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Dragons in a Bag #1
Dragons in a Bag
The dragon's out of the bag in this diverse, young urban fantasy from an award-winning author!
When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she's not his grandmother--but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they'll be safe. There are two rules when it comes to the dragons: don't let them out of the bag, and don't feed them anything sweet. Before he knows it, Jax and his friends Vikram and Kavita have broken both rules! Will Jax get the baby dragons delivered safe and sound? Or will they be lost in Brooklyn forever?
When Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma, he finds out she's not his grandmother--but she is a witch! She needs his help delivering baby dragons to a magical world where they'll be safe. There are two rules when it comes to the dragons: don't let them out of the bag, and don't feed them anything sweet. Before he knows it, Jax and his friends Vikram and Kavita have broken both rules! Will Jax get the baby dragons delivered safe and sound? Or will they be lost in Brooklyn forever?
160 pages, Hardcover
First published October 23, 2018
About the author
Zetta Elliott
62 books435 followersI’m a Black feminist writer of poetry, plays, essays, novels, and stories for children. I was born and raised in Canada, but have lived in the US for 30 years. I earned my PhD in American Studies from NYU in 2003; I have taught at Ohio University, Louisiana State University, Mount Holyoke College, Hunter College, Bard High School Early College, and Borough of Manhattan Community College.
My poetry has been published in New Daughters of Africa, We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, the Cave Canem anthology, The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South, Check the Rhyme: an Anthology of Female Poets and Emcees, and Coloring Book: an Eclectic Anthology of Fiction and Poetry by Multicultural Writers.
My novella, Plastique, was excerpted in T Dot Griots: an Anthology of Toronto’s Black Storytellers, and my plays have been staged in New York, Cleveland, and Chicago. My essays have appeared in School Library Journal, Horn Book, and Publishers Weekly. My short story, “The Ghost in Her Bones,” was published in a 2020 special issue of Obsidian.
My picture book, Bird, won the Honor Award in Lee & Low Books’ New Voices Contest and the Paterson Prize for Books for Young Readers. My young adult novel, A Wish After Midnight, has been called “a revelation…vivid, violent and impressive history.” Ship of Souls was published in February 2012; it was named a Booklist Top Ten Sci-fi/Fantasy Title for Youth and was a finalist for the Phillis Wheatley Book Award. My short story, “Sweet Sixteen,” was published in Cornered: 14 Stories of Bullying and Defiance in July 2012. My YA novel, The Door at the Crossroads, was a finalist in the Speculative Fiction category of the 2017 Cybils Awards, and my picture book, Melena’s Jubilee, won a 2017 Skipping Stones Honor Award. I received the Children’s Literature Association’s Article Award for my 2014 essay, “The Trouble with Magic: Conjuring the Past in New York City Parks.”
I am an advocate for greater diversity and equity in publishing, and I have self-published numerous illustrated books for younger readers under my own imprint, Rosetta Press; 3 were named Best of the Year by the Bank Street Center for Children’s Literature, and Benny Doesn’t Like to Be Hugged is a first-grade fiction selection for the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Dragons in a Bag, a middle grade fantasy novel, was published by Random House in 2018; the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) named it a Notable Children’s Book. Its sequel, The Dragon Thief, was named a Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 by CBC Books. The fifth book in the series, The War of the Witches, will be published in January 2024. The prequel will be self-published in 2024.
Say Her Name, a young adult poetry collection, was published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in January 2020; it was named a 2020 Book of the Year for Young People by Quill & Quire and a 2020 “Best of the Best” YA Title by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association; it was also a nominee for the YALSA 2021 Excellence in Nonfiction Award and a Top Ten title for Rise: A Feminist Book Project. Say Her Name won the 2021 Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry.
A Place Inside of Me: a Poem to Heal the Heart from FSG was named an ALA Notable Book and a Notable Poetry Book by the National Council of Teachers of English; it won a 2021 Skipping Stones Honor Award and Noa Denmon won the Caldecott Honor Award for her stunning illustrations. Moonwalking (FSG 2022), a middle grade verse novel co-authored with Lyn Miller-Lachmann earned four starred reviews and was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection; it made the NYPL and Bank Street College of Education’s Best Books of 2022 lists, was one of Kirkus Reviews’ 100 Best Middle Grade Books, and made the 2023 Notable Books for a Global Society list. The National Education Association has selected Moonwalking for its 2024 Read Across America program.
I was honored to
My poetry has been published in New Daughters of Africa, We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, the Cave Canem anthology, The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South, Check the Rhyme: an Anthology of Female Poets and Emcees, and Coloring Book: an Eclectic Anthology of Fiction and Poetry by Multicultural Writers.
My novella, Plastique, was excerpted in T Dot Griots: an Anthology of Toronto’s Black Storytellers, and my plays have been staged in New York, Cleveland, and Chicago. My essays have appeared in School Library Journal, Horn Book, and Publishers Weekly. My short story, “The Ghost in Her Bones,” was published in a 2020 special issue of Obsidian.
My picture book, Bird, won the Honor Award in Lee & Low Books’ New Voices Contest and the Paterson Prize for Books for Young Readers. My young adult novel, A Wish After Midnight, has been called “a revelation…vivid, violent and impressive history.” Ship of Souls was published in February 2012; it was named a Booklist Top Ten Sci-fi/Fantasy Title for Youth and was a finalist for the Phillis Wheatley Book Award. My short story, “Sweet Sixteen,” was published in Cornered: 14 Stories of Bullying and Defiance in July 2012. My YA novel, The Door at the Crossroads, was a finalist in the Speculative Fiction category of the 2017 Cybils Awards, and my picture book, Melena’s Jubilee, won a 2017 Skipping Stones Honor Award. I received the Children’s Literature Association’s Article Award for my 2014 essay, “The Trouble with Magic: Conjuring the Past in New York City Parks.”
I am an advocate for greater diversity and equity in publishing, and I have self-published numerous illustrated books for younger readers under my own imprint, Rosetta Press; 3 were named Best of the Year by the Bank Street Center for Children’s Literature, and Benny Doesn’t Like to Be Hugged is a first-grade fiction selection for the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Dragons in a Bag, a middle grade fantasy novel, was published by Random House in 2018; the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) named it a Notable Children’s Book. Its sequel, The Dragon Thief, was named a Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 by CBC Books. The fifth book in the series, The War of the Witches, will be published in January 2024. The prequel will be self-published in 2024.
Say Her Name, a young adult poetry collection, was published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in January 2020; it was named a 2020 Book of the Year for Young People by Quill & Quire and a 2020 “Best of the Best” YA Title by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association; it was also a nominee for the YALSA 2021 Excellence in Nonfiction Award and a Top Ten title for Rise: A Feminist Book Project. Say Her Name won the 2021 Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry.
A Place Inside of Me: a Poem to Heal the Heart from FSG was named an ALA Notable Book and a Notable Poetry Book by the National Council of Teachers of English; it won a 2021 Skipping Stones Honor Award and Noa Denmon won the Caldecott Honor Award for her stunning illustrations. Moonwalking (FSG 2022), a middle grade verse novel co-authored with Lyn Miller-Lachmann earned four starred reviews and was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection; it made the NYPL and Bank Street College of Education’s Best Books of 2022 lists, was one of Kirkus Reviews’ 100 Best Middle Grade Books, and made the 2023 Notable Books for a Global Society list. The National Education Association has selected Moonwalking for its 2024 Read Across America program.
I was honored to
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 717 reviews
March 21, 2021
6.57 on CAWPILE
July 5, 2018
Ahhhhh this book is so deliciously fun! It's full of imagination, joy, humor and adventure, with an enormous underpinning of heart to ground it all. I love cantankerous old Ma the witch (who's more than fierce enough to ride a T-Rex!), I love the real, believable grey areas around the magical debates and family relationships, and I adored every minute of this book. I'm reading it out loud to my 9-year-old every chance we get, because he's loving it too, but I couldn't resist reading ahead on my own in-between our joint sessions, and I devoured it in just one day! It was such a joyful experience. I can't wait for book 2 (The Dragon Thief)!
October 26, 2020
This was such an interesting start to a new middle grade series!
I had previously read a Zetta Elliott book this summer and I didn't realize that she wrote middle grade fantasy. This was a great story about a young boy by the name of Jax. After they face eviction, Jax's mother decides to send him to a friend of the family for the day. While there he learns some interesting things about "Ma." I think that I loved the writing style of this book more than the previous book I read by Elliott. It just flowed and worked well within the content of the plot. I also enjoyed the world building. There were aspects of it that I haven't really seen in other middle grade fantasy books. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a portal fantasy, but it does take place in different dimensions and periods of time. While it was focused on the returning of dragons to a different world, there were some interesting conversations surrounding Madagascar. Jax seems to know a lot about the country and in turn educates the reader on various topics. There were also this amazing references to Black culture.
One of my major issues was definitely the ending. It's clear that it was a set up for the second book which made it less enjoyable. I don't feel like the "plot twist" was well done. It could have been written without it. By creating that sort of ending, the writing felt forced. I also wanted more exploration on the relationships between certain characters. It's clear that Jax's mom has had a rocky relationship with "Ma" but it really isn't fleshed out in a way to provide the reader with clarity. Overall, I did enjoy it and I'm looking forward to reading more of Zetta Elliott's books.
I had previously read a Zetta Elliott book this summer and I didn't realize that she wrote middle grade fantasy. This was a great story about a young boy by the name of Jax. After they face eviction, Jax's mother decides to send him to a friend of the family for the day. While there he learns some interesting things about "Ma." I think that I loved the writing style of this book more than the previous book I read by Elliott. It just flowed and worked well within the content of the plot. I also enjoyed the world building. There were aspects of it that I haven't really seen in other middle grade fantasy books. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a portal fantasy, but it does take place in different dimensions and periods of time. While it was focused on the returning of dragons to a different world, there were some interesting conversations surrounding Madagascar. Jax seems to know a lot about the country and in turn educates the reader on various topics. There were also this amazing references to Black culture.
One of my major issues was definitely the ending. It's clear that it was a set up for the second book which made it less enjoyable. I don't feel like the "plot twist" was well done. It could have been written without it. By creating that sort of ending, the writing felt forced. I also wanted more exploration on the relationships between certain characters. It's clear that Jax's mom has had a rocky relationship with "Ma" but it really isn't fleshed out in a way to provide the reader with clarity. Overall, I did enjoy it and I'm looking forward to reading more of Zetta Elliott's books.
June 23, 2020
We listed to the audio book on a recent long car trip with our grandkids—everyone loved it and we are looking forward to sharing the next one!
January 16, 2021
This may be the cutest dragon book I've ever read 🥺🥺🥺🥺 But also it was just genuinely such a great, wholesome middle grade. The magic system was so interesting, and I can't wait to explore more of the magical world in future books. I will say, the ending felt quite abrupt, to the point where I was genuinely confused that the book had ended, so that's what keeps it from being a 5 star book for me, but otherwise I had no other major complaints. The illustrations were also a huge plus - they're absolutely stunning and really added to the story!
September 28, 2024
Jaxon’s life has not been easy; his father’s dead, his mother’s the only family he has, and the landlord is intent on evicting the two of them. But just one day is about to change his whole life.
Parents, if possible, do not read the children the blurb to this — pardon the pun — magical book. It gives too much away. Just tell them this. Jaxon’s mom, Alicia — desperate to stave off eviction and with nowhere else to turn — begs a curmudgeonly old lady to watch Jaxon for just a few hours. The stern old lady, called by Ma by everyone, very reluctantly agrees, but Ma and Jaxon both have more than they can handle when three baby dragons show up in the mail and Jaxon discovers that Ma is an actual witch!
Zetta Elliott turns Brooklyn into a place of unseen wonder and delight as she weaves this wonderous tale of how family is where you find it. If possible, parents and grandparents will love it more than the kids. Highly recommended.
P.S. — Be sure to have the sequel The Dragon Thief on hand. You’ll want to jump right in after the first chapter book’s cliffhanger ending.
Parents, if possible, do not read the children the blurb to this — pardon the pun — magical book. It gives too much away. Just tell them this. Jaxon’s mom, Alicia — desperate to stave off eviction and with nowhere else to turn — begs a curmudgeonly old lady to watch Jaxon for just a few hours. The stern old lady, called by Ma by everyone, very reluctantly agrees, but Ma and Jaxon both have more than they can handle when three baby dragons show up in the mail and Jaxon discovers that Ma is an actual witch!
Zetta Elliott turns Brooklyn into a place of unseen wonder and delight as she weaves this wonderous tale of how family is where you find it. If possible, parents and grandparents will love it more than the kids. Highly recommended.
P.S. — Be sure to have the sequel The Dragon Thief on hand. You’ll want to jump right in after the first chapter book’s cliffhanger ending.
November 24, 2022
This was quite short and structured more like "part 1 of a serial" than "book 1." I'm not thrilled about the recent revival of serialized fiction and how it works out in terms of pacing (and cost) but it seems to be here to stay, so I guess I should accept it.
Other than that complaint, this was a fun younger-reader adventure with magic, time travel, and parallel dimensions. The adults' decisions often seem irrational, but that that jives with my childhood (and adult, cough) experience so no issues there. I thought it was realistic that the MC is sometimes scared or naive, despite being a brave and loyal kid. He's like 9, I think? and getting a lot put on him.
Extra-recommended for Brooklynites. (I knew exactly where they were!)
Other than that complaint, this was a fun younger-reader adventure with magic, time travel, and parallel dimensions. The adults' decisions often seem irrational, but that that jives with my childhood (and adult, cough) experience so no issues there. I thought it was realistic that the MC is sometimes scared or naive, despite being a brave and loyal kid. He's like 9, I think? and getting a lot put on him.
Extra-recommended for Brooklynites. (I knew exactly where they were!)
December 20, 2018
Jaxon is forced to spend the day with Ma, a woman he just learns is his grandmother. She isn’t interested in babysitting and Jaxson would rather be somewhere else. But Ma is strange and strange things keep happening at her apartment- like a recently delivered package that moves all on its own! After some poking, Jaxson learns that the box contains dragons and Ma had to deliver them to their final destination. Is Jaxson up for the challenge of being Ma’s new helper? // I loved this book. Read it very quickly and couldn’t wait to get to the end. The wonder of magic is very real in this story but approached in a way that feels authentic. This could be a great read-a-loud for your littles or perfect late elementary, early middle grade good. Highly recommend.
March 11, 2019
A delightful, magical story.
"I know you like geography, Jax, but the place we're going to isn't on any map you've ever seen." (p.52)
"I know you like geography, Jax, but the place we're going to isn't on any map you've ever seen." (p.52)
May 22, 2018
You know I loved this book! I interviewed the author, Zetta shared about it on my blog at: https://dulemba.blogspot.co.uk/2018/0... . :)
January 27, 2021
n the current middle grade world a lot of newer fantasy books are quite large, like Nevermoor and Cressida Cowell's books. While they are quick reads I can imagine that it might be hard for some young readers to pick them up. Dragons in a Bag is a fresh air in that regard with only 160 pages.
Dragons in a Bag follows young Jaxon who is in a hard place. His mom and him are being threatened with eviction, and there is not much to do about it. When his mom has to got to court she leaves him with this weird old lady who his mom calls Ma. She's mean and Jaxon wants nothing more than to run out of her appartment. But when he discovers she has baby dragons and is a witch, he is dragged along on an adventure. And along the way he finds out that this mean spirited old lady really isn't all that mean.
This book really is an excellent start to a middle grade series. It opens the doors to a new magical world but leaves more than enough to explore for the later books. With just 160 pages it is fast-paced, but takes the time to set up the world and to get to know the characters. Jaxon is well aware of the place that he takes up in society as a black boy with a single mom in a large city in America, even if it shouldn't be that way.
The magic and some magical worlds are inspired by Madagascar which I think makes this book even richer. You don't often see Madagascar used in books, especially middle grade.
The only downside to this book is that there is no real closure at the end of this book. It made the ending very forced and awkward. So if you are going to re be reading this with your young reader, please make sure you have the new few books that are out already available.
Dragons in a Bag follows young Jaxon who is in a hard place. His mom and him are being threatened with eviction, and there is not much to do about it. When his mom has to got to court she leaves him with this weird old lady who his mom calls Ma. She's mean and Jaxon wants nothing more than to run out of her appartment. But when he discovers she has baby dragons and is a witch, he is dragged along on an adventure. And along the way he finds out that this mean spirited old lady really isn't all that mean.
This book really is an excellent start to a middle grade series. It opens the doors to a new magical world but leaves more than enough to explore for the later books. With just 160 pages it is fast-paced, but takes the time to set up the world and to get to know the characters. Jaxon is well aware of the place that he takes up in society as a black boy with a single mom in a large city in America, even if it shouldn't be that way.
The magic and some magical worlds are inspired by Madagascar which I think makes this book even richer. You don't often see Madagascar used in books, especially middle grade.
The only downside to this book is that there is no real closure at the end of this book. It made the ending very forced and awkward. So if you are going to re be reading this with your young reader, please make sure you have the new few books that are out already available.
December 3, 2021
Another great Black middle grade fantasy, Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliot chronicles the adventures of Jax, after his mom leaves him with a cantankerous older woman who insists he call her “Ma.” Jax’s mom has a court hearing—their landlord is trying to illegally evict them. When a mysterious package from Madagascar on Ma’s kitchen table ends up containing dragon eggs, which hatch, Jax goes on a magical adventure with Ma, who’s an accomplished witch (with the tiny newborn dragons in her floral handbag).
Ma says Brooklyn no longer has enough magic to support the dragons, and they have to take them somewhere more magical. When their interdimensional portal malfunctions, they inadvertently end up fleeing dinosaurs during the Pleistocene era. Jax gets help from his dinosaur-obsessed best friend, and meets his estranged grandfather and other fascinating magic users in this wonderful adventure. The ending is a little open ended—there are plot points leading to the next book. Which I can’t wait to read. The audiobook narration by Ron Butler was excellent, and there’s an interesting afterword by the author.
Highly recommended
Ma says Brooklyn no longer has enough magic to support the dragons, and they have to take them somewhere more magical. When their interdimensional portal malfunctions, they inadvertently end up fleeing dinosaurs during the Pleistocene era. Jax gets help from his dinosaur-obsessed best friend, and meets his estranged grandfather and other fascinating magic users in this wonderful adventure. The ending is a little open ended—there are plot points leading to the next book. Which I can’t wait to read. The audiobook narration by Ron Butler was excellent, and there’s an interesting afterword by the author.
Highly recommended
December 12, 2020
Oh my gosh, I loved this! I’ve been trying to read more middle grade literature and am seriously committed to reading diversely so while I was looking for something light and magical on my library app, I found this little gem. I borrowed it right away, delighted to have found a middle grade fantasy by a black author. And also... DRAGONS!
This story was wonderful! It touches on quite a few serious topics but I loved that the author was committed firmly to giving an authentic voice to our 9 year old protagonist. The magical elements were great! There are witches, time travel, different dimensions, a few oddly gifted rodents and... DRAGONS! Best of all, it’s the first in a series! It was so good and I hope more readers discover it. Now I’m off to search out the next book!
This story was wonderful! It touches on quite a few serious topics but I loved that the author was committed firmly to giving an authentic voice to our 9 year old protagonist. The magical elements were great! There are witches, time travel, different dimensions, a few oddly gifted rodents and... DRAGONS! Best of all, it’s the first in a series! It was so good and I hope more readers discover it. Now I’m off to search out the next book!
February 28, 2024
Dragons in a Bag
Dragons in a Bag, Book 1
I Picked Up This Book Because: Seemed like good at the time.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: HCPL
Dates Read: 2/27/24 - 2/28/24
Stars: 3 Stars
Narrator(s): Ron Butler
The Characters:
Jaxon
Ma
Jaxon’s Mother, Treb, Mr. Ambrose, Jaxon’s friends whose names I cannot remember
The Story:
This is an interesting world. It was an excellent adventure, rich world building and the characters felt very real. It is very clearly the beginning of a longer story. I think this would be an excellent book to read with your 3rd, 4th, 5th grader. Not sure if I’ll read book 2 though as I said it reads very young.
Dragons in a Bag, Book 1
I Picked Up This Book Because: Seemed like good at the time.
Media Type: Audiobook
Source: HCPL
Dates Read: 2/27/24 - 2/28/24
Stars: 3 Stars
Narrator(s): Ron Butler
The Characters:
Jaxon
Ma
Jaxon’s Mother, Treb, Mr. Ambrose, Jaxon’s friends whose names I cannot remember
The Story:
This is an interesting world. It was an excellent adventure, rich world building and the characters felt very real. It is very clearly the beginning of a longer story. I think this would be an excellent book to read with your 3rd, 4th, 5th grader. Not sure if I’ll read book 2 though as I said it reads very young.
March 16, 2022
2022 Mar: 4 stars.
Jaxon is introduced to worlds of magic, of travelling through time, of amazing, magical creatures, and people he never knew were connected to his family.
Jaxon goes on an adventure after a dragon drop-off by Ma, the curmudgeonly but kind, elderly woman Jaxon’s mother leaves him with for what she figures will be a day of tv and reading. Little does Jaxon expect that everything he knows about his family and the world will be upended, and that he’ll pledge himself to an important tradition.
Jaxon is such a great kid! He’s smart, observant, responsible and kind. I wanted to hug him every time he encountered a problem and struggled, and cheer him when he succeeded.
This is a great start to a whimsical and fun series.
2019 Feb: 4 stars.
Jaxon's mother leaves him for the day with an elderly woman, Ma. Ma takes Jaxon with her to make a delivery, after informing Jaxon that she's a witch. Things don't go as planned, and Jaxon must rely on his good sense and his friends, both old and new, to deal with a number of new challenges.
This was a sweet story about a nine-year old boy with a love of geography, who understands a lot more going on around him than his mother thinks, and who proves resourceful and quite determined when faced with new experiences.
I liked how matter-of-factly magic is handled in this story, and I liked the hints Zetta Elliott left us about the attitudes and roles of the adults Jaxon met during his day. And I was pleased at the use of proper terms like Gondwana and Mesozoic, and loved the names of Jaxon's best friend and sister: Vikram and Kavita. (Kavita! Now there's a name I don't see often in print.)
There's much left for Jaxon to learn and do by the time this book ends, and I hope Zetta Elliot's next Jaxon adventure comes soon.
Jaxon is introduced to worlds of magic, of travelling through time, of amazing, magical creatures, and people he never knew were connected to his family.
Jaxon goes on an adventure after a dragon drop-off by Ma, the curmudgeonly but kind, elderly woman Jaxon’s mother leaves him with for what she figures will be a day of tv and reading. Little does Jaxon expect that everything he knows about his family and the world will be upended, and that he’ll pledge himself to an important tradition.
Jaxon is such a great kid! He’s smart, observant, responsible and kind. I wanted to hug him every time he encountered a problem and struggled, and cheer him when he succeeded.
This is a great start to a whimsical and fun series.
2019 Feb: 4 stars.
Jaxon's mother leaves him for the day with an elderly woman, Ma. Ma takes Jaxon with her to make a delivery, after informing Jaxon that she's a witch. Things don't go as planned, and Jaxon must rely on his good sense and his friends, both old and new, to deal with a number of new challenges.
This was a sweet story about a nine-year old boy with a love of geography, who understands a lot more going on around him than his mother thinks, and who proves resourceful and quite determined when faced with new experiences.
I liked how matter-of-factly magic is handled in this story, and I liked the hints Zetta Elliott left us about the attitudes and roles of the adults Jaxon met during his day. And I was pleased at the use of proper terms like Gondwana and Mesozoic, and loved the names of Jaxon's best friend and sister: Vikram and Kavita. (Kavita! Now there's a name I don't see often in print.)
There's much left for Jaxon to learn and do by the time this book ends, and I hope Zetta Elliot's next Jaxon adventure comes soon.
February 3, 2019
This was a really fun and diverse middle grade urban fantasy which also contains alternate dimensions. I also loved the exploration of different relationships be they friend or family or estranged family member or friends who were once like family.
My one major complaint was the length. I get that this is perfect set up for a second book, but I'd have rather that the problem was resolved and then that we got a different apprenticeship story in the second book, but obviously that's just my personal preference.
My one major complaint was the length. I get that this is perfect set up for a second book, but I'd have rather that the problem was resolved and then that we got a different apprenticeship story in the second book, but obviously that's just my personal preference.
March 14, 2021
"The 'trouble' with magic, as it is represented in much of children's literature, is that it appears to exist in realms to which only certain children belong." -Zetta Elliott p. 152
A quick skim of the books students were reading in a classroom I visited last week shows that fantasy is (still) a popular genre with younger readers. While it's not a genre I'm super familiar with, I grabbed this book after learning that it's a GRA selection for next year. The story caught my interest pretty quickly: a young boy in Brooklyn quickly finds himself immersed in a world of magic when his mom leaves him with a stranger named "Ma" while she heads to court to fight an eviction notice. There be dragons, time travel, and travel between parallel worlds. The centring of racialized children and the urban setting is a fascinating bonus.
A quick skim of the books students were reading in a classroom I visited last week shows that fantasy is (still) a popular genre with younger readers. While it's not a genre I'm super familiar with, I grabbed this book after learning that it's a GRA selection for next year. The story caught my interest pretty quickly: a young boy in Brooklyn quickly finds himself immersed in a world of magic when his mom leaves him with a stranger named "Ma" while she heads to court to fight an eviction notice. There be dragons, time travel, and travel between parallel worlds. The centring of racialized children and the urban setting is a fascinating bonus.
December 26, 2020
I adored this fun, charming, and sweet adventure. The magic and characters, the story, this book put a smile on my face that never left. It was hopeful and had joy, but didn't sugar coat his messy life can be. I look forward to reading the sequel.
March 2, 2022
Reader thoughts: Fun story! I like the squirrel. This is a great book for kids (age 7?) that doesn't have kids deliberately disobeying and being rude or running away. The book has hints of that, but the kids get in trouble and see the consequences of it all.
This book felt . . . small. I know it's short, but its scope also felt small. Everything takes place in about 2 hours (less than a day, anyway), like a bite of pizza when I was hoping for a slice. I think it was the unanswered questions.
Why do the dragons grow so much when they're fed? Whom is the squirrel working with? Are there other magical creatures loose, and why would it be a bad idea? Etc.
My appetite didn't feel whetted, however. Too much was unanswered, almost like the books would never answer those questions. So, that stifled my curiosity.
Writer thoughts: Imagine holding a closed, opaque, full bag in front of someone. Are they curious what's inside? No. If you tell them what's inside could change the world, are they interested? Maybe. If you tell them that you have a magical creature inside, are they curious? Now they would be!
As an author, you have to give your readers enough info to keep them curious. Too little, and you'll lose them. Too much, and you'll lose them. (This balance is thrown off by age, however, and this book probably does fine for the age its aimed at.)
This book felt . . . small. I know it's short, but its scope also felt small. Everything takes place in about 2 hours (less than a day, anyway), like a bite of pizza when I was hoping for a slice. I think it was the unanswered questions.
Why do the dragons grow so much when they're fed? Whom is the squirrel working with? Are there other magical creatures loose, and why would it be a bad idea? Etc.
My appetite didn't feel whetted, however. Too much was unanswered, almost like the books would never answer those questions. So, that stifled my curiosity.
Writer thoughts: Imagine holding a closed, opaque, full bag in front of someone. Are they curious what's inside? No. If you tell them what's inside could change the world, are they interested? Maybe. If you tell them that you have a magical creature inside, are they curious? Now they would be!
As an author, you have to give your readers enough info to keep them curious. Too little, and you'll lose them. Too much, and you'll lose them. (This balance is thrown off by age, however, and this book probably does fine for the age its aimed at.)
July 9, 2020
This is pure magic! I wish Zetta's world was our world...you know the magical bits not the terrible landlords trying to evict good people. Less fear more magic!!
June 1, 2024
(As always,TWs/CWs at the end and possibly mixed in) Please excuse any errors.
Witches and Dragons and Invisible men, Oh my!
This book has a little bit of everything. This book was recommended to me by Kindle after it recommended a different dragon book. I don't know why, I guess they said "You like dragon books, don't you Squidward?" And started recommending multiple at once lol🤷🏿♀️
The story focuses on Jaxon. A 9 year old boy living in Brooklyn.
Jaxon's mom needed someone to watch him because their landlord is kicking them out. That someone ended up being Ma. Ma seems to want nothing to do with either of them. Ma isn't Jaxon's mom but she raised her. I say this because Ma doesn't call her Daughter and she doesn't call Jaxon grandson. Ma and Jaxon's mom don't get along. I believe it's mostly because Jaxon's Mom didn't like Ma's line of work. She sadly had to beg Ma to keep him. Ma explains why she didn't want to keep Jaxon later in the story.
Ma constantly calling Root beer just beer told me most of what I needed to know about her character. So I thought! That annoyed me but, don't judge a person by their choice of words as people always say.🤔 Ma was also extremely mean at the beginning. Jaxon is being a bit too nosey but there was no need to be so rude to him. I don't think she means to be this way,she just doesn't hold back when being honest. Apparently she's raised multiple kids for parents that needed help. Including Jaxon's mom. She starts to get better as the story goes on. She's not that bad when you get to know her. She's a fierce and brave lady. She's also pretty kind when she wants to be. Get on her bad side and that's probably very bad for your health.
Jaxon is so young with already so much on his plate. Poor kid must be stressed. Honestly he's extremely brave! He doesn't back down when scared. He also won't let you call him out his name either so you better say Jaxon or you simply don't exist! Always sticking up for himself! Jaxon is a sweet kid with a good heart. Sadly he constantly holds back tears and blames himself for Ma being left behind eventually. He doesnt want to cry but sometimes you got to.
At the beginning he keeps doing the opposite of what he's told and at times it got tiresome. He's only nine so maybe that's why but he said he never did this at home. He's not a bad kid he's just a nosey one lol. But as I said he's brave. He's also very kind and respectful unlike Kavita, who we'll talk about soon. Jaxon's main mission was to save Ma and get the baby dragons home. Even if he was afraid. He also plans on continuing to be Ma's apprentice.
So Jaxon and Ma have to get these 3 baby dragons home and out of Brooklyn. They both accidentally end up in the Triassic which isn't very good for anyone. Something goes wrong and Ma sends Jaxon back home alone. He then enlists the help of Ma's invisible friend Ambrose. Who Ma calls Bro(I don't know why I'm just putting two and two together.🤦🏿♀️ I thought he was her Brother. Bro is literally his nickname because AmBROse.) Ambrose enlists the help of his friend who is apparently Jaxon's grandfather named Trouble or Trub for short. Jaxon also calls his friend Vik for dinosaur information but he was forced to bring his sister Kavita.
Jaxon's grandfather was a rolling stone. Whenever he laid his hat was his home.(I'm so sorry) He did say he was a rolling stone though. Jaxon didn't know what this meant but he kinda figured it out. He wasn't in Jaxon's moms life often. He promised Jaxon he'd see him again but we all know this story. I just hope Jaxon isn't hurt when he doesn't come back. Who knows? I could be wrong and he does come back.
Let's talk about Kavita. She should probably get grounded for what she did. She went through Jaxon's(Ma's) purse without asking Jaxon and opened his mint tin,started feeding the dragons that were in it(for their own safety and everyone else's)which she shouldn't have done because what if the food she gave them hurt them? The dragons ended up growing because of the food and one started breathing fire. Eventually we also find out she stole the dragons. 😒 I found this out early on but the full reveal is much later in the book. I don't want to sound childish but I really don't like what Kavita did. I know she's a kid but she should know better. She's also a bit unkind. And a thief. Most kids know stealing is wrong and most definitely know not to open others bags without asking.(Spoilers for book 2 star here) Due to the end of the book having a Sample for book 2 I now know the consequence of her action. I forsee burnt furniture in her future. Besides everything the dragon already burned.🤦🏿♀️ I'm gonna choose to give her the benefit of the doubt because she knows she's wrong. Maybe she will do what's right for the dragon and let Jaxon take them home.(spoilers book 2 end here)
I found one spelling error on page 131. It says "load roar" instead of "loud roar"
I can't wait to read the second and rest of the books. I had such a hard time tracking down the second book and an even harder time finding the rest. 😫 I'll get them eventually.
TWs/CWs:
Mentions of a parent death(In the past)
Witches and Dragons and Invisible men, Oh my!
This book has a little bit of everything. This book was recommended to me by Kindle after it recommended a different dragon book. I don't know why, I guess they said "You like dragon books, don't you Squidward?" And started recommending multiple at once lol🤷🏿♀️
The story focuses on Jaxon. A 9 year old boy living in Brooklyn.
Jaxon's mom needed someone to watch him because their landlord is kicking them out. That someone ended up being Ma. Ma seems to want nothing to do with either of them. Ma isn't Jaxon's mom but she raised her. I say this because Ma doesn't call her Daughter and she doesn't call Jaxon grandson. Ma and Jaxon's mom don't get along. I believe it's mostly because Jaxon's Mom didn't like Ma's line of work. She sadly had to beg Ma to keep him. Ma explains why she didn't want to keep Jaxon later in the story.
Ma constantly calling Root beer just beer told me most of what I needed to know about her character. So I thought! That annoyed me but, don't judge a person by their choice of words as people always say.🤔 Ma was also extremely mean at the beginning. Jaxon is being a bit too nosey but there was no need to be so rude to him. I don't think she means to be this way,she just doesn't hold back when being honest. Apparently she's raised multiple kids for parents that needed help. Including Jaxon's mom. She starts to get better as the story goes on. She's not that bad when you get to know her. She's a fierce and brave lady. She's also pretty kind when she wants to be. Get on her bad side and that's probably very bad for your health.
Jaxon is so young with already so much on his plate. Poor kid must be stressed. Honestly he's extremely brave! He doesn't back down when scared. He also won't let you call him out his name either so you better say Jaxon or you simply don't exist! Always sticking up for himself! Jaxon is a sweet kid with a good heart. Sadly he constantly holds back tears and blames himself for Ma being left behind eventually. He doesnt want to cry but sometimes you got to.
At the beginning he keeps doing the opposite of what he's told and at times it got tiresome. He's only nine so maybe that's why but he said he never did this at home. He's not a bad kid he's just a nosey one lol. But as I said he's brave. He's also very kind and respectful unlike Kavita, who we'll talk about soon. Jaxon's main mission was to save Ma and get the baby dragons home. Even if he was afraid. He also plans on continuing to be Ma's apprentice.
So Jaxon and Ma have to get these 3 baby dragons home and out of Brooklyn. They both accidentally end up in the Triassic which isn't very good for anyone. Something goes wrong and Ma sends Jaxon back home alone. He then enlists the help of Ma's invisible friend Ambrose. Who Ma calls Bro(I don't know why I'm just putting two and two together.🤦🏿♀️ I thought he was her Brother. Bro is literally his nickname because AmBROse.) Ambrose enlists the help of his friend who is apparently Jaxon's grandfather named Trouble or Trub for short. Jaxon also calls his friend Vik for dinosaur information but he was forced to bring his sister Kavita.
Jaxon's grandfather was a rolling stone. Whenever he laid his hat was his home.(I'm so sorry) He did say he was a rolling stone though. Jaxon didn't know what this meant but he kinda figured it out. He wasn't in Jaxon's moms life often. He promised Jaxon he'd see him again but we all know this story. I just hope Jaxon isn't hurt when he doesn't come back. Who knows? I could be wrong and he does come back.
Let's talk about Kavita. She should probably get grounded for what she did. She went through Jaxon's(Ma's) purse without asking Jaxon and opened his mint tin,started feeding the dragons that were in it(for their own safety and everyone else's)which she shouldn't have done because what if the food she gave them hurt them? The dragons ended up growing because of the food and one started breathing fire. Eventually we also find out she stole the dragons. 😒 I found this out early on but the full reveal is much later in the book. I don't want to sound childish but I really don't like what Kavita did. I know she's a kid but she should know better. She's also a bit unkind. And a thief. Most kids know stealing is wrong and most definitely know not to open others bags without asking.(Spoilers for book 2 star here) Due to the end of the book having a Sample for book 2 I now know the consequence of her action. I forsee burnt furniture in her future. Besides everything the dragon already burned.🤦🏿♀️ I'm gonna choose to give her the benefit of the doubt because she knows she's wrong. Maybe she will do what's right for the dragon and let Jaxon take them home.(spoilers book 2 end here)
I found one spelling error on page 131. It says "load roar" instead of "loud roar"
I can't wait to read the second and rest of the books. I had such a hard time tracking down the second book and an even harder time finding the rest. 😫 I'll get them eventually.
TWs/CWs:
Mentions of a parent death(In the past)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2019
The world needs more books like this one. And I want more books like this one. I would have devoured it in a heartbeat if it had existed when I was a child, and I devoured it in a heartbeat as an adult. I'm so glad it exists for children today, and Zetta Elliott deserves a ton of love for writing this story and not giving up on getting it published!
Do I fit into the target demographic or intended audience of this book? No, I don't. But I love that it exists, and it is every bit as magical as any other chapter book about contemporary urban settings that cross over with the fantastic that have been in print for years. Dragons In A Bag isn't just about our protagonist Jax on an adventure with an old lady who is a witch trying to deliver some dragons; it's about him using his knowledge, courage and loyalty to go on a journey with "Ma", who is something of a found-friend-turned-family, and discovering not just a world of magic that sits parallel to his home in Brooklyn, but also discovering what he wants to be when he grows up and finding a personal goal of trying to reach a middle ground between two different ideas regarding the connections between the world he knows and the magical one he's just discovered.
The entire book focuses a lot on the themes of friendship, loyalty, courage, honesty and family in addition to the idea of discovering and valuing the magic around us. It's a quick read, but it's such a good one, and it doesn't shy away from the reality of Jax's life as a young black boy living in Brooklyn True, the story ends with the major plot point unresolved in hopes of paving the way for the sequel, but I think this was just fine. It'll keep readers of any age wanting to know how that dangling thread gets tied up, and personally, I'm looking forward to reading the next one!
Do I fit into the target demographic or intended audience of this book? No, I don't. But I love that it exists, and it is every bit as magical as any other chapter book about contemporary urban settings that cross over with the fantastic that have been in print for years. Dragons In A Bag isn't just about our protagonist Jax on an adventure with an old lady who is a witch trying to deliver some dragons; it's about him using his knowledge, courage and loyalty to go on a journey with "Ma", who is something of a found-friend-turned-family, and discovering not just a world of magic that sits parallel to his home in Brooklyn, but also discovering what he wants to be when he grows up and finding a personal goal of trying to reach a middle ground between two different ideas regarding the connections between the world he knows and the magical one he's just discovered.
The entire book focuses a lot on the themes of friendship, loyalty, courage, honesty and family in addition to the idea of discovering and valuing the magic around us. It's a quick read, but it's such a good one, and it doesn't shy away from the reality of Jax's life as a young black boy living in Brooklyn True, the story ends with the major plot point unresolved in hopes of paving the way for the sequel, but I think this was just fine. It'll keep readers of any age wanting to know how that dangling thread gets tied up, and personally, I'm looking forward to reading the next one!
December 30, 2018
An utterly charming middle-grade fantasy with a refreshingly diverse cast. Jax, a young black boy, is unexpectedly dropped off with a surly woman his mother calls “Ma” one day, while Mama goes to court to fight their eviction from their Brooklyn apartment. It doesn’t take Jax too long to find out that Ma is a witch — and Mama used to be her apprentice! But why has Jax never met her? Why doesn’t Mama talk about her? And what is in that box from Madagascar?
This promises to be the first in a series, and I highly recommend it for all public and school libraries.
This promises to be the first in a series, and I highly recommend it for all public and school libraries.
February 1, 2023
Why I chose this book: We read this book for a family book club at work.
Brief summary: Jax and his Mama are facing eviction for their apartment, and on the day that Mama has to appear in court she takes Jax to an old woman who they call Ma. Ma has connections to a magical realm that Jax then gets intertwined with when they need to visit the magic realms to return the dragons.
What I like about this book: I love that this book has a classic feel to it, but it's modern and has Black characters. I also like that the book is appropriate for younger readers while still having appeal for older readers; it's the perfect pick for a family or class read-aloud.
Brief summary: Jax and his Mama are facing eviction for their apartment, and on the day that Mama has to appear in court she takes Jax to an old woman who they call Ma. Ma has connections to a magical realm that Jax then gets intertwined with when they need to visit the magic realms to return the dragons.
What I like about this book: I love that this book has a classic feel to it, but it's modern and has Black characters. I also like that the book is appropriate for younger readers while still having appeal for older readers; it's the perfect pick for a family or class read-aloud.
May 30, 2024
This is what I want in my juvenile/middle grade fiction! Big characters, an exciting plot, and a few lessons learned along the way - all while standing firmly in age appropriate framing & scope. That this is only 160 pages doesn't hurt either!
Elliott pulls off touching on housing inequality, racism, classism, and found family without stepping out of the MG reading level. Love that!
Very excited to read the rest of the series.
Elliott pulls off touching on housing inequality, racism, classism, and found family without stepping out of the MG reading level. Love that!
Very excited to read the rest of the series.
July 26, 2022
Maybe this is just how it is with novels for this age group, but I found this to be not as developed or as complete as I would have liked. It ends without any real resolution and very little of the magical world has been shared with the reader. I'm still intrigued and would consider reading more of the series, but I just want more from a book.
July 6, 2019
Jaxon and his mom are on the verge of being evicted from their apt., while his mom goes to court to attempt to correct the problem, she needs to have Jaxon stay with "Ma", supposedly his grandmother, or is she? Jaxon doesn't want to stay with her for even a minute, she's mean and she's old, but there is no one else that he can stay with.
What Jaxon doesn't know is the power that "Ma" has, however, after the strange package arrives, and "Ma" and Jaxon have to deliver it, does Jaxon realize that quite possibly "Ma" might just be a witch.. When they enter a guardhouse in the park, and end up in the land of dinosaurs, things take a very unusual twist for Jaxon.
What Jaxon doesn't know is the power that "Ma" has, however, after the strange package arrives, and "Ma" and Jaxon have to deliver it, does Jaxon realize that quite possibly "Ma" might just be a witch.. When they enter a guardhouse in the park, and end up in the land of dinosaurs, things take a very unusual twist for Jaxon.
July 27, 2020
Looking forward to the sequel!
April 28, 2021
Cliff... hanger!!! 😭
January 20, 2022
So fun!
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