Curious kids care for baby water dragon in fun adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Violence & Scariness
some
A villain holds the kids at gunpoint but is foiled by a rubber band. A villain transforms into a monster that attacks Grace and her friends during a violent storm. There's no bloodshed.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
The cast of characters is very diverse. Grace's father is Chinese American, and her mother is White. The chief villain is White, and his second-in-command is Asian. Grace's friends are White, South Asian, and Black. Grace is bullied about being a "half-breed," but the story underscores the positive value of being mixed race. Grace learns that she has literally magic blood, which allows her to communicate with dragons.
Kids should be proud of their family backgrounds and not tolerate teasing about "mixed blood." Myth and folklore are important parts of modern culture.
Positive Role Models
a lot
Grace misses her dead father terribly, and has few friends in Hong Kong. When she becomes the guardian of a baby water dragon, Grace accepts the help of kids from her high school as they learn about Nate and work to protect him. The kids squabble, but they prove to be brave, resourceful, and loyal.
Educational Value
some
City of Dragons is set in Hong Kong and features creatures out of Chinese mythology.
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that City of Dragons: The Awakening Storm is a fantasy graphic novel set in modern-day Hong Kong, written and illustrated by Jaimal Yogis and Vivian Truong. While exploring the marketplace, the tween main character named Grace is given a gem-like dragon's egg, which hatches overnight. Grace names the creature -- a baby water dragon -- Nate. There's a small amount of violence -- chases, threats with guns, monster transformation. An old man drinks alcohol.
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
As CITY OF DRAGONS starts, Grace has moved to Hong Kong with her mom and stepfather. She has few friends, until a strange old woman hands her a stone-like egg that hatches a tiny water dragon. She calls the creature Nate, and the animal attracts a group of middle-grade students who want to protect it. They need to work together, because a mysterious force wants to exploit the magic of the dragon.
Dragons play an important role in Chinese folklore, and this engaging graphic novel captures their magic and majesty. With City of Dragons, Jaimal Yogis and Vivian Truong concoct a lively adventure full of magic and intrigue. Grace is an appealing main character, and she's surrounded by a diverse group of friends. Comics fans will find much to enjoy here, and there are hints of future volumes.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how City of Dragons mixes Chinese mythology with a modern story. Why are tales of giant dragons so popular in many cultures?
Grace is told that her father died of cancer. How do families deal with such a diagnosis? Who could you turn to for help if a loved one got sick?
Why are some stories better told as graphic novels? What effects does the medium allow that words alone can't offer?
Available on:
Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
Last updated:
November 28, 2021
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
By Michael Berry
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
