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Dragon Slayers' Academy #2
La Vengeance du Dragon
Is a wizard's spell for courage enough to save Wiglaf when the Mother of all Dragons (or at least of 3,684 of them) comes looking for the lad who slayed son number 92?
113 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1997
32 people are currently reading
391 people want to read
About the author
Kate McMullan
218 books154 followersKate McMullan is an American children's book author.
She is the author of the Dragon Slayers' Academy series. She is married to author and illustrator James McMullan.
She also has books published under the name: Katy Hall.
She is the author of the Dragon Slayers' Academy series. She is married to author and illustrator James McMullan.
She also has books published under the name: Katy Hall.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
March 12, 2018
After hearing tales of brave heroes who fought dragons, Wiglaf decides that he wants to be a hero too. He reads about the Dragon Slayers Academy and realizes that going there will ensure that he becomes a hero. He gets permission to attend the academy from his parents, he is off on the adventure of his life.
After arriving at Dragon Slayers Academy he realizes that learning to slay dragons is not going to be all that easy. First of all, he has to work washing dishes to earn his keep. Then there is the fact that the students are served eels three times a day. Making it even harder is the fact that Wiglaf hates the sight of blood. Will Wiglaf become the hero he desperately wants to be, or will he have to go back to his miserable life with his horrible family?
After arriving at Dragon Slayers Academy he realizes that learning to slay dragons is not going to be all that easy. First of all, he has to work washing dishes to earn his keep. Then there is the fact that the students are served eels three times a day. Making it even harder is the fact that Wiglaf hates the sight of blood. Will Wiglaf become the hero he desperately wants to be, or will he have to go back to his miserable life with his horrible family?
July 28, 2019
In my opinion, this book was a great one and is most suitable for primary to junior form secondary students. The book mainly talks about an adventure mainly with Wiglaf, Erica & Angus who went dragon slaying as Wiglaf accidentally killed a dragon named Gorzill by guessing his secret weakness, which was fatal to Gorzill the dragon. Then, Gorzill’s Mother (known as the beast of the South) went on a quest to kill the man who killed his son. She destroyed towns, villages and went all her way to the Dragon Slayers Academy, where Wiglaf was studying in. Will Wiglaf be killed in this journey , join him in this amazing adventure to find out!
November 9, 2024
Somewhere, sometime – probably during a visit to Costco – I picked up a boxed set of eight books, plus a bookmark, of the first eight books in this series of silly kiddie chapter books, all with cover art by Stephen Gilpin and illustrations by Bill Basso.
Briefly, they depict a medieval boy named Wiglaf who escapes being picked on by his 12 big, dumb brothers and nelgected by his single-minded cabbage farmer folks, to attend (duh) Dragon Slayers' Academy. It's a run-down castle staffed by oddballs, run by a certain Mordred the Marvelous, who's only in it for the gold, and who send unprepared children out to rob dragons of their hoard. Quite by accident, Wiglaf becomes the first student in the school's history to actually slay a dragon, and then another one, despite having a horror of blood and never mustering the nerve to poke his sword into anything. On a lot of his adventures, he's accompanied by fellow students Angus (Mordred's eternally hungry nephew) and Eric (who only Wiglaf knows is actually a Princess Erica), more or less the Ron and Hermione to Wiglaf's Harry. And of course, what could go wrong without the "help" of a cracked wizard named Zelnoc, who is responsible for (among other things) teaching Wiglaf's pet pig, Daisy, to speak Pig Latin.
I believe you can guess where this is all going, so I won't belabor the synopsis other than to say that at least once in almost every book in this set, I laughed out loud. I believe the first time was when a minstrel, by way of inspiring Wiglaf to seek his fortune as a dragon slayer, told him that every dragon has a fatal weakness; like a certain dragaon who hated to be teased, and was thus slain by a knight who said, "Nonny noony poo poo, you old sissy" to it. If that just made whatever you're drinking shoot out of your nose, we may share an appreciation for these whimsical books, in which the problems of modern-day school kids are cosmetically touched up with Middle Ages trappings and the anachronisms (look that up) are perhaps the funniest part.
There are 20 books in the Dragon Slayers' Academy series. From book 9 onward, they include 97 Ways to Train a Dragon; Help! It's Parents' Day at DSA; Danger! Wizard at Work; The Ghost of Sir Herbert Dungeonstone; Beware! It's Friday the 13th; Pig Latin – Not Just for Pigs; Double Dragon Trouble; The World's Oldest Living Dragon; Hail, Hail, Camp Dragononka!; Never Trust a Troll; Little Giant, Big Trouble; and School's Out – Forever! Kate McCullan is also
Briefly, they depict a medieval boy named Wiglaf who escapes being picked on by his 12 big, dumb brothers and nelgected by his single-minded cabbage farmer folks, to attend (duh) Dragon Slayers' Academy. It's a run-down castle staffed by oddballs, run by a certain Mordred the Marvelous, who's only in it for the gold, and who send unprepared children out to rob dragons of their hoard. Quite by accident, Wiglaf becomes the first student in the school's history to actually slay a dragon, and then another one, despite having a horror of blood and never mustering the nerve to poke his sword into anything. On a lot of his adventures, he's accompanied by fellow students Angus (Mordred's eternally hungry nephew) and Eric (who only Wiglaf knows is actually a Princess Erica), more or less the Ron and Hermione to Wiglaf's Harry. And of course, what could go wrong without the "help" of a cracked wizard named Zelnoc, who is responsible for (among other things) teaching Wiglaf's pet pig, Daisy, to speak Pig Latin.
I believe you can guess where this is all going, so I won't belabor the synopsis other than to say that at least once in almost every book in this set, I laughed out loud. I believe the first time was when a minstrel, by way of inspiring Wiglaf to seek his fortune as a dragon slayer, told him that every dragon has a fatal weakness; like a certain dragaon who hated to be teased, and was thus slain by a knight who said, "Nonny noony poo poo, you old sissy" to it. If that just made whatever you're drinking shoot out of your nose, we may share an appreciation for these whimsical books, in which the problems of modern-day school kids are cosmetically touched up with Middle Ages trappings and the anachronisms (look that up) are perhaps the funniest part.
There are 20 books in the Dragon Slayers' Academy series. From book 9 onward, they include 97 Ways to Train a Dragon; Help! It's Parents' Day at DSA; Danger! Wizard at Work; The Ghost of Sir Herbert Dungeonstone; Beware! It's Friday the 13th; Pig Latin – Not Just for Pigs; Double Dragon Trouble; The World's Oldest Living Dragon; Hail, Hail, Camp Dragononka!; Never Trust a Troll; Little Giant, Big Trouble; and School's Out – Forever! Kate McCullan is also
June 6, 2024
Why are the updated illustrations so ugly… Wiggie dude they did you so dirty.
For the first book, I said how this series isn’t even that good at being morally didactic? Book 2 unapologetically follows the same structure as the first. Little guy is blatantly mistreated by those in power, he takes it very politely, magic fails to solve his semi-related problem, little guy passively hangs in there until problem is solved through sheer luck. Like, not even as a result of something the characters do early on or anything satisfying like that. This one at least gives you a couple clues so the reader can figure out the dragon’s weakness early on, but c’mon. That’s like, less than Mickey Mouse clubhouse level secret-tool-that-will-help-us-later writing. Baffling use of passive protagonists and side characters who add nothing at all. Kids’ books shouldn’t *have* to be morality tales, but it’s gotta have something to offer, right? Like, it’s gotta be good, then.
And again, there are glimmers!!! But the author either can’t or doesn’t go all the way with the irreverent humor that it feels like she wants to lean into, and the writing doesn’t take itself seriously enough to be sincere.
For the first book, I said how this series isn’t even that good at being morally didactic? Book 2 unapologetically follows the same structure as the first. Little guy is blatantly mistreated by those in power, he takes it very politely, magic fails to solve his semi-related problem, little guy passively hangs in there until problem is solved through sheer luck. Like, not even as a result of something the characters do early on or anything satisfying like that. This one at least gives you a couple clues so the reader can figure out the dragon’s weakness early on, but c’mon. That’s like, less than Mickey Mouse clubhouse level secret-tool-that-will-help-us-later writing. Baffling use of passive protagonists and side characters who add nothing at all. Kids’ books shouldn’t *have* to be morality tales, but it’s gotta have something to offer, right? Like, it’s gotta be good, then.
And again, there are glimmers!!! But the author either can’t or doesn’t go all the way with the irreverent humor that it feels like she wants to lean into, and the writing doesn’t take itself seriously enough to be sincere.
August 11, 2020
My name is Wiglaf, and the Beast of the East is determined to kill me once she reaches the academy. Seetha is pretty angry about me slaying her son, and she means to dispatch me in a slow, painful manner. Actually, I was lucky to discover his secret weakness, and my only chance of survival is to identify Seetha's vulnerability. I know it starts with the letters "ba". Ball? Babies? Badminton? I need to figure it out in the next few days or I'm a goner.
Each book in the series can be read in about thirty minutes, so there's little chance to develop personalities and relationships. Wiglaf is the well-intentioned, kind protagonist, and he believes his destiny is to become a hero. Erica/Eric (she's hiding her identity as a girl) is his best friend, but there are few meaningful interactions. They talk about the tasks at hand, but that's about it. In this book, Wiglaf talks about a need to be braver, but that's the extent of any feelings talk. Nevertheless, this book is a fun, quick read, and you might enjoy it.
Each book in the series can be read in about thirty minutes, so there's little chance to develop personalities and relationships. Wiglaf is the well-intentioned, kind protagonist, and he believes his destiny is to become a hero. Erica/Eric (she's hiding her identity as a girl) is his best friend, but there are few meaningful interactions. They talk about the tasks at hand, but that's about it. In this book, Wiglaf talks about a need to be braver, but that's the extent of any feelings talk. Nevertheless, this book is a fun, quick read, and you might enjoy it.
August 19, 2018
Wiglaf felt he did pretty well to kill a dragon, avoid bloodshed, and survive in the first book. But now he has to listen to his headmaster constantly complain that he didn't get any gold from Gorzil. And now word is that Gorzil's mother Seetha, the dreaded Beast from the East, is out for revenge. Wiglaf is doomed unless he can figure out Seetha's weakness.
This is a quick and humorous read. And there are enough clues in here to figure out Seetha's weakness before Wiglaf. This would be a great read aloud for a class as there are things in here to entertain everyone. Highly recommended to lower grade fantasy lovers, dragon fans, and humor fans.
Notes on content: One non-gory death.
This is a quick and humorous read. And there are enough clues in here to figure out Seetha's weakness before Wiglaf. This would be a great read aloud for a class as there are things in here to entertain everyone. Highly recommended to lower grade fantasy lovers, dragon fans, and humor fans.
Notes on content: One non-gory death.
April 28, 2022
Best for low-elementary getting into chapter books. This book will be more fun with the context of the first, but probably fine by itself.
Wiglaf, having defeated a dragon rather accidentally, continues the doing the same here. He finds out a mother dragon is angry about his having slain her favorite son (which may not sit well with some kids, YMMV) and she's on her way to defeat Wiglaf. He tries to find ways to improve his chances, and again defeats the dragon, this time through rather more bumbling.
Enjoyed book one a bit more than 2. Felt like Wiglaf was being more bold and vaguely more character building than this one, where it was more magic buffs and accident.
Wiglaf, having defeated a dragon rather accidentally, continues the doing the same here. He finds out a mother dragon is angry about his having slain her favorite son (which may not sit well with some kids, YMMV) and she's on her way to defeat Wiglaf. He tries to find ways to improve his chances, and again defeats the dragon, this time through rather more bumbling.
Enjoyed book one a bit more than 2. Felt like Wiglaf was being more bold and vaguely more character building than this one, where it was more magic buffs and accident.
May 21, 2020
I read this, chapter by chapter, to my son. He rated it a solid 3 and maybe if I was a child I would’ve rated it higher too. Maybe. It felt too similar to Harry Potter to be an original idea and we’ve also read other dragon books together that have been so much better. It wasn’t a bad read just not as good as others.
March 12, 2018
Wiglaf is still a student at Dragon Slayers Academy. When he finds out that there is a very angry mother dragon coming after him he starts to panic. How can he protect himself? How can he figure out the answer to the one clue he has about Seetha’s one weakness? Will magic help? What can he do to survive an attack from “The Beast from the East?”
June 26, 2017
Todella hauska kirja, nauroin koko ajan tätä lukiessani!
November 7, 2017
Fun series but I think we're ready for something new.
March 6, 2019
So funny. Love the lady dragons weakness
May 2, 2019
Recommended for the illustrations
September 15, 2020
Also not my kind of book. Not sure why I continued on with the series but I can assure you, this book is as dull as the other.
November 3, 2020
I like this book because Wiglaf finds the beast from the East’s secret weakness witch is a bath
December 18, 2020
Level P. Cute book. Not much character development but a quick, easy read. Good for sequence events and conflict.
March 5, 2023
It’s funny how much I remembered from the 3rd grade.
January 1, 2024
When a female dragon comes to find who killed her son. We see our young 'hero' fight to stay alive.
March 12, 2025
5/5 - Fun, quick read. The characters are charming and the plot is whimsical. Although it's a children's book I still enjoyed it.
"No more eels!"
"No more eels!"
June 9, 2025
It is cool that he finds out he can kill the dragons by finding their weaknesses are and is the hero that way. It works out good, because he doesn't like to kill anything.
June 17, 2025
Lincoln - 4.945/5
December 1, 2016
Idem del primero
November 17, 2017
A lot of fun and a great series so far. I love the humor and silly puns.
August 21, 2020
AR test 10 out of 10
July 10, 2012
This is the second book in the Dragon Slayers' Academy series by Kate McMullan. Our girls have been reading a few different dragon stories and so this series piqued their interest.
One of the series we've been reading (the Dragon Keepers series by Kate Klimo) paints the dragon as the hero and the slayer in a bad light. But this story gives us more of a typical look at dragons and their slayers, although the story is riddled with tongue-in-cheek humor.
This series offers an interesting take on the dragon/knight saga. The story centers around a school where children are taught to become dragon slayers, primarily for the purpose of enriching the school's headmaster with the slain dragon's hoard. So far he hasn't been the beneficiary of any dragon gold, but I get the feeling that with 19 books in the series, he will keep sending his boys out, hoping to succeed at long last.
It's a very entertaining story, with lots of subtle humor and word play within the narrative. I liked the theme of the mama dragon out to exact revenge for the death of her son. We figured out her weakness long before Wiglaf did, so we read the book with a smug satisfaction of knowing the outcome.
It's a quick read and we really enjoyed reading it together. We will certainly look for more of the books in this series at our local library. We look forward to learning more about Wiglaf and his friends.
One of the series we've been reading (the Dragon Keepers series by Kate Klimo) paints the dragon as the hero and the slayer in a bad light. But this story gives us more of a typical look at dragons and their slayers, although the story is riddled with tongue-in-cheek humor.
This series offers an interesting take on the dragon/knight saga. The story centers around a school where children are taught to become dragon slayers, primarily for the purpose of enriching the school's headmaster with the slain dragon's hoard. So far he hasn't been the beneficiary of any dragon gold, but I get the feeling that with 19 books in the series, he will keep sending his boys out, hoping to succeed at long last.
It's a very entertaining story, with lots of subtle humor and word play within the narrative. I liked the theme of the mama dragon out to exact revenge for the death of her son. We figured out her weakness long before Wiglaf did, so we read the book with a smug satisfaction of knowing the outcome.
It's a quick read and we really enjoyed reading it together. We will certainly look for more of the books in this series at our local library. We look forward to learning more about Wiglaf and his friends.
March 24, 2014
The beginning of the book starts with Wiglaf eating breakfast. They eat eels for
breakfast and he really does not like it. So his friend Erica said get over it. They
it that because it is really the cheapest things the castle can buy. Everybody had
to eat eel but after a while the whole room started stomping their feet and started
saying "No more eel, no more eel". Wiglaf grabbed the last peace of eel and threw
it and it hit Mordred's forehead and it sticked dripping green eel juice. he got real
angry and sender every body to the dungeon. everybody hat to wright 100 rules of
future dragon slaying.
But then a spy bird came to Mordred and said that a huge cloud of smoke is coming
and he said that its a shedragon and she is looking for the one that killed her son and
that was wiglaf. Now he has to slay the shedragon
breakfast and he really does not like it. So his friend Erica said get over it. They
it that because it is really the cheapest things the castle can buy. Everybody had
to eat eel but after a while the whole room started stomping their feet and started
saying "No more eel, no more eel". Wiglaf grabbed the last peace of eel and threw
it and it hit Mordred's forehead and it sticked dripping green eel juice. he got real
angry and sender every body to the dungeon. everybody hat to wright 100 rules of
future dragon slaying.
But then a spy bird came to Mordred and said that a huge cloud of smoke is coming
and he said that its a shedragon and she is looking for the one that killed her son and
that was wiglaf. Now he has to slay the shedragon
April 1, 2016
Wiglaf accidentally killed the son of the fiercest dragon in the land, Seetha (the beast from the east). Now Seetha is coming for revenge. She is unlike any other dragon, killing her prey by playing with them-killing one famous knight by too many games of ring around the rosie. Seetha will be here on Friday, no, make that Thursday. Like now..... Wiglaf received a special spell for courage, but will it be enough.
Spoiler- he accidentally (which is how he killed the son- accidentally finding his soft spot for humor) dropped a jack knife on her toe, injuring it. When Seetha went to lick her toe, she lost her balance and accidentally fell into the moat. It turns out that bathing was her secret weakness and killed her in the end.
Cute. I think 2/3 will enjoy these. Order for the library.
Spoiler- he accidentally (which is how he killed the son- accidentally finding his soft spot for humor) dropped a jack knife on her toe, injuring it. When Seetha went to lick her toe, she lost her balance and accidentally fell into the moat. It turns out that bathing was her secret weakness and killed her in the end.
Cute. I think 2/3 will enjoy these. Order for the library.
December 17, 2011
Book 2 in the Dragon Slayers' Academy. It tells the story of a cowardly hero who is trying to become a dragon slayer. He has a pig who can speak pig latin due to a spell gone wrong in book one and is friends with the only girl (shh, it's a secret) at the school. The mother of the dragon he slew in book one is coming to get him. He needs to obtain courage or find out her weakness in order to slay her before she gets him. She likes to play with her victims before killing them. For example, on knight she had play ring around the rosie until he passed out from dizziness.
It was a fun read. Nice level of detail. The other characters are well crafted. It is light and funny and not real scary so it is good from younger kids too.
It was a fun read. Nice level of detail. The other characters are well crafted. It is light and funny and not real scary so it is good from younger kids too.
October 4, 2013
Read by: Annie
Author: Kate McMullan
Illustrated by: Bill Basso
Genre: Fantasy
Interest Level: 3-5
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.8
Lexile: 460L
Wiglaf, a student at Dragon Slayers' Academy, is kind of a wimp - but he managed to kill a dragon in the previous book by figuring out his secret weakness: bad jokes. Now that dragon's mother is coming for him to seek her revenge. His friends try to help him learn the dragon's secret weakness, but an unfortunate ink blot prevents them from seeing anything besides "ba-". In desperation, Wiglaf has a bravery spell cast upon him by a wizard that wears off mid-battle. Fortunately, the dragon falls into the lake and is vanquished; her weakness was "baths!"
Author: Kate McMullan
Illustrated by: Bill Basso
Genre: Fantasy
Interest Level: 3-5
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.8
Lexile: 460L
Wiglaf, a student at Dragon Slayers' Academy, is kind of a wimp - but he managed to kill a dragon in the previous book by figuring out his secret weakness: bad jokes. Now that dragon's mother is coming for him to seek her revenge. His friends try to help him learn the dragon's secret weakness, but an unfortunate ink blot prevents them from seeing anything besides "ba-". In desperation, Wiglaf has a bravery spell cast upon him by a wizard that wears off mid-battle. Fortunately, the dragon falls into the lake and is vanquished; her weakness was "baths!"
September 22, 2008
My daughter picked up this book at the school library as she is an avid fantasy reader. As a fourth grader though, this book was a little young for her. This would probably be a great book for a 2nd grader. There is nice large font, easy to read sentences (other than some pig-latin), and a moderately simple plot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews