The Broken Dragon
by Karen McCombie, illustrated by Anneli Bray
Interest age: 6 to 8
Reading age: 7+
Published by Barrington Stoke, 2023
About this book
When Tyra moves in with Nan, they love to visit charity shops in search of hidden treasures and are always delighted if they find anything dragon-related, as Tyra adores dragons. Despite her exuberant personality, Tyra feels anxious about starting her new school. She worries that her classmates will think she’s too bouncy or weird, just like they did in her last school. When Nan gives her an exquisite china dragon to celebrate her first day, Tyra has a great idea: she’ll take it to school and everyone will be so impressed that they will want to be her friend. Unfortunately, in her haste to show it off, Tyra drops the dragon and watches in dismay as it smashes into pieces. Luckily, Tyra’s teacher has a wonderful suggestion to make everything better.
This heart-warming tale sensitively explores the anxieties of starting a new school and trying to fit in, beautifully demonstrating the importance of kindness and inclusivity. The book has many specialist features designed to help dyslexic and reluctant readers, such as a special font to help avoid confusing letter shapes and short chapters to build confidence and stamina. Dynamic black-and-white illustrations perfectly capture the energy and emotion of the tale.
About the author
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