The Zookeeper's Dragon: A Magical Modern Fantasy Tale for Grown-Ups

by Carolyn Mathews

When banker-turned-zookeeper Phil receives a package from his globe-trotting uncle Edgar, containing a large, golden egg, he's completely baffled. The gleaming, oval curiosity is like nothing he's ever seen before. And when it hatches into a creature that's unlisted in any zoological reference book, he takes the bold decision to nurture the hatchling at home. But only after extracting a promise of secrecy from his mother, his uncle, and a female zoo employee who witnessed the package opening.

However, others soon learn of the newborn’s existence. And with Phil’s love life unexpectedly taking off amid the drama, events at Meadowbank Farm veer from fantastical and surreal, to perilous and intense... all in the blink of a dragon's eye.

If you love magical realism and contemporary fantasy, you’ll be drawn into this quite wondrous tale that features an unlikely zookeeper, a psychic, and a talking parrot, among other great characters. Mixing the familiar with the supernatural, this modern-day drama is an ideal escape into a world where strange and magical things can happen.


'The Zookeeper’s Dragon is an enchanting, easy to read, contemporary fantasy with romantic and whodunit sub-plots. The story reaches a dark, unexpected, magical but wholly satisfying climax and hints at more to come in the life of Rhodri, the lovable mystical dragon, who enters the life of Phil, a likeable zookeeper, and brings winds of great change. Lovers of philosophical fantasy will find this book hard to put down.' Alistair Conwell, author of Circadian Web

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 23, 2025

Reviews

[Noha Badawi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, engaging and absolutely delightful with loads of charm. This is exactly the kind of story that reminds you why fantasy doesn’t need to be heavy so it can land meaningfully. It’s a story that is playful, imaginative, and just self-reflective enough to feel like it’s making you laugh sometimes. With a balance between whimsy and emotional, the characters are so human, even when the situations are anything but, and throughout the story you explore that side of them more and more. It’s the kind of read you pick up to escape reality for a bit and end up finishing with a smile.

[_sassy_39 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set around a small zoo, the story begins with the mysterious arrival of a large egg and quickly draws the reader into the quiet, emotionally layered life of Phil Crawford, a zookeeper still carrying grief, responsibility, and loneliness. Mathews’ writing flows effortlessly, using subtle humour and rich sensory detail to make the setting feel alive, while keeping the reader intrigued by the unanswered question of what exactly is waiting to hatch.

As the narrative unfolds, the novel becomes as much about relationships as it is about dragons. The bond between Phil and his macaw, Sapphire, is touching, while the arrival of Pearl adds energy, curiosity, and a hint of romance. Mathews excels at portraying connections between humans and animals, suggesting that care, empathy, and presence are as powerful as any form of magic.

Ultimately, The Zookeeper’s Dragon is a comforting read that invites the reader to slow down and believe in quiet miracles. It is a story about healing, guardianship, and the courage it takes to protect something fragile in a world governed by rules and expectations. This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy magical realism with heart, and stories that linger long after the final page.

[Lynn Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! I enjoy this book and I think you would enjoy reading it too! You should pick it up and give it a shot, I think you will be surprised! Thank you for such a great book!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ZOOKEEPER’S DRAGON is a quiet and cozy character driven fantasy story; blending everyday life with a touch of magic realism. Our main character, Phil, a man searching for purpose after leaving his previous job to help at his family's zoo. From the very first pages, the book draws you in with the arrival of a mysterious golden egg from Phil’s Uncle. What hatches from it is where the story begins, gently unraveling from a red scarf into something quietly magical.

Without spoiling too much, I found the character of Faye confusing; particularly her involvement in the group and the interdimensional aspect of the latter chapters. That having been said, her presence was also crucial to the final arc of the story; without her, the book would not have been able to conclude the way it did. As the book approached its conclusion, I found myself wanting more. While the slower pacing suits the overall reflective tone, the story ultimately felt a bit too short, leaving me wishing for further development in not only Faye, but other characters as well.

What stands out the most is that this book focuses more on personal growth, human connection, and second chances; rather than action or high-stakes conflict. The setting itself, a local zoo, is unique and modern; it’s an everyday environment that allows for ordinary and extraordinary (exotic) animals to live among one another. This balance is similar to the book's blend of realism and subtle magical elements; this makes the whole introduction of the golden egg/Rhodri feel natural rather than disruptive. I think this setting was perfect for the core themes to unfold; allowing moments of change and connection to develop in a gentle and believable way.

For fans of: Easy to read books, slow paced narratives, light mystery, magical realism

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Zookeeper's Dragon is an eccentric cozy fantasy by Carolyn Mathews. Released 19th Jan 2026, it's 217 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free.

There are elements of magical realism, romance, family drama, and fantasy, and it's never clear what the author's intentions really were; it meanders quite a lot. Although it would've benefited from a thorough (ruthless) professional edit, it is engaging and readable in its current state. There's a cute baby dragon, lots and lots of odd (woo-woo metaphysical) side journeys, some grown up cosmic dragons in a sort of spiritual guide council, trippy interactions, a parrot, some bad guys straight out of the Disney Villain playbook, and a really hapless zookeeper.

The climax and denouement are tacked on and honestly don't match the rest of the book.

There are some good ideas here, but they're mostly underdeveloped. Despite the cute baby dragon on the cover, it's not a children's book at all, and although there's only implied sexual content (fade to black), the language is adult and there are scenes of violence (R-rated).

Three stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Nicole Normand · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy from NetGalley and I'm willingly leaving a review
I liked the premice of the story, how the egg was found etc. It became a little weird once the uncle's GF comes along but it's the fantasy part of the book. I think Edgar, the uncle and the macaw are the only characters I liked. Abi, the mother, has no border restraints, Pearl is creepy and super nosy, Tanya is a liar and a cheater - and never told Phil about it either; she also started reorganizing and making changes in Phil's house, while only still a guest; Phil, on the other hand, says he didn't believe in sleeping around but did between Pearl and Tanya. Edgar's GF (Faith?) is a weirdo and talks to people and animals from other dimensions. I thought it was really rude of Edgar and Faith to not prep dinner for Phil and invited themselves elsewhere so they didn't have to. Not one of these people, and neither one of his staff, have respect for Phil, and that bothered me a lot. The end is meh. Wouldn't read again.

[Donna Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ZOOKEEPER'S DRAGON is such a fun read, and it was definitely the refresh I needed after reading much heavier books recently.
As well as the baby dragon, we are introduced to a cast of characters who were each extremely well-developed and of course, very engaging. We got to see how the dragon’s arrival affected each of their lives, and I found this particularly entertaining.
The undertone of humour in the book is what really makes it shine. There are some darker moments but they added to the stakes, which kept the pacing fast and me as a reader turning pages.
It was definitely an enjoyable book and one I would recommend for anyone wanting to pause and take a breath in their busy lives.

[Danielle Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for an ARC of this book.

Phil, running his father’s zoo, is given an egg that his uncle found in New Zealand. Upon hatching it turns out to be a dragon! With the help of a recent graduate/temp waitress, his mother, his uncle, a clairvoyant, and a blue macaw, Phil has to make sure Rhodri the dragon survives to carry out his life’s purpose. But when Rhodri is kidnapped the group must work together to save him, if they can.

I love the discussion of spirituality and dragons as higher spiritual beings similar to angels. Faye, the clairvoyant, was my favorite along with the uncle, Edgar. The ending worked well for this cozy fiction. Glad I was able to read this book.

[Luna Gerrits · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this, and i loved the concept. However, this book was barely about the dragon, mostly about this mans love life including cheating from both women. I would have liked to see more about the dragon, less about the relatio ships. And i also think that the beginning was too slow for the fast ending.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

[Nicki]

DNF @ 9%

Thank you to NETGALLEY for the opportunity to read this eARC. Unfortunately it just wasn’t for me and I lost interest early on