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Darwin’s Dragons

Book Synopsis

How to Train Your Dragon meets Robinson Crusoe in this high-flying dragon adventure from Lindsay Galvin!

Syms Covington has landed the job of a lifetime – cabin boy and fiddler on Charles Darwin’s Beagle – but when he is separated from the crew during a storm, his life takes a truly extraordinary turn.

Shipwrecked on a Galapagos island, he makes a discovery that could change the world – and make his fortune. But should he share his find, or will it lead to the extinction of a legendary species?

There’s one person who could help, but he’s busy writing a book …

Based on a true story and Charles Darwin’s real journal!

Perfect for fans of Cornelia Funke’s Dragon Rider or Cressida Cowell’s How to Train Your Dragon series.

Effortlessly blends exciting adventure with a rip-roaring historical story and non-fiction elements.

Our Review Panel says...

Exciting and original historical fiction charting the discoveries of a cabin boy aboard Charles Darwin’s Beagle in 1831. Syms Covington finds himself stranded on an island in the middle of the Galapagos, separated from the crew of the Beagle with whom he had been travelling as a cabin boy before a storm hit. To make things worse, there is a huge beast threatening his survival on the island. Not just any huge beast – but a dragon. A fire-breathing, very real dragon. Syms will need to use everything he can think of to survive, as well as a little help from an unlikely friend.

As well as curriculum links to evolution and the work of Darwin, the story also explores the ethics of dealing with creatures both familiar and unknown as humans go about exploring animal habitats.

This book is available on these booklists:

Victorians Topic

Darwin’s Dragons: Chapter-by-Chapter Resources

Chapter-by-chapter resources provided by the publisher, including comprehension questions, writing opportunities and cross-curricular ideas for the book Darwin’s Dragons.