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Dad Rock Dragon Quest
A girl’s awkward road trip with her dad and her mom’s new boyfriend turns into to an epic quest to rescue a dragon from poachers in this action-packed middle grade adventure perfect for fans of Fablehaven and Wilderlore.
Aspiring rockstar Zadie Drake’s world flipped upside-down the moment her mom started dating Lloyd Clutterbuck—a boring risk analyst with an aversion to all things fun. Since Lloyd moved in, he’s made it his mission to drain every drop of joy from Zadie’s life—putting strict limits on her guitar sessions, nitpicking her every move, and filling the house with his utter dullness. Naturally, when Zadie’s daredevil park ranger dad invites Zadie and her older sister to spend the summer at his cabin, Zadie can hardly contain her excitement. But Zadie’s joy is short-lived when her mom announces that Lloyd will be tagging along.
Soon after arriving at the cabin, Zadie begins to suspect that there’s more to her dad’s job than meets the eye. Her suspicions are confirmed when family secrets make an explosive entrance in the form of a fire-wielding poacher who kidnaps her dad’s best friend—an enormous, ice-breathing dragon. The revelations launch Zadie and her family into a cross-country rescue mission of epic proportions. As tensions spike, tempers flare, and the family’s differences become glaringly obvious, Zadie realizes her family’s most daunting challenge might not be rescuing the dragon but working together.
Aspiring rockstar Zadie Drake’s world flipped upside-down the moment her mom started dating Lloyd Clutterbuck—a boring risk analyst with an aversion to all things fun. Since Lloyd moved in, he’s made it his mission to drain every drop of joy from Zadie’s life—putting strict limits on her guitar sessions, nitpicking her every move, and filling the house with his utter dullness. Naturally, when Zadie’s daredevil park ranger dad invites Zadie and her older sister to spend the summer at his cabin, Zadie can hardly contain her excitement. But Zadie’s joy is short-lived when her mom announces that Lloyd will be tagging along.
Soon after arriving at the cabin, Zadie begins to suspect that there’s more to her dad’s job than meets the eye. Her suspicions are confirmed when family secrets make an explosive entrance in the form of a fire-wielding poacher who kidnaps her dad’s best friend—an enormous, ice-breathing dragon. The revelations launch Zadie and her family into a cross-country rescue mission of epic proportions. As tensions spike, tempers flare, and the family’s differences become glaringly obvious, Zadie realizes her family’s most daunting challenge might not be rescuing the dragon but working together.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published June 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
November 29, 2025
Zadie can't wait to spend a week this summer with her way cool dad who is an always-busy, always-on-the-move forest ranger. She will be free of Lloyd, her mom's risk analyst boyfriend who sucks the joy out of everything Zadie wants to do. Her older environmental-warrior sister Persephone is not so sanguine about this trip--she seems to think Dad doesn't care about their lives and does too many dangerous things with his kids. The week in the forest takes a turn the very first night after bed. Despite warnings, Zadie goes out of the house to see what burned footprints on the front porch and she and Persephone are instantly caught up in a decades-old feud that reveals the reasons their dad is constantly traveling and the family history the girls have never been able to worm out of either parent. Who could know that besides an affinity for classic rock and guitar playing, their dad would have a dragon companion, or that Zadie and Persephone could help save the day in a battle to save magical creatures? This book turned on a dime from a story about creating a blended family to a detail-rich fantasy story about the balance between danger and defense and the two sides to every relationship.
February 13, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Zadie Drake, 12, is not pleased that her cool mother, Freyja, is dating the geeky Lloyd Clutterbuck, but it's even worse now that he's moved into the house. He's a risk analyst, so always harshing Zadie's mellow, prohibiting her from playing her guitar loudly in the garage in their Wilbury, Michigan home. Her father, Damian, is a park ranger in the George Washington Forest in Virginia, and isn't in contact very often because the forest is a dead zone for cell service. Zadie's sister Persephone, 15, doesn't mind Lloyd as much, and is busy with her environmental podcast, HabiChat, that she runs with online friend Ezra. When the girls get the opportunity to spend a week with their father, Zadie is thrilled, but Freyja and Persephone are not. They know that Damian is not responsible, so it's decided that Lloyd will take the girls and stay for the visit. Zadie isn't happy with Lloyd's music choices (Billy Joel is not head banging enough for her), or his extreme preparedness, but glad to be staying at her father's very cool house. There are some rules for staying in the park that seem excessive, but when there are unusual creatures flying around outside, the rule about not going out at night makes sense. Shortly after, the group is plunged into a crisis; Tex Venom and his poachers attack the cabin and try to take the girls hostages because... surprise... Damian is really a Gamewarden, has magical powers, and takes care of magical creatures like his dragon, Maverick. He's run across Tex before, and knows that he sells creatures to the evil Chadwick Berkshire, who gets big bucks for creatures that the buyers kill or enslave. While the family escapes, Maverick is taken hostage, so the group must work to get him back. This involves traveling to Berkshire's house, which they are able to find because Ezra is Berkshire's son! Damian makes poor choices in trying to save a Death Worm and gets bitten, necessitating a trip to a sanctuary near Cleveland for healing. After this, the group manages to find out where Berkshire is auctioning off animals, and Zadie and Lloyd come up with a plan to disrupt it and save the animals. Freyja isn't happy to find out that her daughters know about the family's magical secrets, but the true hero of the day is Lloyd, whose circumspect actions and handy fire extinguisher save the day. Will Zadie have further adventures into magical creatures?
Strengths: It's so much more interesting when all of the parents are alive, but hard to get along with! It was fascinating that Zadie idolized her father despite his faults, but Persephone was not a fan! Having the mother out of the picture for most of the book, and seeing Lloyd step up to watch out for the girls was wonderful. He really had Zadie's best interests at heart, and the two do have a discussion about how they treat each other. The role of the step parent in middle grade literature is ripe for exploration, and Lloyd gets my vote for best step dad figure, despite of (or perhaps because of) his New Balance shoes and polo shirts. Sibling relationships are also interesting, and since Zadie and Persephone have very different views on issues, it creates some fun tensions. Of course, any book with a dragon preserve is going to appeal to a good segment of the middle grade population, especially when there is also a road trip! I needed this fun, upbeat book after so many lyrical, heartprint titles!
Weaknesses: I had trouble connecting to Zadie. It was great that she had interests, but since her opinions were so strong, it was hard to connect with her. I was hoping that she would slowly come to understand that Lloyd really was a good guy, even before the two talked. Will middle school readers be looking for that nuance? Not anymore than they get invested in exploring grief.
What I really think: Comparison's to Mull's Fablehaven series are apt, and this is rather like Burke's An Occasionally Happy Family, with the addition of dragons. This will also appeal to readers who want to play guitar, travel to national parks, or want to own their own dragon. I can see this being even more popular in elementary schools. Definitely looking forward to handing this to my students, and can't wait to see what fellow Youngstown native Reardon writes next. The author's note at the end mentions St. Charles school, which was about two miles from my house growing up!
Zadie Drake, 12, is not pleased that her cool mother, Freyja, is dating the geeky Lloyd Clutterbuck, but it's even worse now that he's moved into the house. He's a risk analyst, so always harshing Zadie's mellow, prohibiting her from playing her guitar loudly in the garage in their Wilbury, Michigan home. Her father, Damian, is a park ranger in the George Washington Forest in Virginia, and isn't in contact very often because the forest is a dead zone for cell service. Zadie's sister Persephone, 15, doesn't mind Lloyd as much, and is busy with her environmental podcast, HabiChat, that she runs with online friend Ezra. When the girls get the opportunity to spend a week with their father, Zadie is thrilled, but Freyja and Persephone are not. They know that Damian is not responsible, so it's decided that Lloyd will take the girls and stay for the visit. Zadie isn't happy with Lloyd's music choices (Billy Joel is not head banging enough for her), or his extreme preparedness, but glad to be staying at her father's very cool house. There are some rules for staying in the park that seem excessive, but when there are unusual creatures flying around outside, the rule about not going out at night makes sense. Shortly after, the group is plunged into a crisis; Tex Venom and his poachers attack the cabin and try to take the girls hostages because... surprise... Damian is really a Gamewarden, has magical powers, and takes care of magical creatures like his dragon, Maverick. He's run across Tex before, and knows that he sells creatures to the evil Chadwick Berkshire, who gets big bucks for creatures that the buyers kill or enslave. While the family escapes, Maverick is taken hostage, so the group must work to get him back. This involves traveling to Berkshire's house, which they are able to find because Ezra is Berkshire's son! Damian makes poor choices in trying to save a Death Worm and gets bitten, necessitating a trip to a sanctuary near Cleveland for healing. After this, the group manages to find out where Berkshire is auctioning off animals, and Zadie and Lloyd come up with a plan to disrupt it and save the animals. Freyja isn't happy to find out that her daughters know about the family's magical secrets, but the true hero of the day is Lloyd, whose circumspect actions and handy fire extinguisher save the day. Will Zadie have further adventures into magical creatures?
Strengths: It's so much more interesting when all of the parents are alive, but hard to get along with! It was fascinating that Zadie idolized her father despite his faults, but Persephone was not a fan! Having the mother out of the picture for most of the book, and seeing Lloyd step up to watch out for the girls was wonderful. He really had Zadie's best interests at heart, and the two do have a discussion about how they treat each other. The role of the step parent in middle grade literature is ripe for exploration, and Lloyd gets my vote for best step dad figure, despite of (or perhaps because of) his New Balance shoes and polo shirts. Sibling relationships are also interesting, and since Zadie and Persephone have very different views on issues, it creates some fun tensions. Of course, any book with a dragon preserve is going to appeal to a good segment of the middle grade population, especially when there is also a road trip! I needed this fun, upbeat book after so many lyrical, heartprint titles!
Weaknesses: I had trouble connecting to Zadie. It was great that she had interests, but since her opinions were so strong, it was hard to connect with her. I was hoping that she would slowly come to understand that Lloyd really was a good guy, even before the two talked. Will middle school readers be looking for that nuance? Not anymore than they get invested in exploring grief.
What I really think: Comparison's to Mull's Fablehaven series are apt, and this is rather like Burke's An Occasionally Happy Family, with the addition of dragons. This will also appeal to readers who want to play guitar, travel to national parks, or want to own their own dragon. I can see this being even more popular in elementary schools. Definitely looking forward to handing this to my students, and can't wait to see what fellow Youngstown native Reardon writes next. The author's note at the end mentions St. Charles school, which was about two miles from my house growing up!
July 16, 2025
Overall, I thought it was a great story and I wanted more! With that said, there was some things that caught my eye that I would like to discuss.
First, I do not understand Lloyd! You find out that Zadie's Dad and Mom are put of this hush-hush group, but Frejya told Lloyd about it? He has no connection to it, so why tell him? I understand Lloyd is dating Frejya, but there is no word for how long they have been dating and whether they are getting married. Girlfriend and boyfriend is not necessarily permanent state of being, unlike what marriage should be. Also, I kept thinking Lloyd was going to get a twist in his background, like he is like Zadie's parents, but that never happened. What you see is what you get? Now, you do learn from the acknowledgements page that Lloyd and Damian are an homage to the author's husband.
Second, a historical and religious figure gets dropped as being part of the same group that Zadie's parents are part of. This person is St. Francis of Assisi, which out of anybody makes sense. There is one problem: St. Francis is Catholic and magic is a big no-no. Except, magic is sometimes use to describe some force that can do something and not what Catholic Church may label as magic, I think. Also, while St. Francis is known for animals, that is not just what he is for Jesus plays big role in what he does. Personally, I would like more information about St. Francis and his connection to this group.
Third, I do not see the connection between Damian and Zadie's name with their companions. They seem to come out of left field and have no mythical connection at all, unlike her Mom and sister. That did not make sense to me.
First, I do not understand Lloyd! You find out that Zadie's Dad and Mom are put of this hush-hush group, but Frejya told Lloyd about it? He has no connection to it, so why tell him? I understand Lloyd is dating Frejya, but there is no word for how long they have been dating and whether they are getting married. Girlfriend and boyfriend is not necessarily permanent state of being, unlike what marriage should be. Also, I kept thinking Lloyd was going to get a twist in his background, like he is like Zadie's parents, but that never happened. What you see is what you get? Now, you do learn from the acknowledgements page that Lloyd and Damian are an homage to the author's husband.
Second, a historical and religious figure gets dropped as being part of the same group that Zadie's parents are part of. This person is St. Francis of Assisi, which out of anybody makes sense. There is one problem: St. Francis is Catholic and magic is a big no-no. Except, magic is sometimes use to describe some force that can do something and not what Catholic Church may label as magic, I think. Also, while St. Francis is known for animals, that is not just what he is for Jesus plays big role in what he does. Personally, I would like more information about St. Francis and his connection to this group.
Third, I do not see the connection between Damian and Zadie's name with their companions. They seem to come out of left field and have no mythical connection at all, unlike her Mom and sister. That did not make sense to me.
January 3, 2026
Three reviews in one! Ages 9, 6, and adult. Since kids don't get what spoilers are, there are some.
The 9yo's favorite parts were: When Zadie got her companion animal and the reveal of Persephone's companion-a hellhound named Hades.
She did not like Lloyd at the beginning, but did at the end. She would recommend you read it.
The 6yo's favorite part was Zadie and her dad working together. Her favorite character was Ezra (I have no explanation for this). She also loved when Zadie and Lloyd got along and stole fireworks. (She misunderstood what was happening here. They did not steal the fireworks. They talked about that as a plan, but bought them since Lloyd is averse to theft.) There was nothing she didn't like and would recommend.
Obviously the 5 stars cones from them. As the adult I was the one reading this out loud. That was the issue. There were so many typos and the sentences, while not technically wrong, were worded poorly for out loud reading. At one point a character's name just randomly changed then went back. It was a rough read. It's trying to be Fablehaven, but not as good with less of a through line. I would have liked a little more description of what the mythical creatures looked like
Do kids already have a picture in their head based solely on a name? Mostly no. Especially for some of the more obscure ones. They asked on a few and I didn't know either. For me it was, eh. Three stars.
The 9yo's favorite parts were: When Zadie got her companion animal and the reveal of Persephone's companion-a hellhound named Hades.
She did not like Lloyd at the beginning, but did at the end. She would recommend you read it.
The 6yo's favorite part was Zadie and her dad working together. Her favorite character was Ezra (I have no explanation for this). She also loved when Zadie and Lloyd got along and stole fireworks. (She misunderstood what was happening here. They did not steal the fireworks. They talked about that as a plan, but bought them since Lloyd is averse to theft.) There was nothing she didn't like and would recommend.
Obviously the 5 stars cones from them. As the adult I was the one reading this out loud. That was the issue. There were so many typos and the sentences, while not technically wrong, were worded poorly for out loud reading. At one point a character's name just randomly changed then went back. It was a rough read. It's trying to be Fablehaven, but not as good with less of a through line. I would have liked a little more description of what the mythical creatures looked like
Do kids already have a picture in their head based solely on a name? Mostly no. Especially for some of the more obscure ones. They asked on a few and I didn't know either. For me it was, eh. Three stars.
November 25, 2025
I had a lot of fun with this one. A blended family (mom, kids, mom’s boyfriend, dad) have to figure out their relationships, while dealing with magical creatures and the bad guys trying to kidnap the creatures and maybe the family as well. The sisters have to grow up some, and the adults have to as well. I liked the adventure and the mix of emotional growth vs crazy magic, and I thought the younger sister’s relations with her dad was particularly well done, both the good parts and the bad.
My minor quibble is that the mom and her boyfriend are not made to face tough facts and acknowledge their mistakes, which the dad and kids do as part of their adventure.
My minor quibble is that the mom and her boyfriend are not made to face tough facts and acknowledge their mistakes, which the dad and kids do as part of their adventure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2025
(3.5 stars, rounded up)
Fans of Fablehaven and Tui Sutherland's Menagerie will be excited to read about the Gamewardens in this new middle grade fantasy. Zadie is excited to spend a week with her dad at the national park he works at, even if her mother's boring boyfriend Lloyd has to come along too. Nothing goes as expected, however, including Zadie and her sister Persephone learning they are part of a family of Gamewardens and responsible for caring for mythical creatures. When they are attacked by poachers, they set off on a cross-country road trip to rescue their father's dragon. Gen-Xers (like me) will appreciate all of the references to Top Gun and classic rock. I'm not sure how much the target audience will. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
Fans of Fablehaven and Tui Sutherland's Menagerie will be excited to read about the Gamewardens in this new middle grade fantasy. Zadie is excited to spend a week with her dad at the national park he works at, even if her mother's boring boyfriend Lloyd has to come along too. Nothing goes as expected, however, including Zadie and her sister Persephone learning they are part of a family of Gamewardens and responsible for caring for mythical creatures. When they are attacked by poachers, they set off on a cross-country road trip to rescue their father's dragon. Gen-Xers (like me) will appreciate all of the references to Top Gun and classic rock. I'm not sure how much the target audience will. Recommended for grades 4 & up.
eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss
June 27, 2025
I couldn't help but have fun reading this amusing romp through another secret fantasy world existing all around us. Zadie and her family are loveable, silly and a blast to spend an entire book with. On the serious side, readers will watch dad grow a little, Zadie learn a little, and the family gain confidence and stability. On the fantasy side, there's nearly everything a fan of fantastic beasts could ask for. I highly recommend playing each song used as a chapter title to enhance your reading experience. This one isn't serious in the least, but a great read all the way through.
April 4, 2025
What a thrill ride the author takes the reader on! The perfect book to kick off the summer with!! Zadie and her fabulous family and all their magical creatures have certainly made this one of my favorites! I love how each chapter has a song to go along with it. Starting my playlist today! From Zadie’s rock and roll Dad, her Mom’s “safety first “ boyfriend Loyd and the Lucia the magical cat the author dives into all the fun and drama a great summer vacation needs!
August 7, 2025
ARC Copy...Fun read with all the fantasy and magical animals but interesting to see the family dynamics as one dad is dangerously reckless yet open and the other is concerned but too "play it safe" in personality to the point it is an actual danger.
August 7, 2025
As a Dad who shared a love of classic rock with my daughter I was drawn to this book! It is by an author in the region I live so that drew me in as well. I am not typically a fantasy reader but enjoyed the story and the characters!
September 5, 2025
"In a thematic mashup that seldom pauses for breath, Reardon stirs rock dreams, parent issues, and (magical!) animal trafficking into a road trip that’s highlighted by life-changing family revelations." [Kirkus]
January 30, 2026
I loved this book!! I especially enjoyed how it taught readers about the importance of understanding each other’s perspectives when we have differing ways of doing things. The pacing and plot were a lot of fun to read as well! I would love a sequel to keep following Zadie and her family!
eligible-in-2025
February 13, 2025Spotted in a tweet from @MsYinglingReads https://x.com/MsYingling/status/18900...
March 5, 2025
entertaining.
July 1, 2025
Lots of action and a very original story, which was a nice change from the numerous carbon copy books I read per year. Lloyd was my favorite character—safety first!
August 15, 2025
Too cute! Kids are going to love it.
January 30, 2026
A perfect summer break book for 9-14! It’s fun, moves quickly, and never dulls. I’d love to see a sequel
August 29, 2025
Zadie loves her guitar and rocking out in her garage, only to be told to hush up by her mom's boyfriend, Lloyd. To her, he is such a downer, so different from her dad, Damien, who is a hard rocker meets game warden. She is so ready to go spend a week with him at his game cabin with her older sister, Persephone, but things get a little strange. Dad's dragon comanion, Maverick, goes missing. Wait, dragon? Damian isn't a normal game warden, he's a Gamewarden tasked with protecting cryptids and magical creatures from thieves. smugglers, and illegal hunters. He'll do anything to get Maverick back and Zadie is all on board, even if it means bringing Persephone, more focused on her climate change podcast and her cute co-host she's never me, and super serious, super cautious, Lloyd. As the adventure draws the group through several states, magical revelations, betrayal, and more, Zadie is coming into her own and learning to learn the pros and cons of Damien and Llyod, who despite everything, is in the adventure for the girls and their mom. Rock and pop references mix with the magical beasts in this fast-paced, non-stop adventure, even as Zadie learns some things about herself.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews