an inspired concept, this is a funny and heartwarming tale of magic, family and friendship

Madge Reviews

This is a sumptuous start to a new series, bursting with energy and humour, yet tinged with the darker side of life too. There's a grumpy neighbour, aware but preoccupied parents, an eclectic group of friends, a strange gardening guide, nomenclature of dragon pets - so many facets all covered and explored. A perfect example of domesticity interrupted with a touch of magic. Dragon fruit will never look the same again!

Minerva Reads

Andy Shepherd's dragon-debut is an absolute delight and is just the very start to a series that I'm sure is going to be a roaring success. It's a series that - pardon the pun - I just want to drag-on and on and on!

The Reader Teacher

A hilarious rip-roaring adventure. Perfect for fans of Roald Dahl and Cressida Cowell

South Wales Evening Post

A warm-hearted debut... lovely, expressive, characterful

Sunday Times

The Boy Who Grew Dragons is one of those magical children's books that warms the cockles of your heart no matter what age you might be. It's fast, it's funny, it makes you feel good, and for the brief time, it takes to read its reassuring innocence comforts you into believing that everything is right with the world. This is Andy Shepherd's first book and she knocks it out of the park from page one

Starburst Magazine

a spectacular start to a new series

The Sun

[An] ingenious premise is brought to life with great skill and humour

The Scotsman

Shepherd delights in describing crazy situations, and the book's heartfelt message is one of care and friendship

Literary Review

Fantastic fire-breathing fun with wonderful illustrations by Sara Ogilvie, this is a lovely new series for anyone who ever wanted a pet dragon

WRD Magazine

A kind of Pete's Dragon with extra giggles, The Boy Who Grew Dragons takes on the rather hair-singeing challenges of finding that your grandad's garden has suddenly started sprouting fire-breathing mischief-makers and the illustrations by Sara Ogilvie really make it come alive

Waterstones Blog

charming [and] sublime

Event Magazine

Hilarious, warm and full of magic... featuring delightful line drawings

The Metro

My son and I really liked this. It's at heart a simple story, but has some rather charming elements. Tomas raises his baby dragon, keeping him a secret, though his little sister finds out and her precious little ways are rather adorable.Friends of course eventually become suspicious - especially when there's explosive dragon poo to be found in Tomas's school bag! One of our favourite scenes, I think. The scenes of baby Flicker causing mayhem are very much in line with the age group's humour

Nudge Book

Irresistible... everything you want in a book for a newly independent reader - tender realism, honouring children's inner feelings and anarchic magic, both beautiful and regrettable. Sara Ogilvie's illustrations capture both enchantment and stench... A modern classic

The Guardian

A proper children's book... the humour and Sara Ogilvie's illustrations are just right

New Statesman

The story is a heartwarming account of one boy's struggle to look after a mythical creature whilst juggling the reality of life at school and at home with lots of laugh-out-loud funny moments and peppered with bold illusstrations that will keep young readers enthralled

The School Librarian

A wonderfully whimsical story that's fast, funny and full of feel-good moments

Creative Bloq

Funny and Imaginative

The Week Junior

A triumphant finish to a series that gives young readers dragon-sized helpings of pleasure and fun

- Love Reading, Love Reading

The book explodes with rippling, vivid colour and a sense of the adventure to come even before the very first chapter begins.

- Reading Zone, Reading Zone

<p><b>The Boy Who Sang With Dragons</b> featured on <i>Waterstones'</i> article 'Best Paperbacks of 2021 for 5-8 Year Olds'</p>

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