Digory and the Lost King

Digory the reluctant dragon-slayer is back, although he's still not the fierce, competitive type! Now living in the palace with King Widget, the Queen and feisty Princess Enid, he manages to survive a jousting tournament, seizing victory in a desperate thumb-wrestling contest.

But then he and Enid face a larger challenge – a quest to find the King's missing brother, Wortle, and once again, there's a dragon involved, even it it is only a baby one.

Digory is a reassuring hero; his anxious worries are as challenging to him as his adventures. There is lots of humour - predictable but satisfying - and Beck's illustrations echo the fairy-tale elements McAllister weaves into this nicely paced story, which is perfect for newly confident readers.