Author & Illustrators
If you have read ‘The Boy Who Grew Dragons’ or any of the books in the series, you will love this Christmas adventure with favourite characters from Andy Shepherd’s series and, obviously, lots of dragons. If the series is new to you or your class, then this book would be a good ‘taster’ and introduction to the charming and popular series.
Tomas’ problem-solving has to take centre stage when the car and then the wheelbarrow become snowbound, threatening the delivery of presents. The team of Tomas, Lolli, Grandad and the dragons have to work together as well as use a good a handful of dragon magic!
The illustrations by Sarah Warburton provide a real Christmas feast to explore – each page is crammed with detail from the different dragons to the snow scenes and the inside of Grandad’s shed. If you are reading this book aloud (and this book cries out to be read aloud), you’ll find that the book captures the festive spirit of giving alongside a good dose of dragon mischief and charm.
This offers lots of opportunity for a class to discuss the nature of cooperation, the need to overcome problems and a chance to talk about children’s own experiences of this time of year.
Andy Shepherd, bestselling author of The Boy Who Grew Dragons, returns with another enchanting story in The Wood Where Magic Grows.
This beautifully written tale follows Iggy as he adjusts to big changes — moving house and learning to live with his new stepbrother, Cal. But when the boys begin exploring their garden, they discover that the mysterious wood at the end holds secrets beyond their wildest dreams.
Rich with nature imagery and magical surprises, this story is bursting with awe and wonder. Fans of Shepherd’s previous work will feel right at home with the familiar tone, engaging vocabulary, and heartfelt themes of friendship, family, and discovery. It’s a perfect pick for children who love imaginative adventures grounded in relatable emotions.
A gentle, magical story that draws readers to the joys of the natural world, inspires discussion and encourages children to never stop being curious.
Here at BooksForTopics HQ, we’ve been fans of this super series since we were first charmed by Tomas and his dragon-tree in the first book. Now, in book 5, the series draws to a close, but we’re happy to say that this final instalment provides the perfect ending to Tomas’ adventures.
Five books into the series, Tomas is quite the expert when it comes to dealing with dragons. Having nursed the baby dragons in secret, learned to deal with exploding poo, figured out top tips to hide scorch marks and worked out what to do with friends that want their own dragons too, you’d think that Tomas has everything sussed by now. There’s just one last piece of the dragon-shaped puzzle to fall into place – this time involving a new friend with long-standing links to the dragons. As ever, Tomas’ beloved Grandad is never far away with some toffee, a listening ear and a few words of wisdom to steer Tomas on the right path.
There’s so much to love about this series. The stories are filled with humour and heart in equal measure, making for a warm and enjoyable read with plenty to think about but nothing to scare young readers. I’ve always enjoyed the pleasure that the relationship with the baby dragon brings to Tomas, and any reader who has ever nurtured a plant, pet or person will find Tomas’s sense of joy relatable and comforting. Also heart-warming are the family dynamics between Tomas and his younger sister Lolli as well as with his Grandad, who first inspires him to engage in gardening. Tomas is a great model for showing how young people can apply curiosity and creativity to the process of growing and nurturing plants and see ‘magic’ in the endeavour.
Coupled with charming illustrations by Sara Ogilvie, this early chapter book series makes a fantastic choice for newly confident readers just taking off with independent reading and it will also go down a storm as an entertaining read-aloud in Years 2-4.
2021 Teachers’ Favourite: KS1 Best Classroom Read-Aloud
There’s so much to love about this series. The stories are filled with humour and heart in equal measure, making for a warm and enjoyable read with plenty to think about but nothing to scare young readers. We’ve always enjoyed the warm relationship between the baby dragon and main character Tomas, and any reader who has ever nurtured a plant, pet or person will find Tomas’s sense of joy relatable and comforting. Tomas is a great model for showing how young people can apply curiosity and creativity to the process of growing and nurturing living things, while seeing ‘magic’ in the endeavour.
Imaginative and charming, The Boy Who Grew Dragons is a wonderfully whimsical story that kept me smiling the whole way through. The first in a series, this hugely entertaining adventure about a small boy and his pet dragon makes a super read-aloud for Year 3.
Tomas is busy in the garden with Grandad, planning which fruits to grow that might be turned into delicious jams or tarts. When Tomas stumbles across a strange tree with curious-looking fruit, he never expects that what might emerge from the fruit is a real live dragon! This is an adventure that is humorous at every turn, but also full of heart. Tomas is a great positive role model for showing how young people can apply curiosity and creativity to the process of growing and nurturing plants and see ‘magic’ in the course.
Coupled with charming illustrations by Sara Ogilvie, this early chapter book makes a fantastic choice for newly confident readers just taking off with independent reading and it will also go down a storm as an entertaining story choice.
review
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Year group(s) the book is most suitable for:
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Does the book contain anything that teachers would wish to know about before recommending in class (strong language, sensitive topics etc.)?
Would you recommend the book for use in primary schools?
yes
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Curriculum links (if relevant)
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