The Dragon and the Lemon Tree

by Robert M. Walton, Ginny Allen (Illustrator)

I long ago read "The Master and Margarita" by Bulgakov and was swept away by its excellence. The author's technique of blending two stories so that each illuminated the other especially impressed me. I used the same technique - a far more modest effort! - in this fantasy for young people. I intended this book to be read by children as young as eight or nine. Some editors criticized me for attempting this technique in a book for such young readers. Does it work? Please- you be the judge. Read it aloud to a young person in your acquaintance.

86 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

I am a retired teacher with thirty-six years of service. I'm also a rock climber and mountaineer. I've climbed extensively in Yosemite and the Sierras, but my home crags are in Pinnacles National Park. My writing about climbing has been published in "Ascent" and other mountaineering publications.

I'm an experienced writer. My "Dogwood Dream" won the 2011 New Millennium short fiction competition and two of my stories have been published by the Kids Book Review. My Civil War novel "Dawn Drums" was awarded First Place in the Arizona Authors Association's 2014 literary contest. Judges of the 2014 New Mexico Book Awards gave it the Tony Hillerman Award for best fiction.

Reviews

[Linda Rusche · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Walton was my English literature teacher. He was my favorite teacher in school! He inspired me to start writing poetry. He gave me an autographed copy of this book he wrote, but it was stolen in a move.