Eye of the Dragon: Published By Scholastic

EYE OF THE DRAGON is the latest junior-fiction novel by Susan Brocker, the first in a series exploring how animals, both real and imagined, can help children navigate life’s challenges.

Bullied at school about his stutter and feeling ignored at home, Thomas takes off to the beach with the family dog, Lucy. The dog begins barking outside a cave. Bold enough to investigate, Thomas finds an injured dragon. He is frightened at first but something about the dragon’s eye reassures him and invites him to come closer. A friendship is sparked. Determined to help the dragon he calls Puff, Thomas confides in his friend Huhana, who to his surprise doesn’t dismiss his dragon as make-believe and tells him about Māori taniwha, some of which were believed to act as protective guardians. As Thomas gains confidence with the help of Huhana and Puff, he stands up to the bullies.