What do you think?
Rate this book
The Minstrel and the Dragon Pup
Richly colored illustrations influenced by Italian frescoes mark the story of a wandering minstrel and his search for his beloved dragon pup who, before being stolen, inspired his most joyful music.
48 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1993
About the author
Rosemary Sutcliff
108 books685 followersRosemary Sutcliff, CBE (1920-1992) was a British novelist, best known as a writer of highly acclaimed historical fiction. Although primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults. She once commented that she wrote "for children of all ages, from nine to ninety."
Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.
Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.
Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...
Born in West Clandon, Surrey, Sutcliff spent her early youth in Malta and other naval bases where her father was stationed as a naval officer. She contracted Still's Disease when she was very young and was confined to a wheelchair for most of her life. Due to her chronic sickness, she spent the majority of her time with her mother, a tireless storyteller, from whom she learned many of the Celtic and Saxon legends that she would later expand into works of historical fiction. Her early schooling being continually interrupted by moving house and her disabling condition, Sutcliff didn't learn to read until she was nine, and left school at fourteen to enter the Bideford Art School, which she attended for three years, graduating from the General Art Course. She then worked as a painter of miniatures.
Rosemary Sutcliff began her career as a writer in 1950 with The Chronicles of Robin Hood. She found her voice when she wrote The Eagle of the Ninth in 1954. In 1959, she won the Carnegie Medal for The Lantern Bearers and was runner-up in 1972 with Tristan and Iseult. In 1974 she was highly commended for the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her The Mark of the Horse Lord won the first Phoenix Award in 1985.
Sutcliff lived for many years in Walberton near Arundel, Sussex. In 1975 she was appointed OBE for services to Children's Literature and promoted to CBE in 1992. She wrote incessantly throughout her life, and was still writing on the morning of her death. She never married.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/rosema...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 22, 2021
I always forget this book is actually by Rosemary Sutcliff, since it seems so different from the rest of her works. I read it many times as a kid, and my overall impressions were "weird, but not bad."
March 5, 2023
Pages of text, so definitely for an older elementary age reader. The story itself is nothing to write home about, but as a tool for teaching descriptive writing and "show, don't tell", this would be great.
Read
November 19, 2020A lovely story about a Minstrel who helps a dragon pup to hatch from his egg with his music, who becomes his friend and travelling companion. They are separated, but find one another again.
This a magical book, with lovely, slightly stylised illustrations. It contains lots of lovely vocabulary which children could enjoy exploring.
This a magical book, with lovely, slightly stylised illustrations. It contains lots of lovely vocabulary which children could enjoy exploring.
October 12, 2017
A delightful little book. Great illustrations.
February 24, 2019
Wonderful!
May 27, 2023
Far too long. And what about the other caged creatures? And what was wrong with the boy prince? And so much not addressed... so what were all those words for?
FotL Chanute
FotL Chanute
December 31, 2024
Delightful little story. The illustrations are lovely and I love Lucky the little dragon!
November 4, 2025
Cute dragon, but rather long for all that actually happened.
January 26, 2026
A sweet little story my kids enjoyed listening to!
February 18, 2017
well, now I want a dragon puppy. Otherwise, pretty good.
February 10, 2014
Rosemary Sutcliff is a superb writer, she has taken many of the ancient classics like the Iliad and Odyssey and brought them to a child level without losing the content and poetry of the stories.
Here, she has written a book for elementary age children and like always had made it a very well told tale.
The minstrel's dragon pup is stolen from him one night at an inn and a long time later he finds his dragon at a king's menagerie and he wants the dragon back without incurring the wrath of the king. This story is endearing and any child will relate to the relationship between a favored pet and a young boy.
The illustrations, as in all her books, are excellent. Rosemary Sutcliff manages to entertain the adult reading aloud as well as the child, and that makes for a very good children's book.
Here, she has written a book for elementary age children and like always had made it a very well told tale.
The minstrel's dragon pup is stolen from him one night at an inn and a long time later he finds his dragon at a king's menagerie and he wants the dragon back without incurring the wrath of the king. This story is endearing and any child will relate to the relationship between a favored pet and a young boy.
The illustrations, as in all her books, are excellent. Rosemary Sutcliff manages to entertain the adult reading aloud as well as the child, and that makes for a very good children's book.
November 1, 2011
A picture book about a minstrel who raises a dragon pup and the adventures that befall them. I liked the story and, for the most part, the illustrations. Occasionally, though, there was a weird green cast to some of the skin tones that kind of put me off. [July 2011]
November 3, 2009
Travelling minstrel finds newly hatched dragon and they become inseparable. Great ending.
April 29, 2011
This is a very lovely story! The friendship built between the minstrel and the dragon pup is very endearing.
February 2, 2013
A gentle story about a traveling minstrel who acquires a pet dragon. Suitable for reading to children.
August 8, 2015
For category: "Book that came out the year you were born"
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews