Heartwarming, coming-of-age, first chapter book for young readers. Includes the main character dealing with drama with a friend, an admirer, and a teacher, and it handles all of them well.
My one complaint was a delayed acceptance of responsibility for the main character’s actions either from the narration or main character’s perspectives - that’s confusing to young readers and required clarification. ( )

Magic

While this indicates a 2019 read date, I have since read it every year.
I read this book a bunch when I was in fifth grade. I cannot emphasize how much the ending made cry every time. I wanted a dragon really really badly especially after reading this originally. I even tried to find a magic shop in the suburbs and thought if I wished hard enough, I'd find it. After all, I was bullied regularly at school and home and was convinced I kind of deserved a magic shop to help me and a dragon to protect me. Needless to say, there was no Mr Elives' shop, but there was a New Age shop I frequented and many items I yearned for. No dragon eggs, though. I don't remember what got me to reread this now as an adult. It was just as wonderful in a lot of ways. Lindsay Ellis remarked in one of her videos that there's a desire from current audiences for more complex stories, and it's how I felt reading this. It's a good story all around; I just wanted it to be longer and go into more depth. Jeremy seemed--not like a thirteen-year-old. He had his moments, but overall--eh. Too perfect of a kid. Dr Thatcher was an interesting stereotype of the goofy dad. I was--glad he could find humor in a ruined dinner party, I guess, and I definitely wondered how he approached the business deal afterward. Mrs Thatcher was a barely-there character, but I recognized her as the sterner parent right away. The dynamics must have been interesting. Mary-Lou was a massive creep and I was so unhappy with her and the double-standard the author was perpetuating. Miss Priest was my favorite character above all. Every time she was on the page, my heart warmed. Mr Elives was so interesting all over again, and I really wondered about their backstories and connections. I absolutely loved and marveled at the illustrations ever moment in this book, and have always been awed by the cover. It was -wonderful- to rediscover it again as an adult. I'm glad I got to read this again. ( )

I find the familiar format of these books to be extremely comforting, yet at the same time the different stories are unique and original. I love Jeremy and his dragon, and also his father who sounds great. ( )

This is the book that essentially started my unending love for fantasy, and it's still magical that way. This is definitely a book for children: there's no real villains or evil or anything else that might be deemed disturbing. Rather, it focuses entirely around a boy and the dragon that has become his to care for, all wrapped in a beautiful story-arc about the fate of dragons and the bonds they share with those who help get them ready to go home. The magic is mostly subtle, but ever-present nonetheless, while the dragon and its abilities serve as a powerful early introduction to the wonder of fantasy reading. This is definitely one I'd still keep on hand for the children of today. ( )