The Dragon Egg Princess

by Ellen Oh

In a kingdom filled with magic, Jiho Park and his family are an anomaly—magic doesn’t affect them.

Jiho comes from a long line of forest rangers who protect the Kidahara—an ancient and mysterious wood that is home to powerful supernatural creatures. But Jiho wants nothing to do with the dangerous forest.

Five years ago, his father walked into the Kidahara and disappeared. Just like the young Princess Koko, the only daughter of the kingdom’s royal family. Jiho knows better than anyone else the horrors that live deep in the magical forest and how those who go in never come back.

Now the forest is in danger from foreign forces that want to destroy it, and a long-forgotten evil that’s been lurking deep in the Kidahara for centuries finally begins to awaken. Can a magic-less boy, a fierce bandit leader, and a lost princess join forces and save their worlds before it’s too late?

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Dragons, Fiction, Magic, Childrens, Adventure

256 pages, Hardcover

First published March 3, 2020

About the author

*Hi friends! I'm not often on Goodreads so if you want to keep up with me, the best place to do so is on instagram! I'm at elloecho!

Ellen Oh is a former adjunct college instructor and lawyer with an insatiable curiosity for ancient Asian history. She loves K-pop, K-dramas, and eating good food that someone else cooks for her. She is fueled by Diet Coke and Krispy Kreme donuts are her kryptonite. Ellen is a founding member of We Need Diverse Books (WNDB), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in children’s literature. Originally from New York City, Ellen lives in Rockville, Maryland, with her husband, three children, two dogs, and has yet to satisfy her quest for a decent bagel.

Reviews

[Celia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Edelweiss and HarperCollins for the arc


As with most books with the word "dragon" in the title, this one lacked the winged creatures of my dreams. Here we have a princess who disappears and a boy who happens to hold the key to saving her. Sounds fun, right? It was. I had no idea I wasn't in a fantasy story, but more magical realism, I want to say?? I'm still not sure. But we have technology and guns so...anyhow, there's this boy Jiho has an immunity to magic and he stumbles upon a lost princess in a mysterious forest. We're then transported to another world where we find out some secrets and some betrayals and some friendships and all that good jazz.

The plot was unique, at least to me, so that's a plus. I got some real Ghibli vibes, which I adore.

This had all the elements to make a great middle-grade book, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. There wasn't enough world0building to keep me engaged and some scenes seemed like they were quickly added in for context and didn't explain how they got from A to B so fast. The dialogue felt stale and simplistic and nobody truly had real emotion save for Jiho, perhaps.

Don't get started on the lack of dragons. For once, can we get a book that actually has dragons in it? I can think of a few off the top of my head, but that's it. I know I sound like a whiny brat, but...sigh. I just love dragons *pouts in dragon*

[Nai · Rating 5 out of 5]

En este bello librito middlegrade seguimos a Jiho Park, quien viene de una familia de guardabosques que protegen el Kidahara, un bosque antiguo y misterioso en el que habitan un montón de criaturas sobrenaturales. Los Parks tienen alguna clase de poder (que ya no recuerdo) pero que en Jiho está ausente. No solo eso sino que él anula la magia de su alrededor.
Hace cinco años, el padre de Jiho entró en el Kidahara y desapareció, al igual que la pequeña princesa Koko, la única hija de la familia real. Ahora Jiho, quien conoce mejor que nadie los horrores de ese bosque, debe emprender su viaje en busca de su padre y la princesa, mientras intenta proteger al bosque del peligro de fuerzas externas que quieren destruirlo, quieren industrializar todo ese terreno.

Al empezar este libro nos encontramos con un reino lleno de magia en el que recién la tecnología moderna comienza a aparecer. Es por esto que se quiere destruir el bosque Kidahara, para hacer rutas y minas.
Este aspecto ecologista no me lo esperaba en absoluto, como tampoco que haya tecnología en medio de esta época. La historia no sucede en la actualidad, no me dio esa impresión, pero tampoco recuerdo si se menciona alguna época en particular. Lo que sí, da la impresión a que es una época medieval. Solo sabemos que estamos en un reino con magia en el que poco a poco la tecnología comienza a aparecer. Y es justamente este último aspecto que me hizo bajarle la puntuación al libro. No me creí la tecnología. Leyéndolo, las escenas con motocicletas y camiones se me hicieron muy raras e incluso descolocadas en medio de esta historia. Pero entiendo que sin éste aspecto novedoso en esa época, el bosque Kidahara no estaría en peligro.

Y esa es la única queja que tengo. Literal.
Está lleno de criaturas como zombies, brujas, hadas y dragones.
Con una prosa preciosa se tocan varios temas llenos de valores y que me hicieron dmocionar mucho más de una vez. Trata sobre la familia, la amistad, el pertenecer a un lugar, el ser uno mismo, no importa de dónde venga, y embrace todo su potencial. .

Tras haber leído la saga Wayward Children puedo decir y confirmar que disfruto mucho de los libros en los que hay misiones en los que un grupo de personas deben salir a buscar a alguien. Me encantaa!
Y esta historia está llena de aventura y acción por lo que siempre deja con ganas de saber qué sigue. Yo tiendo a perderme en las escenas de acción y cuando hay muchos personajes con nombres complicados, y este libro tiene todo eso😅 Así que admito que a veces me perdía escuchando este libro, pero una vez que escuchaba la escena nuevamente se comprendía todo fácilmente. .
Al leer libros middlegrade, le doy mucho peso a lo que me hace sentir. Creo que esta clase de libro, sin importar el género, debe hacer emocionar al lector. Y este me hizo sentir muchas cosas; alegría, ternura, tristeza, varias veces me reía a carcajadas porque estos niños son muy graciosos, y más de una vez las criaturas sobrenaturales y mágicas que se presentan a lo largo de la historia me resultaron bien creepies🌚 Y el final me hizo emocionar un montóoon😭😍

En resumen, un libro MG mucho más complejo de lo que me esperaba pero muy intenso emocionalmente. Verdaderamente precioso.
Vi en varias reseñas y blurbs que lo catalogaban como Studio Ghibli-esque y aunque no vi películas de ese estudio siento que cabe mencionarlo para los fans de esas películas.
En mi opinión, super recomendable porque:
× el mundo mágico está *chef kiss*
× criaturas y bosque creepies
× una nena re poderosa💪
× los valores como la amistad y la familia
× escenas y líneas graciosas
× DRAGONES, y una muy linda y mágica historia detrás de estas criaturas
× it gave me all the feels.

📌 Puntuación: 4,5/5⭐

--- Reseña completa en mi bookstagram: Libros con(té)

[Bri]

DNF around 50% :( I liked the premise, but fantasy just isn't my genre.

[Heidi Heilig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO READY for this book!

[Kogiopsis]

I didn't really come out of this book with strong feelings, hence the lack of rating - it's not that I don't have an opinion, just that I don't hold one strongly enough to feel it needs to be added to the conversation. Also, this is a middle grade novel and not one which (IMO) has cross-generational appeal, so I'm very much not the target audience. It's got a lot of charm, for sure; the Korean-inspired worldbuilding is neat, the plot is surprisingly complex, and the characters are simply sketched but earnest. There are a few odd spots which I hope will be corrected before it is actually published - a group of kids referred to as a "Global United Nations", which felt anachronistic, and characters with an understanding of volcanoes that I would have scoffed at at age 8. Other than that though, it'll be a solid read for young readers, and definitely brings a new twist to some traditional fantasy architecture that they'll hopefully enjoy.

[Fanna]

March 10, 2020:

✔ written by co-founder of We Need Diverse Books
✔ perfect for fantasy fans and dragon enthusiasts
✔ world-building influenced by Asian culture and symbols
✔ incredible menagerie of creatures
✔ themes of self-discovery

Mentioned on the blog: Fanticipating Reads of March 2020 | Five Under-Hyped Diverse Books To Look Out For This Month

[Dany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed it entirely ! I'm really sad this amazing book with it's lush worldbuilding was a standalone , and wish we could get more books placed on this world (I definitely can't get enough)

Review will be posted closer to the publishing date.

Highly recommended for everyone who wants to see a dragon (because... This book is dedicated to us!)

I thank Edelweiss and Harpercollins for granting me with the e-ARC for review.

[Sage (SageShelves) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much it was whimsical and fun and I devoured it in one day because I couldn't put it down. The characters are so fun, and the plot was interesting and complex while still being easy enough to follow for it's target audience. If you like reading middle grade, this is one you should absolutely pick up!

[belle ☆ﾐ (thisbellereadstoo) · Rating 3 out of 5]

incredibly fast-paced and entertaining are how i would describe the dragon egg princess. while i did enjoy the plot progressions and the characters, i did find it hard to even connect with the people within the story. because of how quickly everything is happening, any form of relationship and friendship created felt a little lacking and unbelievable. despite that, i still did enjoy jiho's friendship with koko and the rest of the humans.

my favorite part was learning about the different creatures in the forest and the exploration of the place. i think more could be elaborated on and explored upon if the book was longer. basic foundations were laid but i wanted more.

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was the author’s first book but she’s written a few books.
One of the characters names is Calvin Hobbes, I have to assume that’s an easter egg. Nope, not an easter egg, feels like lazy storytelling. For a fantasy world, a lot is borrowed from the real world. What bothers me is how much is borrowed. Nothing feels unique. I hope the finished book is more polished because the story has potential but someone needs to go through it and rename people, items, and places so they become part of this story and not links to other stories.
ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.

[Georgann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was great: truly understandable characters, magic system, and a valiant, heroic fight. The dialogue was annoyingly simplistic to fit such a tale. It seemed as thought the tale was for upper MG and the dialogue for lower, which continually left me jarred. Still, worth reading!

[Bea (Books And Bees of Bea) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book features diverse characters. Despite it being in a fantasy world, people with different nationalities were shown and were respected by other characters. I think this is important in middle-grade books since it teaches kids to respect everyone despite their nationality and all. Moreover, this book is somewhat based on Korean and/or Japanese folklore if I'm not mistaken. I enjoyed the trip to Kidahara forest and the scenes with the Aquila, Vorax, oni, and other mythical beings. I also enjoyed the world-building of Nackwon. And obviously, I loved the fact that Jiho is considered to be magical despite nullifying magic and when Koko transformed into a dragon . This book promised a dragon, and so here it goes!

However, I felt that there were times that everyone's action was so anti-climatic, hence, making the book feel rushed especially at the ending. It's probably due to the fact that this book was a stand-alone and middle grade. There's so much potential to the plot and the characters. I would probably like the book better if the book was written in Jiho's point of view. I don't know if it's me or not, but I think I'm not a huge fan of a book written in third person point of view. And lastly, I was curious about the kids working for a company, including Jiho. Isn't that child labor or something. And what happens to Jiho's sisters? And Koko?

Full review to come!

[S.C. Yung · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has all the elements of an enjoyable enough middle grade fantasy, but it doesn’t feel cohesive. I wanted a bit more from Oh's juxtaposition of magic vs. technology and also wished the world was further explored. Jiho's friends are basically throwaways, and their nations feel inconsequential. Slight characterization and really wooden dialogue (“‘Uncle, you can’t go to the mill. You’ll catch iron lung. It would destroy my aunt and the girls. You have to stay here and start rebuilding. I’ll get the money you need.’” [27] and “‘No, it can’t be!’ Luzee shouted. ‘I killed all of you.’” [234]) also dampened my enthusiasm.

UH, BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT KIRKUS' REVIEW??

"With its quick pace, modern heroes, and choreographed action, this is a strong fantasy title with K-pop undertones."

Imagine reading a Korean mythology-inspired middle-grade novel by the co-founder of We Need Diverse Books and immediately being like, HMM... REMINDS ME OF K-POP!!

[Loz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating world and story told with excellent craft, perfect for its intended audience and beyond. Enjoyable for all ages, but well honed to entrance and delight those early to epic fantasy, wanting better and more.

[Rachael Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to read this book!

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellen’s amazing, and I can’t wait for this book!!!

[Cat Scully · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to read this book! So excited for it to come out!

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started out really great and I was excited to see how it was going to end up. I really liked Jiho and the world of the Kidahara.

For me, the last third of the book was a bit rushed. I had questions about some of the characters and wondered how and why they were who they were. I feel like an opportunity was missed for more character development of Jiho and the supporting characters.

All in all, I enjoyed it and if fairytales and fantasy is your thing, you’ll enjoy this.

[Skyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

بعد از کلللی خیالبافی و دنبالش گشتن، بالاخره یافتمشششش
اول از همه بگم، بیشتر لایق 3.5 هست، ولی خب چون نمیخوام 3 بدم همین 4 خوبه براش
بعد از مدتها بالاخره تونستم یه کتاب با ژانر موردعلاقه‌م پیدا کنم و توش بیشتر چیزایی بود که دوست داشتم یه کتاب داشته باشه: جادو، یه جنگل جادویی، موجودات جادویی (اژدها، پری، جادوگر و...) و اینا، تقریبا دوتا ستاره‌شم بخاطر همینه3: ولی خب، فقط ژانر مهم نیست و نقشی که این ژانر تو داستان داره برام خیییلی مهمه. راستی! اسم فارسیش «فرزند آخرین اژدها» هست و واقنم نمیدونم چی میشد اگه اسم خودشو ترجمه میکرد، ولی یجورایی اسم فارسیش بیشتر بش میاد
خلاصه‌ی داستان اینطوریه که... خب این رمان تکه‌هایی از زندگی جیهو، کوکو و میکا هست که آخرش به همدیگه میرسن و داستانشون کنار همدیگه ادامه پیدا میکنه، البته به طرز خیلی عجیبی؛ ولی کاراکتر اصلی جیهوهست، یه پسری که تو کشوری که مردمش با جادو کار می‌کنن و افسون بلدن، با خواهرهاش و خونواده‌ی خاله‌ش زندگی میکنه، چون مادرش مرده و پدرشم ترکشون کرده. غیرعادی‌ترین چیز درمورد جیهو که بخاطرش مشهوره اینه که جیهو جادو رو باطل میکنه! ینی نمیتونه از هیچ طلسمی استفاده کنه و بقیه نمیتونن اونو جادو کنن، و وقتی با خواهراش یجا باشن هم تو محل زندگیشون هیشکی نمیتونه از طلسمی استفاده کنه! یه جنگلی هم کنار کشورشون هست به نام کیداهارا، که جنگلی جادویی و خیلی هم خطرناک هست! پدر جیهو جنگلبان بوده و چون که همه‌ی خونواده‌ی پارک بدون جادو و جنگلبان بودن، جیهو هم مثلا قرار بود جنگلبان باشه، ولی نمیخواد چون پدرش بخاطر جنگل اونا رو رها کرده... ولی گره داستان کجاست؟
یه شرکتی از یه کشور دیگه میخواد که تمام درختای کیداهارا رو از بین ببره و زمیناشو به اسم خودش کنه... و از اون طرف، کوه‌های آتشفشانی رو هم نابود کنه... جیهو میدونه که اونا نمیتونن از پسش بربیان، چون هیچ فناوری‌ای نمیتونه از جادو و خطر کیداهارا قویتر باشه و خودشم هیچوقت جرئت پا گذاشتن به اون جنگلو نداره، ولی چون به پول نیاز داره، بخاطر پیشنهاد اونا و ضدجادو بودن خودش بهشون میپیونده... و تازه وقتی از اهمیت قدرت خودش، ضدجادو بودن، مطلع میشه که به دنیای جادوها پا میذاره... جایی که جنگ بزرگی در راهه، جنگی که جادو حرف اولو میزنه

راستش، اوایل داستان حوصله‌م سرمیرفت، چون انتظار جادو رو داشتم، ولی خوووب میدونم که یه کتابو هیچوقت نباید با جلد، اسم یا فصلای اولش قضاوت کنم، و این کتاب بنظرم از نمونه‌های بارز این قانون هست. از دو پنجم به بعد رمان قشننننگ وایب یه انیمه‌ی فانتزی رو داشت، یا مثلا انیمیشنای دیزنی. عاشق قوانین جالب جادوش شدم، همچنین موجودات خیالی و کاراکترا هم خیلی.. متفاوت و جذاب بودن. بنظرم قویترین قابلیت نویسنده این بود که فیلمنامه‌ی خوبی میتونست بنویسه! خیلی قشنگ محیط رو توصیف میکرد و مکان‌های جالب و دوستداشتنی‌ای داشت _فکنم نقاشیای رنگ روغنی خوبی میشه ازشون کشید_ و من واقن خیلی دوس داشتم اونجا باشم^_^ درکل میتونم بگم که وایب این کتاب خیییلی شبیه رمانیه که خودم دارم مینویسم. بعضی کاراکتراش واقن منو یاد کاراکترای رمان خودم مینداختن _شخصیت و جادوشون_ و محیط و جادوشم خیلی شبیه تصور من از جادو بود
یه قابلیت عالی دیگه‌ش هم این بود که داستان قوی‌ای داش. برعکس من، از اول رمان کاااملا میدونست چی میخواد بنویسه:| و معماها رو هم کاملا سروقتش حل کرد و هیچ‌چیز زیادی تخیلی و یا زیادی قلب‌شکن نبود. وقتی که تموم شد هم موخاستم بغل کنم کتابو:))) پایان دلنشینی داشت

[Jenna (Falling Letters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief thoughts originally published 29 December 2020 at Falling Letters.

The first thing that stood out about this book to me is that it’s set in an uncommon time period for this kind of (secondary world middle grade) fantasy. Joson, the Korean analogue kingdom where the story takes place, seems medieval while other kingdoms have computers and assault rifles. Joson still has magic, though, while those kingdoms do not. The conflict begins when another country wants to destroy the massive magical forest at the center of Joson to take advantage of its resources.

Anyone who’s watched a Studio Ghibli film will recognize similarities between their stories and The Dragon Egg Princess. Indeed, even the April 2018 rights report makes that comparison. The main commonalities are the characters of the hero and heroine, the pseudo-historical East Asian fantasy setting, and the environmental messaging. Definitely hand this book to kids who enjoy those films.

The princess (who is at least 13 years old) reads really juvenile to me. She’s kind-hearted but extremely naïve, stubborn and silly. Maybe that can be attributed to being cut off from human society for five years? Seems a stretch to me… she does read more like a young child than a younger teenager.

It took me awhile to settle into the prose. It feels scripted, but if I’m being generous, in a sort of legendary way, like you might experience when someone tells you an old tale. There’s a lot of describing actions rather than eliciting emotions. While I don’t prefer this style, I imagine it makes an epic fantasy story accessible to younger readers or those who haven’t read a lot in this genre.

💭 The Bottom Line: Overall, The Dragon Egg Princess has a balanced mix of action, magic, and banter. A fairly light and entertaining read, it makes a solid option for kids who want high fantasy that doesn’t drag on for hundreds of pages

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

For many years the Princess of the Joson has been presumed dead after she disappeared in the Kidahara. Now, a development company from a modern land of technology has arrived with a mind to tear down parts of the Kidahara and build on the land. Jiho comes from a long line of protectors of the Kidahara. He knows that there are dangers in the forest no one can dream of, and the so-called modern developers with their universal translators and trucks with magical enhancements have no idea what they are up against. But a disaster on his family's farm means they are desperate for the money the company has promised Jiho if he'll act as a guard. So he reluctantly leads them into the Kidahara, and where that leads, no one can predict.

So this starts as a Korean myth with the premise/backstory laid, transitions quickly to what seems like Korean historical fiction with touches of fantasy when we meet Jiho, and then transitions quickly yet again into a kind of realistic tale with some advanced technology with the company meeting Jiho. It then suddenly turns into a disaster/monster tale as they venture into the forest and meet the local mythological residents. And then it turns into a fantasy quest adventure with Jiho and a couple other kids from various lands seeking to help someone they meet their in a hunt for answers and a conflict of good versus evil. It kind of felt like a mashup of a whole bunch of different stories/styles/genres that you don't normally see together. It worked eventually, but it felt a bit weird and disorienting until Jiho and gang ended up in the fantasy world. I liked the bits of Korean mythology and fantasy creatures that were worked in. This was not at all what I was expecting from a book with the title and cover it has, or even from something based on Korean mythology. That's not a bad thing, but don't go into this expecting your typical fantasy story or even mythological retelling. Based on the content, I'd recommend this to the upper end of middle graders who enjoy fantasy, monster horror stories, and mythology retellings.

Notes on content: 5 mild swear words. No sexual content. There's a brutal monster attack at the beginning that leaves many dead and several injured (think monster horror scene...it reminded me of Jurassic Park/World movies when things go really bad), and then there's a battle later on that results in several dead and wounded. Occasional injuries incurred along the way.

[AFLV · Rating 4 out of 5]

The publisher kindly offered me a reader copy via Edelweiss. Yet, this is an honest review of the book expressing my unbiased opinion.

If you've watched and liked The Dragon Prince on Netflix, then you are going to love this!

The Dragon Egg Princess is a fantastic MG fantasy with adventure, banter, and the most adorable--and scary--magical creatures I've read in a while. I really want to meet the namushin!!!

I loved the world. LOVED. There were a myriad different magical creatures; all vividly described. I also loved the author's parallells to our world. The author showed how technology and guns shape our reality and ourselves in a very smart way. She showed it, not preached it, and it was very well done.

The characters are really great. Koko is so pure and wonderful that I'd die to protect her. Jiho is a kid who had to grow up faster and earlier than others, and oh how I related. I really felt their friendship grow, despite certain conflicts. All characters were well-developed; all different and whole, and I really liked how they formed friendships and interacted with one another.

The only thing I wasn't a fan of is how two plot twists were revealed. I can't say more because I don't want to give spoilers, but even with this, I still loved the book a lot.

According to the publisher, the book is a standalone, aka not a part of a series, and I confirm that the book stands on its own brilliantly. The author has provided a fantastic resolution and ending to the book. However, I'm certain a sequel can be made. The world is too gorgeous and the characters too adorable not to have another adventure with them.

The Dragon Egg Princess is a delightful MG diverse fantasy adventure with Asian influences, vibrant magical creatures, and adorable characters you can't help but root for and love.

I STRONGLY recommend it.

4 stars – ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Author: Ellen Oh
Publisher: HarperCollins

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dragon Egg Princess by Ellen Oh 256 pages. Harper Collins, 2020 $17 Language: PG (2 swears 0 'f's) Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Princess Koko disappeared years ago into the Kidahara - a magical forest outside her kingdom. Now, the evil Prince Ruko has imprisoned the King and Queen and wants to rule the kingdom himself. But when a construction company, hired to tear down the forest, begins to unleash the dangers of the magical world, Jiho, a boy immune to magic signs himself on as a guide - only to discover this is a bigger problem than just tearing down the forest. Jiho will need to team up with some unlikely partners to save the kingdom!

Ellen Oh has given us a fun story with action and adventure, magic and danger all the way through. Jiho, the princess Koko, Micah, the leader of a clan of thieves and ruffians, and the construction workers with Jiho are all teens - an exciting read where the fate of the world is in the hands of the youth. Enough plot for a couple of prequels and a sequel, and so many characters, I was afraid I'd get lost, but I didn't. It all wove together nicely. Wings of Fire readers will enjoy this solid, middle grade stand alone.

Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2020...

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Princess Koko disappeared years ago into the Kidahara - a magical forest outside her kingdom. Now, the evil Prince Ruko has imprisoned the King and Queen and wants to rule the kingdom himself. But when a construction company, hired to tear down the forest, begins to unleash the dangers of the magical world, Jiho, a boy immune to magic signs himself on as a guide - only to discover this is a bigger problem than just tearing down the forest. Jiho will need to team up with some unlikely partners to save the kingdom!

Ellen Oh has given us a fun story with action and adventure, magic and danger all the way through. Jiho, the princess Koko, Micah, the leader of a clan of thieves and ruffians, and the construction workers with Jiho are all teens - an exciting read where the fate of the world is in the hands of the youth. Enough plot for a couple of prequels and a sequel, and so many characters, I was afraid I'd get lost, but I didn't. It all wove together nicely. Wings of Fire readers will enjoy this solid, middle grade stand alone.

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[Lee Födi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has the all the hallmarks of a good fantasy: heroes to root for, creatures both whimsical and dangerous, and elements of magic . . . and interesting villains. And, just in case it’s not clear from the title: there’s a princess who comes FROM A DRAGON EGG!

What really sets this book apart is its worldbuilding; Korea courses through the bones of this book. I am obviously not from Korea, but I have spent a lot of time there and so many of the people in my life are Korean, so I felt very . . . “at home” in this world, and I think it will be the same for my students in and from Korea. They will instantly have touchstones, recognizing and relating to many of the character and setting names, the monsters, and even the underlying sentiment. I cannot wait to share this book with them.

[Gayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I am hoping to see another one set in this magical place. I started it and wasn’t able to put it down. The plot was well written and kept you guessing up until the end! You end up rooting for the characters and feeling the push and pull that she creates for them. Are they are doing the right thing or for the right reasons? I highly recommend this to everyone who loves fantasy and dragons!

[Shelly Nosbisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to read this book when it comes out!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I should have enjoyed this book more than I did. It had a lot of elements I like, but I struggled to get through this - ended up listening to it and that still didn't really help.

[Auryn Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected. I thought it was going to be more like most of the random dragon books that I read, where the whole world is based off of medieval Europe.
A quick summary (I'll put a spoiler warning because there might be minor spoilers)Princess Koko disappears into the forest five years ago, and some people from the kingdom of Joson are discontent with the way the king has ruled since. Jiho, the protagonist, goes to the market to trade arrowheads for food for his sisters, and when some people from Orion show up and are lured into a forest by a Vorax, Jiho helps rescue them by imitating an Aquila call. The boss offers Jiho a job, but he refuses it. when he returns home to find that the farm is destroyed, he goes back for the job and meets some other teenagers who work with the company, and they become friends after an encounter with nightwalkers and Oni. They meet princess Koko when they have to run away from an Oni, and they join the people who are helping save the world from Luzee.
Since Joson doesn't really have modern technology, food, or lingo, the other teenagers who worked for the company, it makes it seem like they are travelling back in time, and they keep having to explain things to Jiho, which is an interesting idea. It creates the effect of time travel without any actual time travel.
I have one main problem with this book:I think it should have been longer, or been spread out into a duology or trilogy, so the characters could develop some more. When they were lost in the Kidahara, it seemed like Tess, Jay, Calvin, Frankie, and Shane were going to be involved more in the story, but they don't really have much to do with Jiho anymore after they meet Princess Koko.
The ending was unexpected and I don't mean the part with Samena being Luzee, I figured it out really easily because of the hair colour and what she says at the end of chapter 16 but it bad. I wish that the book had an epilogue to explain what happened afterwards, and I also think that the book would have been improved by having the first chapter be a prologue rather than a chapter, since it takes place five years before the rest of the events from the book.
I think that is all I have to say about this book.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

My name is Jiho, and the people from other lands don't understand the dangers lurking in the Kidahara. A company wants to cut down trees to build a road through the forest, but the creatures hidden there will attack and kill any threats to the lands. Magic in the Kidahara doesn't affect me, and I am able to sense monsters preparing to strike. My family needs money, so I've agreed to work as a scout for the company. However, I've learned their true plans and recognize it will lead to disaster. I can feel the eyes watching us from the shadows, but I don't know what they're waiting for. The foreman wants us to cut down a huge tree, but I know there's an evil force waiting to pounce. The foreman won't heed my warnings, so all I can do is prepare for the screaming and death.

The conflict between technology and nature is a key part of the plot, but there's much more to be found. While the company wants to develop the Kidahara, the motives behind the development are more devious. The story of a missing princess is shared early in the book, so it's clear she will make an appearance at some point. Actually, she becomes the key piece of everything that's happening. Jiho is a wonderfully likeable character, as he thinks of the world in simple terms. He doesn't understand the complexities of other cultures and why they're so dependent on technology. This also adds some humor to the plot. Jiho appreciates and respects living with nature, things taught to him by his father. His father has been missing for several years, so that's an additional question lingering throughout the story. Jiho is bitter that his father left without any explanation of his disappearance. While many books focus on characters' magical abilities, Jiho's unexplained power negates magic. His family has always helped protect the Kidahara, but Jiho has no interest in becoming a ranger. The plot escalates to an exciting climax that brought everything to a satisfying conclusion. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and recommend you give it a shot.