Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Schultz
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Simple but inventive series great for first fantasy reading.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
Three friends -- Eric Hinkle, Neal Kroger, and Julie Rubin -- stumble upon a magic rainbow staircase in Eric's basement, and the stairs lead to a fantastical world called Droon. There, the youngsters encounter good wizards like Keeah, the princess of Droon, and evil sorcerers like the scary Lord Sparr, who wants to destroy Keeah and rule Droon. Eric and his mortal companions learn that they have a role to play in protecting Droon and their new friends, which leads them in and out of suspenseful, magical adventures and heroic deeds. The series consists of 44 books: a dozen original series volumes, and subsequent groupings of Special Edition installments.
Is It Any Good?
Tony Abbott's Droon series includes many elements of fantasy fiction that are super familiar to older kids and grown-ups, but to 7- and 8-year-old readers, these devices are fresh and inventive. These tidy, magical early chapter books make a terrific introduction to fantasy fiction for kids who love the genre but aren't old enough to read Tolkien or Harry Potter.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Droon series. Which part do you like best -- the original 12 books or the Special Edition books?
The Droon books follow a pattern similar to the Magic Tree House books. How are the series different, and how are they similar?
Would you like to travel to Droon? What would you do if you found a magical stairway in your house?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : David Merrell
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
- Publication date : June 1, 1999
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 7 - 10
- Number of pages : 96
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate