Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke

Rating: * (1 star out of 3 possible, "C")

Recommended with Reservations

Audience: 3rd graders and up

What did I do all summer? I really did read a lot of kids' books and I will get my reviews in here soon. When reviewing a series, I prefer to read at least 2 titles before making a recommendation, so that is some of the delay in my posts.

My 4th grader has been eager to know if Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke would be appropriate for her. Actually, she's been asking since 3rd grade, so I am a little behind. I do recommend this book with some cautions for 3rd graders and up.

Mainly this is a harmless, magical tale of a homeless boy on a journey around the globe to rescue a dragon. Along the way, the boy (Ben) encounters Arabian culture (with a helpful djinn or genie) and Asian culture where dragons are considered good luck. Of course, Asian culture tends to be polytheistic and includes the possibility of reincarnation.

Reincarnation is mentioned briefly three times in the book: "These people believe we all live many lives on this planet." There is no value judgment placed on this or other beliefs; it is simply stated as background for Asian culture, which is an accurate portrayal. By that I mean, the author does not try to sway readers to adopt this belief.

For Christian families it would be reasonable to read this book while discussing differences between Eastern and Western cultures, their views of dragon mythology and the biblical account of life after death. Remind your children of the truth of Hebrews 9:27-28 and the hope this provides for all cultures.

I also hope to work up a review on Cornelia Funke's better known titles Inkheart, Inkspell an Inkdeath. Many times an author's later books reveal more of their personal philosophy as well as more mature themes. A recommendation of one book does not guarantee a blanket recommendation for others by the same author. If you have a perceptive child who anticipates reading everything by Funke after they sample Dragon Rider, warn them that might not be the case for your family.