Dragonfly Song – Wendy Orr, Pajama Press, (9781772780376), 2017
Format: Hardcover
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5
Genre: Fantasy
What did you like about the book? Aissa is born with two thumbs, which causes her mother, the Lady, to question whether she is pleasing to the goddess. Dad slices off the extra thumbs to solve the problem but he dies soon after so there is no one to intercede for Aissa. Her mother decides that she should be thrown off the cliff. Fortunately the wise woman, Kelya, secretly takes the baby to live in the country instead of being killed. For four years, Aissa is loved as a member of this family until raiders arrive and kill the men. Aissa’s mother hides her in the mountains telling her not to speak a word. The mother and sister are taken as slaves. When Aissa is found she is taken to the kingdom where she was born and becomes No-name, a slave who cleans the privies, gets little to eat and is abused by just about everyone. She is cast out of the kingdom when she is 12 and only survives by using her wits and learning from the people of the forest. This is a fascinating story, well-told. The kingdom is so realistically drawn that it feels more like history than fantasy.
Anything you did not like about this book? Not a thing.
To whom would you recommend this book? Give this to kids who like to root for the underdog, who like fantasy kingdoms and you could also give them The Moor Child by Eloise McGraw.
Who should buy this book? Public, Middle school and Elementary school libraries
Where would you shelve it? Juvenile fiction/Middle school fiction
Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Very, very near
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Moderator, Youth Services Book Review
Date of review: 1/12/2018
Youth Services Book Review 
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