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Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl
Lacy is the sole survivor of a freak accident that took eleven of her friends and the use of her legs. It left her with night terrors, and though no one will say it to her face, people think she might have gone a little crazy. Lacy's younger brother Tommy has no such problems, although having the largest vocabulary in his class and being constantly preoccupied with medieval weaponry comes with its own set of difficulties.
But when Lacy and Tommy and their friend Wayne (big belt buckle, big hat, wishes he could do two hundred pull ups) are forced to confront a suspicious recluse named Verdell Graham, things go from bad to worse. The kids are sucked into an adventure that challenges their perception of reality and demands that they face what they fear most, alone.
Now a motion picture, Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl is a wild and snaky book written for the whole family. It's full of fire and brimstone and pepperoni pizza. You won't want to miss it.
But when Lacy and Tommy and their friend Wayne (big belt buckle, big hat, wishes he could do two hundred pull ups) are forced to confront a suspicious recluse named Verdell Graham, things go from bad to worse. The kids are sucked into an adventure that challenges their perception of reality and demands that they face what they fear most, alone.
Now a motion picture, Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl is a wild and snaky book written for the whole family. It's full of fire and brimstone and pepperoni pizza. You won't want to miss it.
194 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2018
18 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
Cheston Hervey
1 book3 followersCheston Hervey is an accomplished screenwriter who has also spent a decade as a teacher. He and his wife Katherine live in the Pacific Northwest with their son Owen and two barely tolerated cats. Kill the Dragon is his first book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 8, 2019
This book was amazing! It's a great read for the whole family. The characters and settings are all written in a most captivating manner. It's a classic fairy tale in a modern setting written to inspire and encourage all in their fight for the faith against the dragon.
June 18, 2023
Really engaging book. Boys asked to listen to more. Mirrors the story of the gospel through the story telling.
*Does have a few words & expressions we don’t allow the kids to use like “crap”
*Does have a few words & expressions we don’t allow the kids to use like “crap”
December 1, 2015
4year old son: "I liked it very well and I liked it a lot. And it shows you what they used to kill the dragon."
What was your favorite part? "When they rescued all the girls and Lacy."
What else did you like? "I liked the dragon parts and some of the parts were scary, but where they killed the dragon was my favorite part of the book."
Would you recommend it to your friends? "Yep."
Anything else you want to say about the book? "Um, I'm trying to think about something. That's all of it. I think."
He really enjoyed me reading it to him and it was an enjoyable story for myself. Some parts were a bit scary for him and so I would change tone of voice to be less dramatic and more boring. He'd then inform me that it wasn't the way I was reading it, but the words I was reading which were scary. The book was a good analogy of God's battle against that old Dragon of old and His victory over that serpent, crushing his head. There were more subtle analogies that my son was too young to catch, but I won't be spoiler by typing them on here. You'll have to read it for yourself.
What was your favorite part? "When they rescued all the girls and Lacy."
What else did you like? "I liked the dragon parts and some of the parts were scary, but where they killed the dragon was my favorite part of the book."
Would you recommend it to your friends? "Yep."
Anything else you want to say about the book? "Um, I'm trying to think about something. That's all of it. I think."
He really enjoyed me reading it to him and it was an enjoyable story for myself. Some parts were a bit scary for him and so I would change tone of voice to be less dramatic and more boring. He'd then inform me that it wasn't the way I was reading it, but the words I was reading which were scary. The book was a good analogy of God's battle against that old Dragon of old and His victory over that serpent, crushing his head. There were more subtle analogies that my son was too young to catch, but I won't be spoiler by typing them on here. You'll have to read it for yourself.
October 29, 2019
We used this as a read aloud. It held everyone's attention and even the older children gathered around. This was a fun book and I recommend reading it regardless of your age.
August 30, 2023
Such a fun story. I am sure that all Christian families will greatly enjoy this.
After all, we are all meant to follow the ultimate dragon Slayer and the sooner we understand this the sooner we'll start working to subverse 'dragonish' plans.
After all, we are all meant to follow the ultimate dragon Slayer and the sooner we understand this the sooner we'll start working to subverse 'dragonish' plans.
November 16, 2015
The trouble with reading books before they're published is that by the time they are, you (and by you, I mean I) can't remember enough about them to write an intelligent review. But I do remember finding Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl quite fun despite the missing title comma on the cover, for which the proofreader (and by the proofreader, I mean I) is (and by is, I mean am) not to blame.
Engaging plot, enjoyable characters, exciting adventure! Can't wait for the movie!
Engaging plot, enjoyable characters, exciting adventure! Can't wait for the movie!
February 13, 2016
I love it. Like J K Rowling and N D Wilson, it is everything I love in teen novels: all-at-a-gulp breathless, poetic prose, unexpected. And more -the story is unapologeticly cross shaped without cheese.
May 2, 2024
*I listened to this*
I think this was a fun story and that it would be great if more episodes (if you will) were written and it were turned into a series. This was easy to listen to and I loved the narrator’s voice changes per character. Not over the top, but it lent to the story imo. I was able to keep ahead of the storyline, but it was entertaining nonetheless. I imagine that this book would be an easy read and that it is great for a wide range of ages / reading ability to enjoy.
I think this was a fun story and that it would be great if more episodes (if you will) were written and it were turned into a series. This was easy to listen to and I loved the narrator’s voice changes per character. Not over the top, but it lent to the story imo. I was able to keep ahead of the storyline, but it was entertaining nonetheless. I imagine that this book would be an easy read and that it is great for a wide range of ages / reading ability to enjoy.
July 1, 2021
Great story about killing dragons (based on the bible. Dragon is sin, etc.)! Younger kids would like it (not too violent, etc.).
March 21, 2025
Kids enjoyed it.
November 20, 2023
Wonderful book!
April 26, 2025
Dragons are real and stop feeling sorry for yourself are probably the two best messages a book could have.
July 8, 2023
Just right for our lunch read aloud
January 28, 2024
My Review: 4 out of 5 stars
Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl was a hilarious, action-packed read, and I enjoyed the story very much!
Characters: Lacy was so sweet and relatable, and her backstory was very intriguing. Tommy was... annoying, but he had his good moments. Wayne was, by far, my favorite character. His conversations with Tommy, Lacy, and even his younger sister, April, are just too funny. Graham is rough around the edges and could use some help, but he has a good heart.
Plot/Writing Style: This story is very action-packed, so the plot moves along at a nice, fast pace as if it were a movie script (but not too fast that you're begging the author to slow down). The writing style was pretty good. I felt as if there was a lot of dialogue and fewer details than I personally would have liked. The author did a good job getting the reader up to speed on what was going on. I'm curious if there will be a sequel because there are a few plot holes and questions I would like answers to.
Language: None. Suck, gosh, crap, and words like them are used, and some of them I felt were a little overdone (as in they didn't necessarily need to be included nearly as much as they did). A character tells another character to shut up (I didn't particularly like this- mainly because it was an adult man telling it to a girl, and it felt rude and unnecessary).
Romance: None
Violence: Nothing too scary for kids as this is a middle-grade book. There's a dragon (hence the title) and the rescuing of a girl takes place (also hence the title), and stuff happens, but nothing that will be too frightening for this specific age group.
Overall: Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl is a great book to read aloud with your family, and that is why I have given it 4 out of 5 stars.
Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl was a hilarious, action-packed read, and I enjoyed the story very much!
Characters: Lacy was so sweet and relatable, and her backstory was very intriguing. Tommy was... annoying, but he had his good moments. Wayne was, by far, my favorite character. His conversations with Tommy, Lacy, and even his younger sister, April, are just too funny. Graham is rough around the edges and could use some help, but he has a good heart.
Plot/Writing Style: This story is very action-packed, so the plot moves along at a nice, fast pace as if it were a movie script (but not too fast that you're begging the author to slow down). The writing style was pretty good. I felt as if there was a lot of dialogue and fewer details than I personally would have liked. The author did a good job getting the reader up to speed on what was going on. I'm curious if there will be a sequel because there are a few plot holes and questions I would like answers to.
Language: None. Suck, gosh, crap, and words like them are used, and some of them I felt were a little overdone (as in they didn't necessarily need to be included nearly as much as they did). A character tells another character to shut up (I didn't particularly like this- mainly because it was an adult man telling it to a girl, and it felt rude and unnecessary).
Romance: None
Violence: Nothing too scary for kids as this is a middle-grade book. There's a dragon (hence the title) and the rescuing of a girl takes place (also hence the title), and stuff happens, but nothing that will be too frightening for this specific age group.
Overall: Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl is a great book to read aloud with your family, and that is why I have given it 4 out of 5 stars.
July 24, 2023
Kill the Dragon, Get the Girl is a very creative adventure. I didn’t really know what to expect when I started reading it—but what an exciting adventure! It was fast paced and kept me reading all the day until I had finished. I appreciate how all of the main characters had to be brave in different ways, facing fears particular to them. At moments it got very dire, and I wasn’t sure how they would get out of the situation 😬🫣 Will be looking for more by this author in the future 🤩
May 25, 2023
This felt like a movie plot, which it was intended to be, but details that are left out of a movie and ought to be included in a book weren't filled in here, particularly the kids' transition to trusting Graham.
Belle's narration was very good, though I do think a male reader would have been more appropriate.
Belle's narration was very good, though I do think a male reader would have been more appropriate.
June 12, 2021
Came across an advanced reader copy of this book in Bully For You in Colfax for $3. Really enjoyed it, don't know why the movie never came out... a great story for kids to get the key theme of the Bible into their bones.
February 19, 2024
I started this thinking it would be a good read aloud with my 5 year old… but soon just wanted to read it for myself! An adventure for kids and adults alike! I can’t wait to read this one again with my little girl!
August 7, 2020
funny and adventurous!
September 15, 2021
A must read for young boys!
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December 28, 2021great book with a great message
May 30, 2023
Great kids book and would also recommend to anyone of any age.
June 9, 2023
A modern classic! I’m excited to add this to our family library and have it be a staple for my son to read.
October 1, 2023
So fun.
December 24, 2023
3.5 stars for my enjoyment, 4 for the quality road trip audiobook that both me and my six year old son enjoyed.
December 29, 2023
A fun, well written adventure story with great descriptions of our greatest enemy.
April 23, 2024
Fun quick family read aloud. Moves at a good pace.
June 20, 2024
One of my favorite books. It has beautiful biblical truth, even though it is fiction. Fantastic book every family should read it together. Great read aloud.
November 7, 2024
My son and I loved it
July 7, 2025
Great little book, kids will love it
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews