Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Measle and the Dragodon by Ian Ogilvy

“Measle and the Dragodon” is about a boy named Measle, whose parents are wizards. Measle's parents work as Wrathmonk hunters for the Wizards' Guild. Wrathmonks are evil, pale, small creatures that are followed by rain clouds and practice magic. The reason they are so dangerous is that they are insane. One day, Measle's mom is kidnapped outside a supermarket. Measle is sure that Wrathmonks kidnapped his mom, but when he goes to ask his dad who the kidnapper is, his dad doesn't even recognize that Measle is his son. Measle knows that Wrathmonks are dangerous, but they don't cause amnesia. So he begins to investigate. He finds evidence that the Wrathmonks and whoever is aiding them are hiding at the Isle of Smiles (an amusement park). So, with the aid of lemon jellybeans that turn him invisible, an auto piloted car, night-vision goggles, and his faithful dog, Tinker, Measle sets off for the Isle of Smiles. Can Measle go up against the Wrathmonks and the Dragodon and his giant pet dragon, Arcturion, to rescue his mom and restore his dad's memory? Opinion: This book is a great fantasy adventure. Measle is a charming character. The author uses creative figurative speech to describe objects and characters. This makes the characters interesting and the story fun to read. All readers will love Measle's dog, Tinker. I loved this book and think Mr. Ogilvy should write a sequel. I'm looking forward to reading the book that came before this one, “Measle and the Wrathmonk.” Readers who liked the Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud would probably also enjoy this book. Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9