[I received a free copy of this book as part of my work as a judge for the 2017 Cybil awards.]
Summary
Zoey finds out a big secret about the forest by her house as her mom gets ready for a business trip. Magical creatures live there! Before her mom leaves, she tells Zoey about a talking frog she found as a kid. Using her science skills and animal knowledge, Zoey’s mom had been able to help the sick frog. But she thought she was the only one who could see the creatures. Zoey’s dad can’t. But now that she knows Zoey can, Zoey can watch for any creatures in need while her mom is gone.
Near the end of her mom’s trip, Zoey finds a sickly dragon. She and her cat, Sassafras, try to take care of it while Zoey uses her own science skills to figure out what is wrong. When her first idea seems to work, but the dragon is still sick, Zoey is desperate for her mom to come home. What will happen if Zoey can’t figure out what is wrong with the dragon?
Review
This was adorable! I mentioned this in a Saturday Smorgasbord earlier this year, but I wanted to give it a full review because I enjoyed it so much. It’s smart and fun – just what I love in a book, especially one for kids exploring chapter books for the first time.
Zoey and Sassafras are endearing. Zoey is smart and curious and resourceful. Sassafras is a typical cat with hints of attitude at times. But mostly he is insightful and a fantastic partner for Zoey. The author does a great job of describing the interactions between the characters. I just wanted to hug them
The fantasy piece is a fun hook for readers. Kids who love creatures like dragons will love this as will kids who love traditional animal stories. The science pieces – reptile facts, instructions for running an experiment – are perfect for 2nd and 3rd grade students. This would be a great series to give to your favorite young reader as well as your favorite lower elementary teacher.