Jake has lived at Stonehill National Park his whole life. He's only ever known life at the Institute--the tiny little center (complete with lots of annoying tourists who like to come and gawk and express their entirely ignorant opinions) that stands at the gate of the five million acres of dragon preserve. Because dragons, the real kind--50 feet long plus tail--are extinct in the wild. Only a few dragon preserves are left, and the dragon population is dropping. Not necessarily because of humans (it's illegal to kill a dragon), but not in spite of them either (it's even more illegal to help keep a dragon alive).

But when 14-year-old Jake sets out on his first solo hike in the park, he comes across a dying dragon who had just given birth... and one of the ugly, squidgy little blob-like babies is still alive. He won't just walk away. He can't. But he doesn't quite realize what he's risking when he picks up that tiny little peeping dragonlet and stuffs it inside his shirt to keep it warm.

I still remember when I first read this book--sitting on a plane, trying to stifle my outburts of indignation, sorrow, and enjoyment. It's a brilliant modern fantasy--one that actually makes you believe that dragons could exist in the world we live in.

This is one of McKinley's few books that is told in the first person, and Jake's sarcastic tone and dry sense of humor will make or break the book for readers. Personally, I loved it, but readers who are looking for a fast-pace story may get irritated with Jake's ramblings.