Title Merlin and the Dragons Series --- Author Jane Yolen Cover Art Li Ming Publisher Puffin Books - 1998 First Printing --- Category Children Warnings None Main Characters Merlin, King Arthur Main Elements Dragons, Wizards, King Arthur

Can Merlin's dream of fire-breathing dragons end King Arthur's nightmares?

Waking from a frightening dream on a rainy night, young King Arthur woners if he deserves to be king at all. He seeks out the company of Merlin, the old magician, who tells Arthur the story of another boy, Emrys, and of the cruel King Vortigern, for whom Emrys' dreams of fierce dragons would come to fiery life. And waiting for Arthur at the end of Merlin's tale is a most important surprise - one that can answer all of the boy king's questions.

I first found out about this book years ago on a television show that encouraged reading. What the show was called I no longer recall (it was not Reading Rainbow), but the story I remembered. It took me a long time to find it, but when I did it was worth the wait. This book is beautifully illustrated by Li Ming. Its one of my favorite tales from the Arthurian legend and its presented in such a way that both children and adults can enjoy it.