Dragons in a Bag
When his mother goes to court to challenge an eviction notice, she leaves Jaxon with a strange lady called Ma. The miserable old woman clearly doesn’t want Jax around, and she tries to hide a curious package mailed to her from Africa. Jax soon learns that Ma is keeping secrets. She isn’t actually his grandmother—she’s a witch! Ma’s last task before retirement is to transport three dragons from Madagascar to another realm where magic still thrives. Though his mother long ago rejected the chance to apprentice with Ma, Jax decides to help the old woman get the dragons back where they belong. But what does a boy from Brooklyn know about magic?
Watch me read aloud the first three chapters here. Download the publisher’s Educators’ Guide here.
A 2021 GLOBAL READ ALOUD SELECTION
AN ALA-ALSC NOTABLE CHILDREN’S BOOK
AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
NOMINATED FOR YOUNG READERS CHOICE AWARDS IN 8 STATES
Purchase (When you purchase one of my books from my Bookshop storefront, I receive an affiliate commission)
Is your school or class reading DRAGONS IN A BAG? Need a unique raffle prize? Bonfire now has t-shirts in a variety of sizes, styles, and colors inspired by DRAGONS IN A BAG! Perfect for the young readers in your life and those fantasy fans who are still young at heart. Inspired by a quote from Professor L. Roy Jenkins who started it all by sending three baby dragons to Brooklyn…
Order yours here!
What a breath of fresh air: a chapter-book fantasy with an urban setting, an array of brown-skinned magic wielders, and a lovable black protagonist readers will root for and sympathize with…Good, solid fantasy fun.
~ Kirkus, starred review
Historically, most chapter books featuring magical tales of witches and dragons center the experiences of white protagonists and characters; Elliott offers something much needed in the genre: a black protagonist in an urban setting. Elliott skillfully introduces themes about creating positive change, examines issues of othering and the fear of differences, and touches upon the complexities of family, gentrification, and segregation. VERDICT A promising start to a new series, this fantasy should find a home in all libraries.
~ School Library Journal, starred review
Readers will relate to Jaxon’s city life, diverse friends, and family dynamic, and Elliott does a wonderful job of interweaving fantasy, adventure, and character relationships. The language is not too complex for new fantasy readers and speeds right along. A wonderful, and wonderfully inclusive, fantasy for any collection.
~ Booklist
When nine-year-old Jaxon gets dropped off at Ma’s house for the afternoon, he has no idea that a stay with a relative he barely knows will involve a jaunt along the space-time continuum, the keeping of three baby dragons, and surprising family revelations. As it turns out, Ma’s a witch, and a rather surly one at that, and she’s got things to do; if she’s going to take care of Jaxon, he’s got to put in his work too, mainly by helping to get three baby dragons back into the magical realm. In this start to a new series, Elliott seamlessly blends the culture of the streets of Brooklyn, the culture of Madagascar, and the magic of a fantastical world, adding a TARDIS-like machine for good measure. African-American Jaxon narrates with a sense of awed zeal, but he also ponders how some of the struggles in the magical world mirror his encounters with subtle racism. A missing dragon and Jax’s promise to find it ensure a sequel, and black and white art throughout has a bouncy flair.
~ The Bulletin, Center for Children’s Books