer, the obnoxious
Princess Amalia. At the same time, she finds that she can summon Shardas with
her mind. But then Amalia steals her slippers… and her summoning power
disappears. Soon afterward, the annual Merchants’ Ball is annihilated
in fiery horror. Will Creel, her new friends, and the charming Prince Luka
learn the secret behind the stolen shoes, uncover Amalia’s nefarious plan, and
save humans and dragons alike before it’s too late?
Critical Evaluation:
Published as Dragon
Slippers in the US and Dragonskin
Slippers in the UK, this book starts out as a comical “fractured
fairy-tale,” then turns into a slice-of-life in a dress shop with only background
murmurs of fantasy. Then it takes a turn for the epic as our heroine and her
friends struggle to save the kingdom from destruction by dragon-fire, with a
conclusion that’s all too bittersweet… until a twist at the very end. These
twists and turns in atmosphere might disorient some readers. But others will
love the story for providing everything a fantasy novel can offer: charm,
humor, excitement, suspense, poignancy, a hint of romance, and just the right
amount of feminism.
Creel is an endearing heroine from start to finish, as plucky, witty and independent as they come, yet never falling into the timeworn “not like other girls” formula. Her supreme talent and passion is for embroidery (that ultimate feminine art, usually despised by fantasy heroines of her personality type) and that skill proves just as important in saving the day as her feistiness. Nor are any of the female characters stereotypical, as an apparent “mean girl” proves to be a true friend, an apparently sweet victim becomes a traitor, and the seemingly shallow, comically spoiled Princess Amalia proves to be a dangerously intelligent and utterly ruthless villainess. We’re also treated to an endearing portrait of dragons as sophisticated sentient beings: all the legends surrounding them contain only a kernel of truth and are sometimes hilariously subverted. Whether the reader is most drawn to its humor, its high-stakes adventure, or its characters, this book will be at home on any YA fantasy lover’s shelf.
Creel is an endearing heroine from start to finish, as plucky, witty and independent as they come, yet never falling into the timeworn “not like other girls” formula. Her supreme talent and passion is for embroidery (that ultimate feminine art, usually despised by fantasy heroines of her personality type) and that skill proves just as important in saving the day as her feistiness. Nor are any of the female characters stereotypical, as an apparent “mean girl” proves to be a true friend, an apparently sweet victim becomes a traitor, and the seemingly shallow, comically spoiled Princess Amalia proves to be a dangerously intelligent and utterly ruthless villainess. We’re also treated to an endearing portrait of dragons as sophisticated sentient beings: all the legends surrounding them contain only a kernel of truth and are sometimes hilariously subverted. Whether the reader is most drawn to its humor, its high-stakes adventure, or its characters, this book will be at home on any YA fantasy lover’s shelf.
Curriculum Ties:
*Fantasy worlds
*Feminism
Challenge Issues:
*Violence
*Disturbing imagery
*Apparent suicide
Why This Book?
With its unexpected yet endearing blend of the epic and the irreverent,
Dragon(skin) Slippers is a fantasy
with something for everyone to enjoy.
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