The Ice Dragon
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that The Ice Dragon is a new edition of a story first published in 2006 by famed fantasy author George R. R. Martin. There's some fantasy violence involving dragon battles, a past beating is mentioned, and the father turns to drinking during hard times. Otherwise there's nothing of concern here from the author whose Song of Ice and Fire series inspired the violence- and sex-filled TV series A Game of Thrones. This story's set in the same universe as A Game of Thrones, but it's a different time period and doesn't have any of the same characters. Some of the lavish illustrations are intense, but there's no blood or gore.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
Short but exciting story
Beautifully written book with amazing illustrations
What's the story?
Adara's always been different from everyone else. She's more comfortable and happy during the cold of winter when most people want to huddle by the fire. When she befriends a rare ice dragon, she decides she wants to leave her home and go live with the ice dragon far away to the north. But war has come to her homeland, and when enemy dragon riders turn on the family farm, Adara has to decide between leaving to live out her dream or staying behind to defend her home.
Is it any good?
THE ICE DRAGON is an engaging, if brief, dragon fantasy. The gorgeous illustrations, along with every aspect of the book's design, including the beautiful illustrated type, are what make it a satisfying experience, given that the story itself is so short and ends rather abruptly.
Dragon lovers, especially elementary and middle schoolers, will be enchanted with Adara and her magnificent ice dragon. The heirloom-quality presentation ensures that it'll be a pleasure to revisit many times.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about why fantasy books, especially with dragons, are so popular. Why do we love to read them so much?
Did you like the illustrations? Did they help you picture the people and events of the story, or would you rather be able to use your imagination?
Why do you think Adara turned back for home when she was so close to realizing her dream of living with the ice dragon?
Book details
- Author: George R. R. Martin
- Illustrator: Luis Royo
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Brothers and Sisters
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Tor Teen
- Publication date: October 21, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 12 - 17
- Number of pages: 128
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
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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.