fantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsfantasy book reviews science fiction book reviewsThe Dragon of Doom by Bruce Coville

When Moongobble the magician moves to town, Edward is eager to become his new apprentice. It turns out, though, that Moongobble isn’t much of a magician after all — every time he tries a spell, he ends up turning something into cheese. In fact, he’s about to lose his authority to practice magic if he can’t prove himself proficient by completing three difficult tasks. The first task is to steal some special acorns from the Dragon of Doom, so Moongobble and Edward set off with Urk, the pessimistic talking toad, and the Rusty Knight, who’s nearly deaf, to find the dragon’s cave.

This short children’s novel provided my girls and me with an hour’s worth of delightful entertainment. We listened to the charming version produced by Full Cast Audio. (It was available for free download from our library’s Overdrive subscription, but if you don’t have that, it’s available for $2.95 at Audible.) As we listened to The Dragon of Doom, we laughed together often because Bruce Coville’s sense of humor is appealing to both children and adults.

At the end of The Dragon of Doom, Moongobble, with Edward’s help, has completed his first task. The second task will be introduced in the next volume of MOONGOBBLE AND ME, The Weeping Werewolf. My library doesn’t have that one on audio, so I’ve purchased it at Audible.

Here’s what my daughters said about The Dragon of Doom:

Tali, age 9: “The Dragon of Doom had a lot of suspense and a lot of exciting events and it was very funny. That’s why I liked it.”

Petra, age 6: “The Dragon of Doom was good!”

Moongobble and Me — (2003-2008) Ages 9-12. Publisher: Edward is bored with life in the little town of Pigbone. Then Moongobble the Magician and his faithful toad, Urk, move into the cottage on the hill. Soon Edward has a job helping Moongobble. And Moongobble needs a lot of help because it turns out, he is not a very good magician. (His spells keep turning things into cheese!) Edward has never been so busy — or so happy. But then someone threatens to stop Moongobble from ever casting another spell. Edward can’t let that happen. He’ll do anything to save his friend’s magic — even face the deadly, dreaded Dragon of Doom! Funny and suspenseful, spiced with Bruce Coville’s special brand of wackiness and Katherine Coville’s warm, witty illustrations, this book is sure to cast a spell of delight on beginning readers.

Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork Bruce Coville Moongobble and Me 1. The Dragon of Doom 2. The Weeping Werewolf 3. The Evil Elves 4. The Mischief Monster 5. The Naughty Nork

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  • Kat Hooper

    KAT HOOPER, who started this site in June 2007, earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience and psychology at Indiana University (Bloomington) and now teaches and conducts brain research at the University of North Florida. When she reads fiction, she wants to encounter new ideas and lots of imagination. She wants to view the world in a different way. She wants to have her mind blown. She loves beautiful language and has no patience for dull prose, vapid romance, or cheesy dialogue. She prefers complex characterization, intriguing plots, and plenty of action. Favorite authors are Jack Vance, Robin Hobb, Kage Baker, William Gibson, Gene Wolfe, Richard Matheson, and C.S. Lewis.

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