Cute book, well written- about 4th -6th grade level. Very good read. Entertaining.

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I loved this book! I can't wait for my kids to read it. I was looking for a introduction into fantasy for my kids that was not too scary and would hold their attention. IT has a great story plot and just enough action. A must read!

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This is a well-written, exciting story of a homeless boy who befriends a dragon and joins him on his quest to find a home safe from humans. There are many exciting adventures and mythical beasts, without the darkness and fear factor of Harry Potter and other fantasy books for older readers.

A great read-aloud for the 7-10 year old audience!

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I liked the story, but I wasn't extremely impressed with the book. Some of the events just seemed to happen a little too smoothly (they'd meet exactly the type of person/creature they needed at exactly the moment they realized they had a need).

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It is a very fun read full of mysteries and much more!

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Standard fare for a children's adventure story

A jolly children's book that adults can enjoy too - if they accept the book for what it is (a book aimed at children) & don't expect what it isn't (the next classic, or something like Inkheart).

Nobody complains that the Hardy Boys are flat & lack character development or follow a troupe (though all those are true) Nor are similar complaints lodged against the Redwall series. For these are books designed for children. Indeed Dragon Rider could be straight from Redwall - make the dragon a badger, the human a mouse, and the brownie a mole & you're practically there, for it is the Redwall kindof troupe that is followed: lots of excitement, seeing new places, a villain that isn't too scary, & quest fulfillment. The length (500 odd pages) goes by quickly. This would make a great read aloud book. I prefer the Redwall books to this one simply because Redwall lacks humans & is easier to believe than placing the fantasy squarely in our world. This book may be nothing to write home about, but it sits squarely in the vein of adventurous children's literature.

The fold out map is neat, but does include all of the markings the map they used in the book, which was a disappointment.

A note for parents who care - humans at large are seen as bad, though some, the creatures realize, are not bad at all. Also, reincarnation is postulated as a plausible possibility, though it and the afterlife are not a focus of the book - the mention is more of a side note.

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Here's a review by my daughter who read the book for "Battle of the Books" in school. She is in 6th grade:
I had a hard time getting through the book because I could predict what was going to happen. The characters were okay but not inspiring or amazing. It's a good book for an 8-10 year old.

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I read it for Book Club. Awesome book!

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This is a fun little read for the young. Firedrake, a silver dragon; Sorrel, a forest brownie; and Ben, a human boy embark on a trip to find a new home for the dragons whose valley is threatened by a dam that will flood it land bury their cave homes. This book details their adventures on this journey.

The adventures are haunted by the occasional appearance of the dragons' old enemy, a golden dragon named Nettlebrand, who eats other dragons. They have discovered that they are accompanied by a spy, Twigleg, who had reported to Nettlebrand until he confesses. Can they find the Rim of Heaven, the original home of the dragons and save the dragons whose home is about to be flooded? Can they avoid the ancient enemy of the dragons?

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