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Lily Quench #1
Lily Quench and the Dragon of Ashby
As a family of dragon slayers, the Quenches of Ashby have always been burning successes...until the evil Black Count invades, and the family's fortunes go into a downward spiral. Then a dragon unexpectedly arrives and Lily, the last of the Quenches, is called upon to fight it. Soon she finds herself on a desperate, magical quest to save Ashby from destruction-and restore the lost heir to his throne...
151 pages, Paperback
First published January 8, 2004
9 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Jane Prior
78 books21 followersPrior was born in 1963 in Brisbane, Australia, where she also currently lives with her husband and daughter. Her first fiction book, 'The Amazing Adventures of Amabel', was published in 1990 and her internationally successful children's fantasy series, 'Lily Quench', has been published in more than twenty countries. Prior's work has been a finalist at the Children's Book Council of Australia Awards as well as being honoured and named as notable. Her work, 'Fireworks and Darkness', won the 2003 Davitt Awards for best young-adult novel and her work, 'Lily Quench and the Lighthouse of Skellig Mor' won the 2003 Aurealis Award for best children's short fiction. She has also been nominated for an Aurealis Award on three other occasions for best short fiction, long fiction and young-adult novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 26, 2017
Harmi, että tämä sarja on jäänyt suureen tuntemattomuuteen, koska soveltuisi tosi hyvin alle 10 vuotiaille lukijoille fantasianälkään. Annoin ensin kolme tähteä, mutta mietittyäni lisäsin viel yhden, koska just tuohon kohderyhmään ei niin helpolla löydä tällaisia vetäviä, jännittäviä tarinoita sadun ja fantasian rajamaastosta. Itse tulin lukeneeksi tämän, koska teen Helmet lukuhaastetta ja menee kohtaan oseanialainen kirjailija.
January 13, 2015
I find it shocking that although this series is over ten years old, I had never heard of it until my daughter stumbled on it in the school library. We've read this book and one of the later books, but are having trouble tracking down the others - they're not easy to get hold of. And that is really disappointing, because this has to be one of the best books (and series) out there for kids.
This book itself is great - orphaned Lily discovers that she comes from a long line of dragon slayers and royal advisers when Ashby Water's evil rulers turn up and demand Lily slay a dragon that is threatening the town. Instead, Lily befriends the dragon and they set off on an adventure to find the town's missing Prince and free everyone from the Black Count's rule. Lily is a wonderful hero, kind and warm, brave and adventurous, but not perfect or overconfident. She also has doubts and worries, but always does what's right or what's needed. And, incredibly, she's a she! I love finding fantasy/adventure books for kids with a female protagonist who is an actual proper developed character.
The language is quite advanced but not confusing or overly complicated for kids, especially not older kids. The story was, as you'd expect, full of adventure and excitement and tense moments, but also really sweet moments, with a lovely happy ending. A few dark moments here and there but not too scary for younger kids. Importantly, although it's not a long book, nothing is dumbed down or missed out.
Honestly I can't say enough good things about this book (and series) and how genuinely amazed I am at how little known it is.
Find it, give it to your kids or read it with them. Definitely worth the effort.
This book itself is great - orphaned Lily discovers that she comes from a long line of dragon slayers and royal advisers when Ashby Water's evil rulers turn up and demand Lily slay a dragon that is threatening the town. Instead, Lily befriends the dragon and they set off on an adventure to find the town's missing Prince and free everyone from the Black Count's rule. Lily is a wonderful hero, kind and warm, brave and adventurous, but not perfect or overconfident. She also has doubts and worries, but always does what's right or what's needed. And, incredibly, she's a she! I love finding fantasy/adventure books for kids with a female protagonist who is an actual proper developed character.
The language is quite advanced but not confusing or overly complicated for kids, especially not older kids. The story was, as you'd expect, full of adventure and excitement and tense moments, but also really sweet moments, with a lovely happy ending. A few dark moments here and there but not too scary for younger kids. Importantly, although it's not a long book, nothing is dumbed down or missed out.
Honestly I can't say enough good things about this book (and series) and how genuinely amazed I am at how little known it is.
Find it, give it to your kids or read it with them. Definitely worth the effort.
Want to read
March 31, 2021This used to be probably my FAVORITE book series when I was around 8-10 years old. I remember it being so good!! (And so underrated.) I really hope I can re-read these soon! I have only fond memories of this sweet middle-grade series <3 <3
April 21, 2023
Second Rating: 5 / 5
I just love this book, in all the charm and loveliness that it contains! It's a series that I find myself coming back to time and time again, to experience Lily's adventures with Queen Dragon anew!
It's a humble start, true, but reading it this time around, I realized that there are quite a few adventurous elements to it, both in events that happen, as well as in character development for Lily and what she experiences. This time around, I look forward to going through the whole series, and going through all the dangers and perils alongside Lily and friends. Cheers!
Rating: 4.4 / 5
If I had to use one word to describe the Lily Quench series, I would say that it is charming. The setup of the plot is really quite interesting: an orphaned girl living under the oppression of fascism (a kid-friendly version of fascism though, like the Empire and First Order in the Star Wars franchise) is determined as being bound to slay dragons because she is descended from dragon slayers, but then instead befriends the first dragon she meets and embarks on a quest to free her kingdom from the fascist rule.
What makes the story interesting is the combination of all these different elements and individual plot aspects that would not ordinarily find themselves in the same universe--i.e. tanks and bazookas along with dragons and mystical oracles. It's just a really original combination of things that makes for an interesting world to explore, and, especially for kids, covers just about all the right areas of "awesome".
If there's the one thing I had to take off points for though, it's that the climax of this story is just a bit too rushed to really be well-developed. The story, characters, and world are all unique and some descriptions go more in-depth than others, but the climax feels as though there's just so much that the author wanted to get in there, but she was given a word count limit of sorts by publishers and just had to "get it over with" for the kids. I'm not sure if this is the reason, but it feels like it, as action after quick action just follows one after another, Bang, Bang, BANG, and there's not enough time left to linger on any of what's happening--and when you've got soldiers randomly firing bazookas, a wedding gone amiss, a coronation happening in the middle of everything, a revolt of factory workers, and all the while there's a dragon flying over everything, you're going to want more detail on where and how everything's happening, you know?
Apart from that though, I look fondly on this as the first Lily Quench book I read, my first intro into this spectacular world by Natalie Jane Prior. I loved it as a kid and I love it now.
I just love this book, in all the charm and loveliness that it contains! It's a series that I find myself coming back to time and time again, to experience Lily's adventures with Queen Dragon anew!
It's a humble start, true, but reading it this time around, I realized that there are quite a few adventurous elements to it, both in events that happen, as well as in character development for Lily and what she experiences. This time around, I look forward to going through the whole series, and going through all the dangers and perils alongside Lily and friends. Cheers!
Rating: 4.4 / 5
If I had to use one word to describe the Lily Quench series, I would say that it is charming. The setup of the plot is really quite interesting: an orphaned girl living under the oppression of fascism (a kid-friendly version of fascism though, like the Empire and First Order in the Star Wars franchise) is determined as being bound to slay dragons because she is descended from dragon slayers, but then instead befriends the first dragon she meets and embarks on a quest to free her kingdom from the fascist rule.
What makes the story interesting is the combination of all these different elements and individual plot aspects that would not ordinarily find themselves in the same universe--i.e. tanks and bazookas along with dragons and mystical oracles. It's just a really original combination of things that makes for an interesting world to explore, and, especially for kids, covers just about all the right areas of "awesome".
If there's the one thing I had to take off points for though, it's that the climax of this story is just a bit too rushed to really be well-developed. The story, characters, and world are all unique and some descriptions go more in-depth than others, but the climax feels as though there's just so much that the author wanted to get in there, but she was given a word count limit of sorts by publishers and just had to "get it over with" for the kids. I'm not sure if this is the reason, but it feels like it, as action after quick action just follows one after another, Bang, Bang, BANG, and there's not enough time left to linger on any of what's happening--and when you've got soldiers randomly firing bazookas, a wedding gone amiss, a coronation happening in the middle of everything, a revolt of factory workers, and all the while there's a dragon flying over everything, you're going to want more detail on where and how everything's happening, you know?
Apart from that though, I look fondly on this as the first Lily Quench book I read, my first intro into this spectacular world by Natalie Jane Prior. I loved it as a kid and I love it now.
April 17, 2021
Surprisingly moving and well written. A whimsical middle grade fantasy with a light touch and a warm heart.
May 24, 2016
a predictable yet likeable story of a young heroine. it was cute and the kids enjoyed it. Humour suited more for grade three or four girl. will likely read more of the series.
December 21, 2025
This was a random book that I somehow had a copy of from somewhere and had never read, but it seemed a good choice for our next read-aloud, and it very much was. From dragons and monkey kings to tanks and assassin squads, this book covered the gamut in content and was truly an interesting look at a more modern take on fantasy...I don't think I've ever read any other book where a dragon ate a convertible or with a grommet factory! The pace was good, with chapters predictably leaving the reader hanging - we definitely had a few nights where there wasn't enough time to read the whole next chapter, but we had to read just a little bit at the 6yo's insistence to find out what would happen. The book had some surprising twists and was really just a great adventure all around. So much so that we are about to start reading the second one!
May 13, 2017
i thought that it was a good start to the collection and i can't wait to see whats next the main charater was described well and i would recomed this book to over people but the thing that let the book down was a bad sence of plot it didn't know where it wanted to go thats why it is only a three out of 5
September 21, 2020
A friendly adventure story starring an ordinary little girl with a big destiny, and dragons! This is one of the earlier children's fantasies with a girl protagonist (esp rare for a dragon book), and should be welcomed on that point alone; but the story is also well-paced. Bonus delightfulness for librarian in-jokes (the author used to be a librarian).
December 16, 2023
I checked this book out because of its title with the hope that it would be a fun read for one of my kiddos. It's a wacky little of adventure, with excessively over exaggerated villains and plot devices--somewhat reminiscent of Roald Dahl. It's one that I think my kids will enjoy, so I'll be hunting down a copy for our own library.
October 8, 2017
Interessant hoofdfiguur en een beetje voorspelbaar plot, wat voor een kinderboek niet perse erg is. ALLEEN... ongelofelijk saai geschreven. Dit kan ook de deels aan Nederlandse vertaling liggen. Mijn dochter vroeg of ik wilde stoppen met voorlezen terwijl we al ergens na blz 75 waren.
April 29, 2021
Really fun adventure for the 7-10 crowd. Evil Count, invasion, missing Prince, dragons, oracles, orphaned girl, secret identity, dark and dank dungeon, pastor in chains, and a smelly, horrible grommet factory.
All the stock ingredients for a delicious traditional (more or less) adventure tale.
All the stock ingredients for a delicious traditional (more or less) adventure tale.
November 13, 2022
A fantasy adventure with a young girl as hero protagonist. In metaphoric style it echoes people's struggle against oppressive work conditions and pollution generated by industry controlled by the elite.
October 28, 2023
Essential to how I turned out as an autonomous human. Once a librarian told me that I could not continue taking our out of the library because it wasn’t giving other children the chance to read it. Would not change a thing.
March 1, 2021
muistan että oon tän lukenut, en vaan muista milloin🙈
Read
August 16, 2021A charming, quirky and very well written adventure brimming with colorful characters. It feels like kin to an Edward Eager or Raold Dahl novel, but with more bold female characters.
Read
March 22, 2026Louis made me read all his childhood favs, feels unfair to give a rating as a grown adult but my reading challenge is big this year so I will count it
November 18, 2013
Lily Quench by Natalie Jane Prior
This is perhaps one of the most obscure book series I have ever read. The only place I have ever come across them is in used book stores, even Amazon only sells already bought copies! This surprises me immensely because of how wonderful this series is. Written for older elementary school kids, the series has always captured my attention. I first came across them when I was in the appropriate age group and adored them, though I only had numbers 4-7. Recently I came across number 2 and 3 and so decided to re-read the series. (Only to discover I had misplaced 5…). Re-reading the series I was stunned to realize that these books still perfectly captured my attention though I am quickly entering my late teens. Though they may be children’s books they are written with more brilliance then half the adult books I read and I thoroughly believe that if these books were merged into one they could be an immensely popular teen book. Natalie Jane Prior does a wonderful job of creating dimensional characters and a unique mythology for the land in which Lily Quench lives, seeking to save her country countless times with the aid of her dragon friend. If you are to ever come across any of these books, do not hesitate to pick it up. You will sympathize for the fatherless count, struggling to regain his father’s empire because that’s what his father wanted to do when he died, though his father happened to be a man akin to Hitler. You will be horrified at the magicians who are consumed by greed and seek ends to horrifying to contemplate for long. Most of all you will be caught up in the mystery of the eye stones as it unravels before you over the last five books. And you will rejoice as in the final books a true resolution is reached. I cannot recommend these books highly enough. Overall, read them. Now.
5 Stars
This is perhaps one of the most obscure book series I have ever read. The only place I have ever come across them is in used book stores, even Amazon only sells already bought copies! This surprises me immensely because of how wonderful this series is. Written for older elementary school kids, the series has always captured my attention. I first came across them when I was in the appropriate age group and adored them, though I only had numbers 4-7. Recently I came across number 2 and 3 and so decided to re-read the series. (Only to discover I had misplaced 5…). Re-reading the series I was stunned to realize that these books still perfectly captured my attention though I am quickly entering my late teens. Though they may be children’s books they are written with more brilliance then half the adult books I read and I thoroughly believe that if these books were merged into one they could be an immensely popular teen book. Natalie Jane Prior does a wonderful job of creating dimensional characters and a unique mythology for the land in which Lily Quench lives, seeking to save her country countless times with the aid of her dragon friend. If you are to ever come across any of these books, do not hesitate to pick it up. You will sympathize for the fatherless count, struggling to regain his father’s empire because that’s what his father wanted to do when he died, though his father happened to be a man akin to Hitler. You will be horrified at the magicians who are consumed by greed and seek ends to horrifying to contemplate for long. Most of all you will be caught up in the mystery of the eye stones as it unravels before you over the last five books. And you will rejoice as in the final books a true resolution is reached. I cannot recommend these books highly enough. Overall, read them. Now.
5 Stars
September 24, 2009
The story is about a family of dragon slayers that have slayed dragons through generations. When Captain Zouche and Miss Moldavia look for Ursala Quench the greatesst dragon slayer of them all, Miss M. and Captain Zouche find out that Ursala is dead when they went to find Ursala at the Grommet Factory. Then, they met Lily, Ursula's grandaughter and found out that Lily is the only Quench left. Miss M. and Captain Zouche send Lily to slay the dragon and they have know idea that Lily has never slayed a dragon before. When Lily went to go slay the dragon, she became friends with the dragon. The story has many wonderful adventures. In the end, Ursula is................Gotta read it!
May 4, 2021
Did a childhood favourite book re-read!
This series has so many things I wish for in stories: dragons, royalty in disguise, political intrigue, magic, and an awesome female MC.
It was fun visiting this world again. I couldn’t remember anything from it before starting, save for a few scenes here and there. A true bonus, since I can’t remember much! So each book in the series will be a new adventure.
Reading during this pandemic has been hard form some reason. I can’t seem to focus on words much. If I stick to small, short reads like this, I may just be able to one day finish my yearly reading goal (to this day I still haven’t managed to 😅).
👩🏻🦰⚔️🐉☁️🏰🤴🏻
This series has so many things I wish for in stories: dragons, royalty in disguise, political intrigue, magic, and an awesome female MC.
It was fun visiting this world again. I couldn’t remember anything from it before starting, save for a few scenes here and there. A true bonus, since I can’t remember much! So each book in the series will be a new adventure.
Reading during this pandemic has been hard form some reason. I can’t seem to focus on words much. If I stick to small, short reads like this, I may just be able to one day finish my yearly reading goal (to this day I still haven’t managed to 😅).
👩🏻🦰⚔️🐉☁️🏰🤴🏻
May 5, 2008
I was dreading this one because I usually find these types of stories to be too flippant. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find a decently written tale here. A predictable, but likable, tale of a young woman from a long line of dragonslayers. Lily has never really known her heritage, so she is quite surprised when the Black Guard shows up demanding she kill the dragon on the town's grommet factory. Instead, Lily finds a friend, and with adventure to match, they end up saving the town of Ashby.
January 23, 2010
A young girl's world is shaken when her grandmother dies. The information about her ancestry and her destiny unfolds together. She finds out she is a "Quench" and the Quenches were dragon slayers. When the horrid men and women of power come to drag her off to do her duty, smashing her humble existance, her eyes are opened. She and Queen Dragon join forces to find the rightful king, crown him, and restore beauty and peace to their community. Something she never knew in her short life.
September 7, 2012
A really nice but sometimes it becomes scary.
Lily quench is a fearless quench-cornstalk if only she had not been a cornstalk then she would have killed the dragon of ashby(queen dragon).
Instead she eventually does not kill it but she makes friends with it
which leads to many amazing adventures.
Lily quench is a fearless quench-cornstalk if only she had not been a cornstalk then she would have killed the dragon of ashby(queen dragon).
Instead she eventually does not kill it but she makes friends with it
which leads to many amazing adventures.
October 7, 2024
Oh the nostalgia in this book!!! I saw these in a charity shop and instantly all the memories came running back. Reading this was so calming and honestly such a good book (probably made better by the nostalgia but I'm still giving 5 ⭐)
January 15, 2009
This was a cute book about a little girl who finds out that she is an important girl in her kingdom. She rides a dragon, saves the prince and the land. The humor is more advanced than an early grade reader. I'd suggest it for a 3rd-4th grade girl.
May 24, 2010
This chapter book involves a reluctant heroine who is thrust into adventure because of her lineage. It has some fun twists and turns and contains a setting that is part high fantasy and part modern idustrial. A light, fun hero quest.
January 19, 2013
Really enjoyed this story and tried to get my 3rd grade son to read it. I think it's great for boys or girls. A really fun, suspensful, cute chapter book. I'm hoping he'll still give it a chance. I loved it.
February 11, 2016
Rohkea orpotyttö, ystävällinen lohikäärme, kadonnut prinssi, kansaa orjuuttava pahishallitsija ja tämän ilkeät kätyrit. Kaksi jatko-osaa. Siinähän ne nyt ovat, aika näppärät ainekset peruskivaan lastenseikkailuun. Harrypotterin ekstalight-versio hyvin lukeville eka-toka-kolmasluokkalaisille.
December 5, 2016
Probably the only book i remember reading as a kid, and probably the book that made me love reading. Just got my hands on a copy and wow, still great. The story seems a lot more brutal than I remember, but then again childhood innocence.
April 14, 2008
This is a fun series for elementary age kids. My girls loved reading it with me. Lily is a spunky, brave girl who has great adventures!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews