Laura Purdie Salas

Small Reads for Brighters Days

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You are here: Home / My Reading Life / One Book I Love: The Runaway Dragon

One Book I Love: The Runaway Dragon

November 23, 2009 By Laura

Last week, I finished reading The Runaway Dragon, by Kate Coombs. I only became aware of Kate and this book because of the wonderful poems she’s been sharing in various online poetry stretches/exercises. I thought this was a picture book when I put it on reserve at my library, but it’s a middle-grade novel. A wonderful, funny, fantasy middle-grade novel. The adventure story is terrific, but the voice is my favorite part. Here are two brief examples:

Though it wasn’t nearly as nice as Gorba’s, the hut was a witch’s
house. Meg could tell because of the snarling black cat, the noxious
herbs hanging on the walls, and the shelf filled with malevolent-looking books. Also because of the dead witch on the bed.
p. 102

"Yes, mistress," Bain said with a deep bow.

He was such a minion! Meg made the kind of face usually reserved for three-week-old meat. "You’ve ruined him."
p. 188

Great book for the 5th and 6th graders on your holiday list!

Having a great time on vacation–hope you guys are doing well, too.

Tagged With: kate coombs, novels

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FEBRUARY NEWS

My first 2023 book is storming onto bookstore shelves this month. I'm so excited about ZAP! CLAP! BOOM!

Zap! Clap! Boom! Book Trailer

https://youtu.be/kKVsDo8r0aw

Click the cover for more info–thanks!

I'm also creating promo materials, working on two board book manuscripts, and doing some work for hire to pay off Christmas bills! And I'm enjoying the lovely, snowy Minnesota winter. <3

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