I’ve been doing a lot with dragons lately and in honor of my new book Dragons are Real (see the end of this post for the scoop) so I thought I’d share a few of our favorite dragon reads from our favorite dragon library.

I started this recently with my Dragons are Real booklist for Beginning Readers and the more I dug, the more amazing dragon books I found! You may not know this but Dragons love to read and are actually book hoarders. So if you’re missing a book, there’s a good chance a dragon took it. 

So going forward, we’re operating on the premise here that Dragons are Real. I should know because I’ve had my very own dragon friend since I was 7.

Edgy Dragon Books for Middle-Grade Readers

Dragon’s Beware ( The Chronicles of Claudette) by Jorge Aguirre and Rafael Rosado

Scrappy Claudette sets out once again with her pal Marie and her little brother Gaston to right wrongs and fight evil. And this time, it’s personal. Claudette is out to get the dragon who ate her father’s legs…and his legendary sword. But as usual, nothing is as simple as it seems, and Claudette is going to need Marie and Gaston’s help more than ever.

Funny, fast, inventive, and high-energy storytelling !!!

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley

This is an incredible read! In Robin McKinley’s Newbery Medal-winning novel, an outcast princess must earn her birthright as a hero of the realm. Aerin is an outcast in her own father’s court, daughter of the foreign woman who, it was rumored, was a witch, and enchanted the king to marry her.

She makes friends with her father’s lame, retired warhorse, Talat, and discovers an old, overlooked, and dangerously imprecise recipe for dragon-fire-proof ointment in a dusty corner of her father’s library. Two years, many canter circles to the left to strengthen Talat’s weak leg, and many burnt twigs (and a few fingers) secretly experimenting with the ointment recipe later, Aerin is present when someone comes from an outlying village to report a marauding dragon to the king. Aerin slips off alone to fetch her horse, her sword, and her fireproof ointment . . .

But modern dragons, while formidable opponents fully capable of killing a human being, are small and accounted vermin. There is no honor in killing dragons. The great dragons are a tale out of ancient history.

That is, until the day that the king is riding out at the head of an army. A weary man on an exhausted horse staggers into the courtyard where the king’s troop is assembled: “The Black Dragon has come . . . Maur, who has not been seen for generations, the last of the great dragons, great as a mountain. Maur has awakened.”

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

With a lonely boy named Ben on board, the brave young dragon Firedrake sets out on a magical journey to find the mythical place where silver dragons can live in peace forever. Flying over moonlit lands and sparkling seas, they encounter fantastic creatures, summon up surprising courage–and cross the path of a ruthless villain with an ancient grudge who’s determined to end their quest. Only a secret destiny can save the dragons in this enchanting adventure about the true meaning of home.

Dragon Trail (The Menagerie #2) By Tui T. Sutherland and Kari Sutherland

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Wings of Fire series, Tui T. Sutherland, and her sister, Kari Sutherland, comes the second exciting adventure in the Menagerie trilogy! Combining the magic of Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven series and the charm and humor of Carl Hiaasen, The Menagerie #2: Dragon on Trial is perfect for young readers who love myths, fairy tales, and fantastic creatures.

Someone or something has murdered the goose who laid the golden eggs, and the evidence points to a dragon named Scratch. Zoe and Logan are back on the case—but this mystery won’t be that easy to solve….

Anni Moon and the Elemental Artifact by Melanie Abed illustrated by Hisham Abed

Fantasy, adventure, and mystery collide in this coming of age fantasy series. Readers agree. It’s perfect for all kids who are looking to get lost in a magical world filled with charm and wonder, brought to you from the humorous and whimsical mind of Melanie Abed.

Anni Moon doesn’t know about Elementals, Funk, Zephyrs, excited talking Bat-Rat creatures, or least of all, Dragons, but when her best friend, Lexi, is kidnapped, the girls are torn apart, left to their own separate quests.

Follow Anni and Lexi as they are thrown into a world of mystery where Elementals travel through trees, acquire Opus Stones when they come of age, and all the while fight off Funk, a most dreaded and vile force engineered by the evil Fectus. Learn about the fantastical Elemental realms; buckle your seatbelt for an adventure-packed thrill ride as Anni and Lexi face off against mutant creatures, griffins, witches, and demon ghosts. Enjoy this incredible journey as two ordinary girls transform themselves from simple orphans to Elemental heroes overnight.

Dragon Run by Patrick Matthews

Testing Day is supposed to be a day of celebration for Al Pilgrommor. Born into a wealthy family, he expects to follow in his successful father’s footsteps. Of course, that all depends on the rank number Al receives at the testing. The higher the rank he has tattooed onto his neck, the better his life will be.

To his surprise and horror, Al is revealed to be rank zero, the lowest of the low. He’s now not only an outcast – he’s also a danger to his entire family. So Al goes on the run, fleeing the brutal Cullers, men who hunt down zeroes . . . and put them to death.

Cast out of his home, cut off from his friends, and armed with only a sword and his wits, Al is reduced to just surviving. As he meets other outcasts, however, he begins to suspect that he is a pawn in a larger game – and that he might have the power to tip the scales in a high-stakes struggle between man and dragon.

The Dragons of Ordinary Farm by Tad Williams and Deborah Beale

Tyler and Lucinda have to spend summer vacation with their ancient uncle Gideon, a farmer. They think they’re in for six weeks of cows, sheep, horses, and pigs. But when they arrive in deserted Standard Valley, California, they discover that Ordinary Farm is, well, no ordinary farm.

The bellowing in the barn comes not from a cow but from a dragon. The thundering herd in the valley? Unicorns. Uncle Gideon’s sprawling farmhouse never looks the same twice. Plus, there’s a flying monkey, a demon squirrel, and a barn-load of unlikely farmhands with strange accents and even stranger powers.

At first, the whole place seems like a crazy adventure. But when darker secrets begin to surface and Uncle Gideon and his fabulous creatures are threatened, Lucinda and Tyler have to pull together to take action. Will two ordinary kids be able to save the dragons, the farm—and themselves?

Fluff Dragon by Platte F. Clark

Dubbed “deviously enjoyable” by Publishers Weekly, the second book in the hilarious Bad Unicorn trilogy features killer unicorns, good dragons, rogue fire kittens, and a boy who just might be a wizard.

After defeating a killer unicorn and saving a universe, all Max and his friends want to do is go home. Instead, Max discovers that the Codex of Infinite Knowability has stopped working. He can’t use it to get home until he reboots it. The problem is that in order to reboot the book, he’s going to have to carry it into the heart of Rezormoor Dreadbringer’s Wizard’s Tower. Since Dreadbringer has been hunting Max and the book across time and space, getting in may be easy, but getting out will be another story.

Max will just have to find a way to sneak into the tower, avoid the guards, escape Dreadbringer’s clutches, and figure out exactly where inside the tower the Codex was created. No problem…right?!

The Girl, the Dragon, and the Wild Magic by Dave Luckett

Rhianna is failing out of magic school. She’s rather clumsy, even though she tries really hard. After she causes her biggest mess ever, a wizard appears with some astonishing news – Rhianna’s magic is, in fact, stronger than anyone else’s. She’s a Wild Talent, which means that she possesses a pure form of magic that is full of power and energy. The hitch? Well, it’s very hard to control the wild magic. And it tends to suck up all the other magic around it. So when a dragon comes to town, it’s up to Rhianna to save the day . . . if she can.

The Last Dragon Slayer by Jasper Fforde

n the good old days, magic was indispensable. But now magic is fading: Drain cleaner is cheaper than a spell, and magic carpets are used for pizza delivery. Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Strange runs Kazam, an employment agency for magicians—but it’s hard to stay in business when magic is drying up. And then the visions start, predicting the death of the world’s last dragon at the hands of an unnamed Dragonslayer. If the visions are true, everything will change for Kazam—and for Jennifer.

Dragon of Avalon Book 6 Merlin by T.A. Barron

In the years after Fincayra disappears and Merlin has been sent wandering, a young lizard-like creature, with the wings of a bat and the magical power to produce any smell it encounters, is born into the new world of Avalon. The unlikely hero—Basil, he is called—cannot find a single creature like itself nor a person who can tell him what he is. But it is clear that Basil is much more than he seems when he stumbles into an encounter with the great Merlin, saving his child’s life, then uncovers a secret plot by the evil Rhita Gawr. It’s a race against time and across Avalon as Basil, with the help of the faithful wind sister Ailah, searches for the great wizard to warn him.

The Last Dragon by Jane Yolen

Master storyteller Jane Yolen (Owl Moon, Sword of the Rightful King) and celebrated fantasy artist Rebecca Guay (Swamp Thing, Magic: The Gathering) weave a textured and lyrical tale of adventure, homelands, and heroism the hard way.

Two hundred years ago, humans drove the dragons from the islands of May. Now, the last of the dragons rises to wreak havoc anew with only a healer’s daughter and a kite-flying-would-be hero standing in its way. A compelling coming of age fantasy with exquisite fully painted art!

Dragon’s Milk (The Dragon Chronicle) by Susan Fletcher

“You must go to the dragon. You must leave tonight.”

Before she even hears the words, Kaeldra already knows what she must do. She must search out the mother dragon whose draclings have just hatched and somehow get some of her precious milk. It’s the only way to save her foster-sister’s life. Kaeldra would rather not go. It’s much too terrifying, much too dangerous. But Kaeldra knows that she’s the only one who can do it. For she is the only one who can actually communicate with dragons.

But little does Kaeldra know what she’s getting into. She’s about to begin a journey that will entwine her fate with that of three little draclings and one would-be dragonslayer. A journey the will become a struggle for life.

Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons by Dr. Ernest Drake

Do you believe in dragons? Now, for the first time, the long-lost research of renowned nineteenth-century dragonologist Dr. Ernest Drake is presented in all its eccentric glory, happily bridging the gap between dragon legend and fact. The meticulous Dr. Drake assigns Latin names to various dragon species, ruminates on why dragons are able to speak, speculates on how they could fly, and explains the true purpose of their notorious hoarding habits. Here are just a few of DRAGONOLOGY’S fascinating features:

The Dragonology Handbook” A Practical Course in Dragons by Dr. Ernest Drake

Attention, devoted dragonology students! How many classic riddles do you know that could help you survive a dragon encounter? What dragon species attacks its victims with a “frosty blast” instead of a jet of flame? Which historical questions should you ask a dragon in order to estimate its age? Can you write your name using only dragon runes? Contained in this beautifully designed, comprehensive coursebook are invisibility spells to memorize, charts to complete, maps to shade in, matching exercises to do, journal entries to write, experiments to conduct, even instructions for making a dragon attractor.

Snuggle in and READ!

Now Available on Amazon!

My vibrant picture book, Dragons are Real is available on the Audrey Press website and Amazon!

SO…what if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths, and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG. What if I told you that Dragons are indeed Real and that they are different than you’ve ever imagined?
This fairly true story is based on the author’s childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon; a very special Dragon that she and her brother spent two magical summers with.

As readers turn the pages and learn the truth about Dragons, they will see that the fiercest beasts in known history can actually be the best of friends. It’s a lesson in finding companionship in the most unusual of places. Dragons are Real is a magical book filled with stunning illustrations and hints that dragons are indeed all around us.

PLUS…you can get a special holiday deal on Dragons and ALL of Audrey Press\’s books right now!

One of the many results of being in business for almost a decade is being able to offer a wide range of beautiful books thanks to the many authors that we\’ve worked with over the years,

The result is an extensive Audrey Press catalog of quality books that includes titles for the whole family!

Urban Fantasy, Non-fiction Business, How-To, Spirituality and Travel, Parenting and Coaching, Children\’s Picture Books, and Middle Reader Activity and Screen-Free Learning–YES…we have something for everyone.

So for the 2020 holiday season, everyone at Audrey Press would like to offer a gift-buying perk in the form of a very unique 10 BOOK BUNDLE plus a very special COUPON CODE!

This bundle covers so many genres, it like 10 gifts with ONCE CLICK. So if you are looking for books to use as gifts, this bundle has children\’s picture books, YA, non-fiction business, non-fiction sports and health, travel, spirituality, suspense, romance, urban thriller, and activities for the whole family. #Winner

During the month of November and December, use Coupon Code SAVE25 at checkout to save 25% on orders over $50!

This special Holiday 10-book Bundle Deal includes one paperback or hardcover copy of the following books:

• The Ascension Trilogy-Ascension, Clandestine, and Reclamation by Hannah Rials (YA, Urban Fantasy)
• Two-Year Waitlist: An Entrepreneurial Guide for Music Teachers by Noreen Wenjen (Non-fiction Business)
• Pilgrimage: A Modern Seeker’s Guide by Evans Bowen (Spirituality and Travel)
• HOW TO COACH GIRLS by Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley (Parenting and Coaching)
• The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide by Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley (Parenting and Coaching)
• Sissy Goes Tiny by Rebecca Flansburg and BA Norrgard (Hardcover Children\’s Picture Book)
• Dragons Are Real by Valarie Budayr (Children\’s Picture Book)
• A Year in the Secret Garden by Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters (Middle Reader Activity and Screen-Free Learning)