Sárkányok szökésben

The Unicorn Rescue Society #2

by Adam Gidwitz

Mito Fauna professzor vagyok, én alapítottam a kalandokra vágyók titkos klubját, az Unikornismentőket. Mi vagyunk azok, akik védelmet nyújtunk a mítoszok és legendák lényeinek. Azonban az ellenfeleink erősek, nagy hatalmúak és kegyetlenek, így rettentően nagy szükségünk lenne szövetségesekre. Segítenél nekünk? Még akkor is, ha ez azt jelenti, hogy kockára kell tenned az életedet? Csatlakoznál az Unikornismentőkhöz?Remélem, igen! A lényeknek szükségük van rád.

A HATALMAS, KÉK ÓCEÁN TÚLPARTJÁN A BASZKFÖLDI HEGYEK KÖZÖTT EGY FÉLELMETES SÁRKÁNYNAK NYOMA VESZETT. AZ UNIKORNISMENTŐ-CSAPAT AZ EGYETLEN, AMELY KÉPES RÁ, HOGY FELKUTASSA ÉS MEGMENTSE ŐT.

Elliot és Uchenna – meg persze a kis Jersey Ördög – alig tértek még magukhoz az első kalandjukból Fauna professzorral, amikor a tanár egy újabb kéréssel áll eléjük. Csakhogy ezúttal át kell szelniük az óceánt, hogy egy eltűnt sárkány nyomába eredjenek. Ez a kaland nem várt veszélyeket tartogat, és ahogy követik a nyomokat, olyan titokra bukkannak, amire egyikük sem számított.

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

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

To read my bio and learn more about me, and find a FAQ, visit:
http://www.adamgidwitz.com/about-the-...

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick palate cleanser after reading some heavy stuff recently. My daughter read this one first and loved it even more than the first in the series. She even chose to dress as the titular dragon for "dress as your favorite character" day at school last week! I love the research that goes into this series. The silliness of the plot is balanced out by facts about the cultures involved, in this case the Basque culture and mythology. I'm thankful for books like this that keep my little one reading but also provide an opportunity to learn.

[Billie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this even better than the first one because of the way in which the author(s) wove in information about the Basque people and culture. Some of this was done in the first book, but it really stood out to me here. If this is a sign of things to come, I can't wait to see the ways in which various cultures are explored in the upcoming books.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun, quick audiobook read featuring some scrappy elementary school kids rescuing a dragon. I read this for the setting (I lived in the Basque Country for a year), and I appreciated the exposition on the people (Euskaldun), the country (Euskal Herria), and the language (Euskera). (The audiobook narrator mispronounces all those words, but that's not the author's fault.) The story and writing are a bit silly, and it's a bit disconcerting how the kids are whisked off to Europe with a professor they don't really trust (red flag!), but it's fairly self-aware.

[AMY · Rating 4 out of 5]

178 pgs. Another fun installment of the series that keeps you wondering....are there any unicorns in this series??? This time Elliott and Uchenna join the professor to help a society member in Spain with a missing dragon. This is full of adventure and fantasy and non-stop action. More is revealed about the Schmoke Brothers. If you liked the first one in the series...keep going...I am deep into book 3 now. Did I mention there is lots of humor throughout? Highly recommended for Grades 4-5.

[Anniston · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t really like it the first book was better😔

[Mugdha Mahajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Basque Dragon" by Adam Gidwitz is an enchanting adventure that takes young readers on a thrilling journey filled with Basque culture and fantastical creatures. The blend of adventure and cultural exploration makes this book a captivating read. The imaginative storyline sparks the reader's imagination and invites them to embark on an extraordinary quest alongside the Unicorn Rescue Society. A delightful and educational read for young minds.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This the second book in the series. It continues the story, the children and professor meet another member of the society when trying to saving a dragon! The series gives a great opportunity to discuss different countries, where they are located, and to learn more about the world we live in. We are also introduced to some wonderful mythological creatures!

[Alba Arango · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elliot and Uchenna were recruited yesterday by their professor to join a super-secret society, one that keeps the creatures of myth and legends safe. Now today, one of those creatures is in danger.

When the two kids learn that a dragon—yes, a real dragon—has been kidnapped from the mountains of the Basque Country, they realize it’s up to them, and their goofy professor, to track down the missing creature, and find out who is responsible.

What I liked: fun adventure! I loved learning tidbits about the Basque people and culture. Great characters, including the villains, and nothing too scary, so appropriate for kids 7-10.

What I didn’t like: the beginning was a little too slow (I almost stopped after the first 20 pages). It definitely picks up later, but it took a bit to get to the adventure. But once it did, it was fun.

All-in-all, a cute read.

4 out of 5 stars

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise, interesting characters, interesting word choice with just the right amount of detail and action to hook middle grade readers early on and carry them all the way through the book. I'll read the first in the series as a classroom read-aloud and am glad to have the next 3 in the series so kids can and will keep on reading.

[Virginia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an ARC, so I'm sure it's even better with the wonderful illustrations, but this was a fun read! I enjoyed how the author made efforts to explain Basque culture & language, and the way the foreign language phrases utilized in the text were not only explained but also phonetically repeated by another character to help kids pronounce them :) also the kids' dialogue was p hilarious at times & I appreciated their suspicion throughout. I'll have to look up the first one since I missed it!

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second book in this series, and my review of book #1 pretty much applies to book #2 - average fare, pretty forgettable with I am sure a group of people who will be fans of it, whilst others will move on to other things.

[Tracey Mcd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know it’s a kids chapter book but my 8 yo fell in love with the series so I needed to see why. What a fun read! It’s got enough silliness to entertain kids, throws in history and teaches teamwork and compassion. Total recommendation!

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very fun and surprising!!!!!!!!

[Josephine · Rating 5 out of 5]

i like the beginning a little i also love when fauna guided the plane to the driveway of the faculty parking lot

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked it and I am excited for book three!

[Dan Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable selection in The Unicorn Rescue Society series. Loved reading it to my grandchildren and were enthralled and mesmerized the entire time. They, and I, are anxiously awaiting the arrival of book #3 in October 2018.

[Kristen Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun adventure story about kids and a dragon. I find it amusing that they call into question their after school club and the guy who is helping them on this adventure at first. I did enjoy their exploration of the culture and the fun adventure feel over all.

[Kenzee · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I won this book in a GoodReads Giveaway*

So I entered this giveaway in hopes of winning it for my niece (she's 8), and though Amazon says this is for 8-12 year old kids, I would say it's not for a child older than 9. It's cute - mostly - but it has some issues. There's some pretty big plot holes - and yes, even a child would recognize them. The primary one is of course the fact that they fly to Europe after school from New Jersey, and still arrive home by 5:30 PM. There is no explanation of how this happens and I'm sorry but the teacher would not be able to park his plane in the school parking lot. Now my big problem with this is the author literally has the kids point out this won't work...but then never explains! If you're not even going to attempt an explanation (a simple "it's magic" would work for kids), don't bring up the plot hole. Just because someone is young, doesn't make them stupid. My other big issue is that neither of our main characters trust the adult "Professor" who takes them on these adventures. They describe him as scary, and at one point, think he is going to kill them. But they still go with him. There's something really cringey about that to me and honestly, a bit concerning, that the author would promote running off with a strange adult you don't trust. It may just be a story - but that's not really a great message.

Overall, I wasn't thrilled. I did like the two main kids - Uchenna was brave and spunky and Elliot had a great sense of humor, and I also liked the concept. I just wish the execution was a bit better. I'll give it to my niece and see what she thinks.

Also, because it was an ARC, the art work was all missing - completely fair - and while I didn't take away any points for it not being there, I will say if it was good that might've increased the rating.

[Justin Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good sequel to the first one. I appreciated the portrayal of Euskal Herria (the Basque Country). One editorial note: I noticed at one point 'a herensuge' was written. Following the majority of euskalkis' (Basque dialects) pronunciation, it would be rendered into English as 'an herensuge' (save Iparraldekoak, the ones from the french Basque Country). Considering this story takes place within Bizkaia specifically, I'd have gone with the an.
Anyway, this book has a decent adventure story line. I'll be reading the next two, as the 3rd book takes in the PNW, where I live. And the 4th book is about Chupacabras and takes place in Mexico, so that sounds fun too.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

An even more exciting follow-up to the first book!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elliott is an uptight kid who memorizes maps and books. Uchenna is almost his exact opposite, always up for adventure. Nevertheless, they've become fast friends, brought together by an eccentric teacher named Professor Fauna, who has recruited them for a secret society to protect the mythical and imaginary creatures of the world. In this adventure, they cross the Atlantic between the end of school day and dinner to rescue a fire-breather in the Basque Country between France and Spain, a creature with healing spit that represents the Euskaldun (Basque people)'s yearning for independence. Of course, the creature is threatened by the evil Schmoke brothers, whose designs on the dragon are at the same time nefarious and silly.

Silliness is kind of the strong suit of this book, actually. It tickles the same funny bone as the theme running through the Harry Potter books of teachers (notably Dumbledore) holding students to ludicrous expectations and standing back to let them sort things out for themselves, in flagrant disregard of their safety. It also sneaks in a lot of information about Basque Country, including some Euskara vocabulary with aids to pronunciation. Its writing is goofy and smart at the same time, with a bright streak of magic going through it: the kind of entertainment that will especially appeal to bright kids. And lest I forget to mention it, there's also a Jersey devil in it, for an added layer of mischief.

This is the second of (so far) five books in "The Unicorn Rescue Society" series, which started with The Creature of the Pines and continues with Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot, The Chupacabras of the Rio Grande, The Madre de Aguas of Cuba and The Secret of the Himalayas. The first installment was written solo by Adam Gidwitz, and each succeeding book has a different co-author. Gidwitz is also the author of the "Grimm" trilogy, So You Want to Be a Jedi and The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog. Jesse Casey is an animator and filmmaker who co-founded a studio called Mixtape Club. The entire series is illustrated by Hatem Aly, an Egyptian-Canadian artist who has also illustrated The Inquisitor's Tale, Ibtihaj Muhammad's The Proudest Blue, Geoff Rodkey's Stuck in the Stone Age, James Patterson and Joey Green's Not So Normal Norbert, Ryan Miller's How to Feed Your Parents, M.O. Yuksel's In My Mosque and Saadia Faruqi's Meet Yasmin.

[Geordie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second book in the Unicorn Rescue Society has Elliot and Uchenna, just made freshman members of the society a day ago, travel to Basque Country to try to find (and rescue) a missing dragon.

This was a perfectly fine book for the target audience. There was some action and adventure, a little humor, and chances for the characters to both mature and do the right thing. There's an interesting twist also, where we find out that their eccentric mentor had once mentored two other children, only to be tragically backstabbed by them later.

So it's perfectly fine for the reader it's aimed at, but just "perfectly fine" is kind of a disappointment. The first book had a lot of clever wordplay and humor, this book's comedy and word use felt like the writer had gone down the well-trod roads of 'kids will get it, kids will (probably) laugh'. I know humor is subjective, but I felt the first book was appealing for a wider audience, and making the reader think as well. Also, the last book had the main characters being proactive all the time, especially in the conclusion. In this book they get jerked around a lot. And they help in the climactic rescue, but half (or more) of the rescue is done by somebody else that pops into the scene just out of the blue. Again, not awful (and certainly fitting the age group), but it could have been better!

The first book was surprisingly clever, this book feels like it was cranked out to meet a sales deadline. I might take a peek at the third book, but unless the reviews are stellar I'm likely not going to bother.

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

The Unicorn Rescue Society: The Basque Dragon (Unicorn RescueSociety, #2) by Adam Gidwitz, illustrated by Hatem Aly and Jesse Casey, 178 pages. Dutton Children’s Books (Penguin), 2018. $15.

Content: Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL – ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH.

Uchenna and Elliott work with Professor Flora in the Unicorn Rescue Society that helps mythical creatures. This time, there is a Herensuge dragon that has gone missing from his home and the three society members travel to the Basque Mountains to investigate. As they follow the clues, they are led to a factory owned by the evil Schmoke brothers. The kids work with the Professor and find the Herensuge who is being used for pharmaceutical reasons. Together they must figure out how to help the dragon return to the safety of his home in the mountains.

My ten- year-old son loves this series and at night when we are reading he begs for one more chapter. The characters are funny (great dialogue) and easy to relate to and the little illustrations throughout are great. Elliot’s sarcasm reflects what someone might think or feel if put in his same situations and my son relates to him. The story line moves quickly and Professor Fona is a fun kind of kooky and he reminds me of Doc from Back to the Future.

Reviewer, C. Peterson
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Valerie McEnroe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my first Adam Gidwitz book. It has a simple plot and didn’t grab me in the least. Elliot and Uchenna are potential recruits for the Unicorn Rescue Society, an organization founded by Professor Fauna to save all mythical creatures, unicorn or otherwise. This is book 2 in the series. I did not read book 1. In this book, the kids are whisked off to the Basque country in Europe where a little-known population of people keep to themselves, even speaking their own language. Herensuges (dragons) also inhabit this region. Professor Fauna’s friend, Mitzel, has elicited Fauna’s help to find a missing herensuge. Turns out, Mitzel’s brother allowed two greedy men to kidnap the herensuge to use its spit to create a potion to cure baldness.

The absurdity is necessary for comic relief. It’s what makes the story interesting. Without it this book wouldn’t have a chance. The plot and writing are weak. Yes, it is written for 3rd and 4th graders, but it’s a tough market. There are hundreds of books vying for their attention. There is much better stuff out there.

Two things that specifically annoyed me. 1) Calling a dragon a herensuge is complicated. In fact, all the weird words made me work too hard. 2) Kids who pick up this book will be girls hoping for unicorns. Sorry. Not a unicorn to be found here.

[Sarah B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of the six books I read in this series, this was my least favorite. I guess it seemed more crazy than the previous book - if that was possible! Now their crazy teacher takes them across the Atlantic Ocean in his little plane to go save a dragon. And yet somehow they have to be home by supper so their parents have no idea they had been gone.

Ummm... Yeah. Did I say crazy??

Like the first book, the evil Schmoke brothers are back and they want to capture fantastic beasts for bad reasons. Like making money. Or maybe they don't want to make money. You will have to read it to find out! But like any decent bad guys they got a big hideout and our heroes need to sneak in.

Can they??

Truthfully one thing that rubbed me the wrong way in here was all the deceit and sneaking about and the exploiting of animals...

I also found it very hard to accept you could go to Europe, do this mission and yet be back in time for supper. That idea definitely ruined the story for me. I just couldn't believe it. I could believe in the dragon but not the time bit. Because all I could see was the parents yelling at the kids "Where were you?!"

Sooo...

The book did have a few new ideas about dragons in here and I did enjoy that..

But sneaking around some big secret complex behind big fences is not my thing.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uchenna and Elliot are swept away by Professor Fauna to far off Basque where a dragon has gone missing! In an ancient Basque family tale they discover that dragon's blood has the power to heal all wounds. This can lead to only one conclusion. The dragon has been kidnapped by the uber-wealthy Schmoke brothers. Using Elliot's intelligence, Uchenna's courage and Professor Fauna's dedication to the magical creature cause they discover more than the missing dragon--and still manage to arrive home in time for dinner.

This is an easy read with a rapid pace and slightly facetious tone that does not take the story or characters too seriously. This is a saving grace in a story that is intended to be just for fun. There is some educational value in the Basque history that is provided, but not enough to push this story to the level beyond "dependable". Uchenna shows an enjoyable amount of courage and humor and Elliot's fear of everything makes him relatable in spite of his genius. Professor Fauna is a bit too farcical for the responsibility of the safety of two minors and the maintenance of the entire magical world, but he can be forgiven for the humor that children will find in a goofy grown-up guide. A good read for entertainment purposes, just don't look too hard for anything more.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is shaping up to be an early-reader version of Favlehaven filled with fun, eclectic characters and mythical creatures, but where the first book stayed confined to a single forest that kids could go to on a field trip, this one asks kids to accept that an entire adventure can get these characters around the world and across time zones in a decrepit flying car, have a cozy exposition so visit with a groundskeeper, trek to and find a secret laboratory, infiltrate it, save a mythical creature, confront bad guys, and get the kids back across the globe as those time zones and home in time for dinner. Without any magical travel that would be acceptable to suspend belief for. 🧐🤨 we enjoyed the journey, but even my child who was co-reading with me was surprised they made it home for dinner on the same day. 🤷🏻‍♂️keep giving us the adventure without pandering to the readers and assuming their ignorance.

[Randilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am on the book review at my kid’s elementary school and read this to determine if it would be acceptable for the school library. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend it.

My biggest issue is that 2 elementary students get into the private airplane of a teacher they don’t really even know/trust and fly to Europe without telling their parents. (They have to rescue a dragon.) One of the safety rules I drill into my kids is, “Safe adults don’t ask kids for help—they ask other grown-ups.” I feel like it would’ve been easy to write in that the teacher called their parents and told them what was happening and asked for permission.

Also, two different adults call the kids, “stupid” which I didn’t like.

I DID like all the history of the Basque Country: the people, language, and culture (which, honestly is why I picked this book—hoping there’d be some Spanish history) and that part was not disappointing. I love when there’s a little education mixed into adventure.

[ELIZABETH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good installment. There was some impossible travel and timing that bothered me, but the kids didn't mind. And honestly it would have been difficult to get around those limitations and have it be believable in other ways (parents letting their kids travel to Europe at a moment's notice with a teacher they don't know isn't very likely either). But I liked that this book introduced some actual history and some information about the Basque country, and entertained some themes of cultural diversity. Some good jumping off points for discussion nestled in with the action and adventure. Good role models too, with a strong black female character and a respectful, rule-abiding boy, too. Alice read this on her own before we read it as a family.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've found myself quite enjoying this series. It's got the intensity of a fantasy series, but plenty of humor as well. Elliot and Uchenna make great foils for each other. They've become friends, but they are very different. Elliot is a bookworm, who enjoys routine, and calm and quiet. Uchenna loves rock and roll and lots of adventure. Now that the two have teamed up with Professor Fauna in saving magical creatures, the unexpected is to be expected. Much to Elliot's horror and Uchenna's delight, they soon find themselves flying with the Professor to the Basque country in Spain to rescue a missing dragon. But can the two keep up with the erratic Professor? And what is he hiding from them? And what on earth made them think they could handle a dragon? Gidwitz, et.al. have created a delightful fantasy series here for readers who aren't ready for the much longer series like Harry Potter. And the humor makes the books not quite so scary as a lot of fantasy books can be.