Review Detail

The Coldfire Curse by Jordan Quinn is the first book in her graphic novel series Dragon Kingdom of Wrenly which is a spinoff of her ongoing chapter book series The Kingdom of Wrenly. Following the scarlet dragon Ruskin, who hatched in book two of the series, the book will take you on a fast paced adventure quest perfect for newly independent readers.

Ruskin is a mischievous young dragon who acts more human than dragon. The pet of Prince Lucas, Ruskin is treasured by those at the castle and doted upon by all who meet him. Then Cinder arrives, a young dragon from Crestwood. She is searching for the dragon king who can stop the Coldfire Curse from spreading throughout the land. Instead she finds the legendary scarlet dragon who is her own age. How can he save them?

The illustrations are engaging, telling the story as much as the words do. While a bit under my son’s reading level, he still enjoyed it, devouring the book in one sitting as I imagine most kids would. This is a great introduction to the kingdom of Wrenly world as a whole, which I believe will serve the author well. As children age because they are familiar with Wrenly, they will be more likely to pick up those chapter books, especially those that enjoy Ruskin and his adventures.

Overall I highly enjoyed The Coldfire Curse. For those not familiar with Wrenly, it introduces you to the world and it’s main characters. Told exclusively from the dragons’ perspectives offers a unique take on the way you may perceive Wrenly. The dragons themselves are fun characters, youthful and outgoing. I’m excited to see what adventure they go on next.