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The New Kid at School - Dragon Slayers Academy 1
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Plot Summary of The New Kid at School - Dragon Slayers Academy 1
"Wiglaf is maltreated at home until he gets the chance to enroll in a special school that trains heroes. The school is populated with odd teachers, strange classes, and fellow students who are bound to become the hero's close friends.

The hero, Wiglaf, wants to become a dragon slayer, well, so long as he doesn't have to hurt anything. In the book's attempt to appeal to young readers, it keeps the violence level very low. Young Wiglaf can't even squish an ant or kill a rat. But he does want to get away from home and the minstrel that stayed with his family for a winter did predict that he would one day be a great hero.

So Wiglaf went off to the Dragon Slaying school where he enrolled in classes to learn how to defeat dragons. But it was the word of the minstrel, the word that every dragon has a different secret weakness, which gave Wiglaf the weapon he needed when he was sent out against his very first dragon.

The pages are peppered with amusing and unusual moments—whether it is the pig who is granted the ability to speak Pig Latin by a wizard sinking in quicksand or the overeager student with posters of dragon slayers over his bed.
"

Bridgette Redman, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The New Kid at School - Dragon Slayers Academy 1
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%




Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - great warrior
Training/Apprent. Yes
Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14)

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - student
Age: - a kid
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - healthy but a geeky weakling

Main Adversary
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - super strength - can fly - can cast all sorts of spells
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - bulging muscles

Setting
Terrain - Forests
Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
How much dialogue? - mostly dialog
Most similar books to The New Kid at School - Dragon Slayers Academy 1
The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf by Gerald Morris
The Balllad of Sir Dinadan by Gerald Morris
Parsifal's Page by Gerald Morris
Eye of Fortune by Denise R. Graham
Redwall - Redwall 1 by Brian Jacques


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Kate McMullen Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Bridgette Redman  

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