Title The Wooden Dragon Series --- Author Joan Aiken Illustrator Bee Willey Publisher Red Fox - 2004 First Printing Red Fox - 2004 Category Children Warnings None Main Characters Window, Handle Main Elements Dragons Website joanaiken.com

This is the story of lame Window and her sailor brother, Handle, who live in a small house in a wooded hollow. Each autumn, when the leaves fall from the trees, the little house is buried right up to its bedroom windows, so each year Handle must sweep the leaves away. But one day, Handle breaks the news that he must go away on an extra long trip. Window is sad, and desperately worried that she cannot survive without him. Before he leaves for the harbor, however, Handle gives Window a little wooden dragon and promises his sister that the dragon will look after her. And so the little dragon sits on a corner shelf, growing dusty, and waits for the time when he can come to Window’s aid.

An unusual tale about a little lame girl named Window whose brother Handel was taking care of her. But he had to leave on a long trip and Window worried that if he wasn't back by autumn that with her bad leg, she wouldn't be able to rake up the leaves. As she lives inside a tree, this is a big problem. Handle leaves her a wooden dragon he carves but she misses her brother so much she forgets about it till one night she hears him crying, all covered with dust, and then a little magic ensues.

The artwork was perfect for this book, a soft edge, dream-like feel to it. A very lovely book overall.