About the Book
Title: Dragon Defender (Dragon Defense League, Book #1)
Author: J.A. Blackburn
Publication Date: October 19, 2013
Publisher: Pip & Grey
Number of pages: 242
Recommended age: 10+
Summary (Amazon):
For over a thousand years dragons have existed in secret . . . Peter Clark can build a robot from scratch and pick a lock in two minutes or less. But he can't figure out why his mother left or why his grandma refuses to talk about her. When Uncle Dominick shows up on Peter's twelfth birthday with a letter that hints at answers and an incredible story about dragons, Peter follows him, determined to find out the truth about his mother's disappearance. What he finds is a reality far different from what he ever could have imagined - where dragons live in hiding, hunted by poachers for their magical parts, and a small group of men and women work tirelessly to protect them. These are the Dragon Defenders. Peter's uncle is one. So was his mother. Now it's Peter's turn.* Finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 2013 Literary Contest *
My Review
Peter lives a pretty quite life, keeping mostly to himself working on his robots, but when his long lost uncle appears and reveals the family's secret his life is turned upside down. Now, Peter finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime. He must rescue a dragon egg and protect the mother from vicious Knights who want to kill them to steal their magical healing powers. As Peter's Uncle Dominick lowers him into the cavern to get the egg, Peter hears voices and a gun shot. He quickly gathers the egg and heads deep into the cavern hoping to find another escape. Peter's mind is racing, will he find his way out, will he be able to save the baby dragon, and will he ever see is uncle again?
Dragon Defender is exciting right from the start, with Peter discovering that his family has a special duty to protect the dragons that still roam the earth. The author continues her quest to captivate readers by keeping the story flowing at a rapid pace. One thrilling event after another makes it difficult to put the story down. I like how Peter is willing, but cautious when it comes to his role as a Dragon Defender. As he questions his ability to succeed in his new role, his actions continue to prove he is the perfect person for this important, yet challenging task.
Dragon Defender is well written and certainly a story middle graders will find fascinating. I highly recommend picking up a copy.
More Buzz About the Book
"We read an advance copy of this book on kindle earlier this year and our 5th grade son read it twice and is anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. Great adventure, really kept our interest reading it together at night. This was one of the kids books I most enjoyed reading myself as well. The characters and the plot are well developed, and appealing to a wide range of kids (both genders). The writing is sophisticated but easy to understand, not 'dumbed down' like many kids books. The subject of dragons was so well crafted that it's easy believe that dragons just might exist, after all." ~ 5 Star Review, Leigh A., Amazon
"Reminiscent of the Fablehaven series (with just the right touch of Harry P.) this middle grade book is both an adventure and a pleasure...Fast-paced and full of wonder, this book takes middle grade readers on a vivid journey from the southwestern U.S. to Mexico; where jungles, ancient ruins and local folklore add to the enchantment that Peter finds when he discovers that dragons are in fact, real. As a former elementary school teacher, my strong feeling is that kids will eat this book whole, and then turn to searching for dragon eggs in their own backyards!" ~ 5 Star Review, Grace W., Amazon
"Dragon Defender was an absorbing action packed read! The author pulls you in from the first page and I'm not sorry to say I read it all in the first day. I'm 33 but still! This is a fun book for a chapter a night with your 5 year old (my son is loving it so far) or for yourself. The characters are well developed so you feel like you're really there, and the dragon is so believable. I'd venture so far as to say I had to remind myself that dragons don't really exist.... or do they?" ~ 5 Star Review, MGC, Amazon
Purchase
Amazon (Print) | Amazon (Kindle)
About the Author: J.A. Blackburn
[caption id="attachment_15386" align="alignleft" width="151"]
J.A. Blackburn[/caption] J. A. Blackburn lives in Seattle, Washington in a small white house overlooking the sea with her husband, Jason, her son, Camden, and their dog, Bella. Dragon Defender is her first novel. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Dragon Defender Blog Tour Schedule (2014)
January 6Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch & Review)
January 7The Dragyn's Lair (Dual Reviews)
Cherry Mischievous (Guest Post)
January 8Reading and Sharing (Book Review)
January 9Carpinello's Writing Pages (Author Interview)
January 10The World of ContestPatti (Author Interview)
January 11 January 12 January 13Books Direct (Author Interview)
January 14 January 15A Year of Jubilee Reviews (Review)
January 16Stitch Says (Author Interview)
January 17We are the Noisy DinoFamily (Review)
Musings by Jay Faulkner (Guest Post)
January 18Kay LaLone I Love Books (Review)
January 19Lakshmi Gosyne (Guest Post & Review)
January 20Sher A. Hart: Written Art (Review)
WS Momma Readers Nook (Guest Post/Excerpt)
January 21 January 22Cassandra Lost in Books (Review)
Word Magic: Articles & Tips for Authors (Review)
January 23 January 24Identity Discovery (Guest Post)
January 25Jemima Pett, Princelings Author (Review)
January 26When I Grow Up I Wanna Write a Kids Book (Review)
Heart of a Philanthropist (Review)
* $50 Blog Tour Giveaway *
Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest runs: January 6th to January 31, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, J.A. Blackburn and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway 
