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Fenner, Carol. The King of Dragons. New York: Margaret K. McElderly Books, 1998

The King of Dragons was written by the Newberry Honor-winning author Carol Fenner. Written for children between the ages 9-12, the story revolves around the life of a homeless child and his father—a Vietnam war veteran—who live in a vacant courthouse. One evening the boy Ian’s father disappears. From that point onward Ian, a boy of only 11 years of age, is forced to survive on his own. He proves to be an amazingly resourceful and self-reliant person. He manages to feed himself, keep himself warm, and to keep his integrity in the process. When the courthouse is turned into a museum, Ian sticks around and becomes fascinated by the museum’s exhibition of exotic kites, including the beautiful “king of dragons” kite. The most compelling aspect of the book is Ian’s struggle to survive. I think that young readers will be intrigued to think about what it would be like to survive all by themselves, without a place to live and without parents to take care of them. The book is realistic and beneficial insofar as it gives children a glimpse into a lifestyle that would be entirely foreign to most.

Homeless father and son live in a museum. ( )