Suri the monster tamer is back in the thrilling conclusion of this middle grade fantasy graphic novel trilogy!
Suri gets a chance to show off her monster-taming skills as her journey with Caglio, Kolya, and her giant-sized lap dog, Byron, continues. With the caitsiths in hot pursuit, can this ragtag crew make it to the Monster’s Cradle?
To get to the Cradle, Suri and her friends must pass through Bridgetown, but the tollbooth charges an outrageous entrance fee! Luckily, monster tamers may pass through for free. All Suri needs to do is help the town with its “little monster problem.” When she learns this problem involves a vengeful and strangely familiar dragon, her courage is put to the test!
Jo Rioux was born and raised in Ottawa. After high school she pursued her artistic schooling at Sheridan College. Now back in the lush suburbs of her home town, she works, reads and plays video games from home.
Suri and friends encounter a town plagued by a dragon. She is convinced that this is the dragon that carried her over the mountains ten years ago, and insists on talking to it. #NetGalley
While still as fun as the first two books, it leaves a lot unfinished. A lot of details were introduced just to not ever be addressed. It doesn’t feel like this is the conclusion and I feel like it could have been much longer to tie up the loose ends.
As someone who read the first book years ago and was sad to see it remain unfinished, I was really excited to get back into this series when it was republished! The first book left off on such a good cliffhanger I kept coming back to it and wondering how it would all conclude.
Now having read all three books, though, I have to say I still feel unsatisfied. I felt that the series was building up to something really interesting, but almost nothing got resolved by the end of this book? We don't know why Suri's mother brought her over the mountains, what the deal is with the Caitsith, or get closure to Kolya's character at all. It's especially frustrating that, even though it's the catalyst for the whole series, the golden twine is never fully explained, and Suri herself remains unaware of its true nature.
It really bothers me that Suri in general is really oblivious to a lot of things that happen throughout the series, but especially in this book. She never finds out that Kolya is a Caitsith, never realizes that her powers are drawn from the twine, not the amulet, and never fully confronts the Caitsith who have been pursuing her all this time. And after three whole books of searching, she gets the first clue of where she came from and decides she's done traveling? She's a really interesting character, but like the rest of this book her character concludes in a really unsatisfying way.
I still found this book enjoyable, but only as a standalone adventure. As the final part to this story it fails to deliver on pretty much any regard. I'm not sure what the production of the series was like, but I have to wonder if it was cut short, because it really feels like the story was hastily wrapped up when it was supposed to go for at least one more book.
I hope the author comes back to this story and world at some point, because it's really compelling to me and there's so much potential for more ideas to explore. As it stands now, though, I honestly feel more unsatisfied now than I did years ago when the story was still incomplete.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Suri continues her journey to become a master monster tamer and discover where she came from. She and her companions are nearly to the mountains when they find themselves mixed up in the twisted politics of Bridgetown and a group of kooky inventors. The town is plagued by a dragon, and Suri is sure that it's the one from her distant memories, but no one will stop attacking it long enough so that Suri can talk to it. She makes up her mind to reach the dragon at any cost, not realizing that she's still being trailed by some dangerous shapeshifting monsters.
Aha! Some big reveals and humorous moments all spun together in a thoroughly engaging sequel. I enjoyed meeting Suri and her companions in the first two books, and I'm delighted that the momentum has continued in this sequel. There's just enough magic to keep things interesting and enough thoughtful moments to ensure the characters are endearing. I'll be looking forward to more books in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and FirstSecond Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Suri, her giant dog Byron, and her companions, Kolya and Caglio, are headed to the Cat’s Cradle where they are hoping to cross into the land of monsters. The Bridgetown fee is more than they can afford, but an answer presents itself when they learn Bridgetown has a dragon problem. Suri thinks she recognizes the dragon as the one who carried her over the mountains as a young child, and this town must be where it left her. The dragon she remembers was friendly but this one is grumpy and has been terrorizing the town for years. Suri gains entry into the town as a monster tamer, but will her ideas of taming and the town’s ideas of taming line up? And what of the caitsiths on her trail?
It has been a while since I read the previous books in this series (and I’m not even sure I have read all of them), but it didn’t take me long to figure out what was going on, re-meet the characters, and get up to speed. Suri is a likable character who looks out for the misunderstood and tends to think the best of others. Byron is a cute, over-sized puppy, Caglio provides the comic relief, and Kolya is the mysterious one with secrets but seems to be a good friend. The book explores more of Suri’s background and gets her one step closer to her origins. Hand this to readers who like fantasy adventures rich with fantasy creatures.
Re-read of physical copy Feb 2026: I purchased this whole series for our library and re-read it since I missed book 2 the first time around. I was really impressed by how well each book flowed into the other, and while each one has its own story arc and problem to be addressed, they form a whole story together very seamlessly. Rioux did an excellent job of building the characters. Suri has a great heart and is a worthy heroine to follow around. Caglio is the comic relief but also builds a bit of tension among the group as he’s blackmailing Kolya after learning his secret, and Kolya is the wildcard. Readers know he’s a caitsith and a thief who really wants the golden twine Suri is carrying, but since he showed up in the last volume there have been glimpses of the kind of loyal friend and caring boy he could be and you’re rooting for him to fully step into that in this book. The group has been searching for a giant for Byron to be adopted by as a lapdog who won’t crush his owner, and they find a giant in this one and I think everyone will agree the result is as it should be. The answers about how Suri came to this region and why she was left with the traveling caravan are revealed, and she gets a bit of closure in this. I forgot to mention in my first review that Bridgetown is full of inventors but there are 2 groups. One is in the town council’s favor, and works to make machines that will eradicate monsters. The more underground group of inventors seek to study monsters. After falling out of favor with the in group of inventors, the underground group takes in Suri’s group and kind of helps them on their quest (they have some of their own agendas too.
Notes on content: Language: None Sexual content: None Violence: There are some perilous circumstances and a fall may or may not have injured some characters. Ethnic diversity: Most characters don’t appear to be human and skin shades include greens and pinks and such. LGBTQ+ content: None specified Other: There are shapeshifter characters, some with nefarious intentions. Some thefts but they are uncovered. The abandoning of a child is part of the story.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As always, the artwork was fabulous, but this book didn’t feel quite as strong as the rest of the series. I still enjoyed it, though the plot felt a little contrived at times and could have benefited from tighter storytelling. That said, there were some interesting twists and turns. The biggest surprise, though, was realizing this is a trilogy! There are more than a few unanswered questions, and the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, so I’m really hoping Rioux comes back for at least one more instalment to tie up the loose ends.
Apparently this is the conclusion to the trilogy, but I hope that's not the case, because quite a bit is left unexplained that I think would make for a good continuation of the story.
A very meh feeling entry in the series. It feels very weird how Bridgetown suddenly appears as this haven of advanced technology (though no indication of what the power source of any of their vehicles would be; magic one assumes). And it is even weirder since the character's approach suggests that it is an important crossing point between two regions (it is built on a bridge) but the terrain around it is not especially daunting and their weird isolationist policies and steep tolls are in direct contradiction to the potential value of the location. And the revelation that dragons (and potentially other monsters) are shaped by people's beliefs in them just seems weird, like it doesn't feel like it is that sort of world, but apparently it is.
The description of the book here suggests that it is the final volume, which is weird; the characters have reached a point where they can stop safely for a time, but it really doesn't feel like a conclusion, except that the final page has "the end" written on it (but that could just mean "the end of this book"). That said, I'm not sure what a satisfying conclusion to this story would look like. The first volume seemed promising (way back in its original edition) but the story has never really felt like it was moving towards anything in particular. This volume does answer some of the core questions Suri had, even if it feels like a let down.
An exciting conclusion! It was so good to be back with Suri and her friends again for the last leg of their journey, and things definitely felt bittersweet by the end. I always have such fun reading these books, with the goofy band of misfits. I love the huge lapdog, Byron, and how full of himself Caglio is. The caitsiths that are following them get into some hilarious shenanigans in this one as they try to get their hands on the golden thread. We also meet some interesting new characters here, which I wasn't expecting, and we learn more about Suri's past as she searches for the dragon that saved her as a baby. The inventor character felt a bit reminiscent of an inventor in Avatar: The Last Airbender - the stories have similar vibes overall. The art style is engaging and colorful, and I always love the fun tidbits at the end. I was a little sad that parts of the plot aren't fully resolved by the end, such as my favorite caitsith in hiding revealing his secret, so I wonder if there is a spin-off series coming soon (or if this is going to be more than a trilogy now?). If so, I would love to read whatever comes next - I want to know where things go for Suri and Kolya! Would highly recommend this whole series for middle grade readers and fantasy lovers!
(thanks to the publisher on netgalley for the arc!)
Suri, the young monster tamer, is back for her final journey, and this time she faces her fiercest monster yet: a dragon. When Suri and company make it to a toll bridge into the city of Bridgetown, she’s taken back on the pricey fee. However, for monster hunters, the fee is waived as the town’s councilwoman joins Suri in the magical place of Bridgetown. There she meets a guild who’s excited for Suri to tame the dragon, but for her, all she wants is to meet the dragon of her past. Will Suri’s past open up for her in time to save everyone from the monstrous dragon? It’s the thrilling conclusion to Suri’s adventures, as this young monster tamer is joined once more with her friends on another journey into a place of engineering, mechanics, and magic in Bridgetown. Full of soft and faded shades of color: seafoam greens, pastel blues, and jaded amber in this heartwarming graphic novel of friendships and coming of age. Readers will fall in love once more with Suri as she finds the truth about her past and the memories of long ago.
Cat's Cradle: Suri's Dragon is billed as the final installment of a monster hunter trilogy. Suri, a monster hunter, is travelling with a small band and trying to get a dog-like monster through the woods and to the giants because all he wants to be is a lap dog. When they come across a toll bridge with an exorbitant toll they get roped into helping the town with their "little" monster problem in exchange for being able to cross. When the monster turns out to be a dragon, Suri is convinced this is the dragon that brought her over the mountains, so she is in a race against the town and its inventors to reach the dragon before they kill it.
The story had some fun, quirky characters and some beautifully colorful artwork. The story line moved forward smoothly and had both humor and serious undertones. While I did enjoy reading the book, I don't think that this is truly the end of Suri's journeys and I look forward to seeing what other adventures Suri and the others get into.
We are following Suri on her continuing Monster hunting adventures all while trying to make it to the Monster's Cradle. The gang all come upon the village of Bridgetown who appear to be terrorized by a dragon. Suri is sure she's seen the dragon before, but she just can't get close enough to speak to it. With the cat siths in hot pursuit and the village needing to be free of the dragon, can Suri and her friends prove they're monster hunters once and for all?
I genuinly loved this entire series. It's steeped in great fantasy, heartfelt storylines, amazing artwork, and folklore to make even the most direhard fan happy. Jo Rioux has done a fabulous job with this series and I hope to see more great graphics from them in the future. I will be suggesting this series to many ages of readers, that's for sure.
Suri's Dragon is a big volume in the Cat's Cradle series that answers a number of lingering questions! Namely, was it a dragon that brought Suri over the mountains to her caravan home? We find the answer in Bridgetown, a town that's in desperate need of a monster tamer to tackle the dragon menace/Suri's childhood friend. Suri and her gang join up with some local inventors to hunt down the dragon (though, of course, they realize that the dragon isn't truly the problem).
The Caitsiths are still stalking Suri, of course, and Kolya continues to hide his true self from Suri (). Some questions are left unanswered, like what really is the deal with the monsters and the golden twine and, well, those Caitsith villains. Looking forward to future volumes!
Suri and her friends are still trying to make it over the mountains, but too many strangers are afraid of Byron. So Suri poses as a Monster Tamer in order to get Byron through Bridgetown, and they hire her for a minor monster problem. The little monster turns out to be a dragon, but it looks familiar to Suri. She’s sure that if she can just talk to the dragon, she can find out where she came from. But the caitsiths are still after Suri’s golden twine and want to make trouble for her. She must outsmart the caitsiths and find a way to talk the dragon, and maybe she’ll find a home at last.
An excellent conclusion to this mid-grade graphic novel story about a girl who wants to be a monster tamer. The characters are fun, the monsters are fun, and they learn a lesson about home.
I enjoyed this one. Suri, Caglio, Kolya and Byron are on an adventure. I was not sure where they were going but they ended up trying to pass Bridgetown. The storyline seems to be a little off here but once they get to Bridgetown the adventure begins. They attempt to solve the town's problem with a dragon who is terrorizing the town. All the while these creatures called Caitsiths are in pursuit of the group. All the characters are interesting and I thought it was a bit suspenseful that Kolya has a secret! His secret definitley makes me want to read the next book. The story ends with Suri finding out a little bit about her sad past. So that is another reason to read the next book. Illlustrations were wonderful and enjoyable.
A very cute conclusion to the thrill fantasy middle grade graphic novel trilogy! Suri is finally going to meet her dragon... or is she? After her adventures and making new friends, her and her friends are on their way to Monster's Cradle. They'll face off against new monsters, vengeful dragons, and finally find the truth behind her dragon and her past. This was such a fun series to read and I loved the artwork for this series so much. It's a really fun one to read and I think that young readers will love this one!
*Thanks Netgalley and First Second Books, First Second for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
Suri's Dragon is my favorite installment in the Cat's Cradle series so far! Suri is still on her mission with her ragtag group of lovable characters when she comes across what she believes to be the dragon that saved her as a baby. We meet new townspeople and run into old enemies as Suri works to save the dragon everyone else wants to harm and learn more about her past. The art continues to be engaging and fun as the characters each come closer to their goal. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here. Thanks to First Second books and NetGalley for the ARC in trade for an honest review.
Another great addition to the Cat's Cradle series by Jo Rioux! "Cat's Cradle: Suri's Dragon" is another fun adventure with Suri and her friends and that troublemaking trio of catsith who want her golden twine. This adventure was particularly personal for Suri, because she believes the dragon might be the one who brought her over the mountains as a baby! Jo Rioux's illustrations are beautiful as always, and the story is both funny and heartfelt. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next stage of Suri's journey will be! I'd recommend this book to juvenile level readers looking for another fun fantasy story to read and love fantasy creatures.
(Actual rating: 4.5 stars) My library loan came in sooner than I expected so I went ahead and read the book even though wasn't yet on my TBR. I continue to enjoy this story and now have a comparison in the middle grade fantasy graphic novel series "genre." (I will discuss that comparison in a separate post where I will review all the graphic novels that I read during the school day while my students read.) Every installment in this series so far advances the overall macro-plot while also building out this world and including one off side characters that help Suri (and her companions) develop further. I also love how Rioux keeps the caitsiths so close and yet so far behind.
This is the 1st book in this series that I have read, so I will be going back and reading books 1 & 2 so that I can have a better understanding of the characters & their back stories.
I loved the artwork in this GN! Colorful and expressive, very much the style of GN that I like to read. The story jumps right into adventure and never really slows down. I will definitely be purchasing for my library.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley but all opinions expressed are my own.
I hadn't read the first 2 books in this series and that missing context for me is the only thing that prevented me from rating 5 stars. That being said it was an adorably drawn story that I definitely recommend. I think even the most reluctant reader will love this story and I cannot wait to go back and read the first two.
This is the third book in the Cat's Cradle series, and while I had read the first book, I missed the second along the way. That didn't hinder my enjoyment of the third book, and I was interested to see that some mysteries still haven't been revealed. The book ends in a bit of a cliffhanger so I'm sure we'll get another installment in the series. Fans of the series will be happy with this continuation of the story and newcomers will enjoy it as well.
This is my favourite book in the Cat's Cradle series. Suri is getting closer to knowing the truth about her past; she got some of the required answers already. Kolya is starting to see that he doesn't have to be adversaries with everyone, some people are actually kind. Byron is as cute as ever.
Thank you First Second Books and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this delightful book. I enjoyed the rich illustrations, great characters and storyline. A great, fun read that I definitely recommend!
I've loved every book in this graphics novel series. This was certainly no different. It's a great mix of heartwarming and funny with some drama mixed in.
This really didn't feel like the end to the story because a key secret remained concealed! I presume there will be at least one more book to bring Suri back over the mountains, where the series has been pointing her all along, or maybe a whole followup trilogy?