Dragon Slippers

In this Rebecca Caudill 2010 nominee, orphans Creel and her brother must go to live with a poor aunt and uncle who cannot afford two more mouths to feed. Creel’s aunt decides the best solution is to sacrifice Creel to a dragon living in a cave above Carlieff. She hopes a young knight will come to rescue her and take Creel and her family to live with him in his castle. However, the dragon Creel encounters is old and tired and does not wish to fight, so he strikes a bargain with Creel. In return for saving him from a battle with the knight, Creel may choose any pair of shoes from his hoard and then she may leave to go to seek her fortune in the king’s city. She is very talented at sewing and embroidery and hopes to find work in the city and eventually open her own shop. When Creel settles on a beautiful blue pair of slippers that fit like a glove, the dragon is aghast but keeps his promise and Creel sets off for the king’s city. Along the way, a band of young thieves accosts Creel and yet another dragon rescues her. Creel stays with Shardis, the dragon, while she prepares some samples of her work to present to future employers, and they become very good friends. When she finally leaves to begin her new life, she is unprepared for the big city and is nearly taken off to jail when she is rescued by none other than Prince Luka, who becomes her friend.

Creel slowly begins to realize the power of the blue slippers, but it may be too late to save her kingdom, friends, and family when the evil Princess Amalia steals them. How can Creel undo the damage that she has brought to everyone, including the dragons of the kingdom? A fairy tale full of dragons, princes, and adventure, Dragon Slippers is a good read!