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In many ways, young Dracus is just like any other teenage boy at his school. He likes girls, palling around with his friends, dressing cool, and going to the local ice-cream parlor. But he is different in one very special and big way. It comes out when he is in stressful situations and met with danger: he slowly transforms into a dragon-like creature. At one point in this whimsical, children’s superhero fantasy, he even puts out a terrible fire at his school with his special powers, shooting water like a fire-hose through his dragon head. Naturally, the other kids are drawn to him, especially Zubelle, the prettiest girl in school. And this newfound popularity is welcomed heartily by Dracus, as his home life is lacking. He is poor and barely scrapes by at home without his parents, who we come to learn, have been cursed in Cat World. Though absent from his life, his beloved mom and dad are actually always by his side in the form of Hanchu and Blik, his loyal pets.
Perhaps the most impressive fact about this book is that this world of Dracus and his magical and fantastical adventures comes from the creative mind of a young boy. Bonifacio, who was nine when he wrote his first book in this series, is to be applauded for creating a highly inventive and enticing cast of characters. These, along with his imaginative plot, compel his readers to quickly devour the text (and Bonifacio’s original illustrations) to learn what exciting events will happen next. Young readers will be lucky to discover the young author’s books and will undoubtedly enjoy following the adventures of Dracus and company as the protagonist performs his good deeds, triumphing over evil each and every time.