Eddie's Blue-Winged Dragon

by C.S. Adler

With a bully like Darrin after him and a sixth grade teacher who couldn't understand his speech, school was hard for a kid with cerebral palsy like Eddie. Besides, Eddie needed to find a gift for his little sister's sixth birthday. There in the Treasure Shop, Eddie and his friend Gary discovered a great gift-a blue winged dragon. But the dragon scared Eddie's little sister so much she didn't want it. Eddie kept the dragon, but strange things began to happen. Could the dragon be going after Eddie's enemies?

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy

146 pages, Paperback

First published September 22, 1988

About the author

C.S. (Carole) Adler moved to Tucson, Arizona, after spending most of her life in upstate New York. She was an English teacher at Niskayuna Middle School for nearly a decade. She is a passionate tennis player, grandmother, and nature lover, and has been a full-time writer since the publication of her first book,The Magic of the Glits, in 1979. That book won both the William Allen White Award and the Golden Kite Award.

Her bookThe Shell Lady’s Daughter was chosen by the A.L.A. as a best young adult book of l983. With Westie and the Tin Man won the Children’s Book Award of the Child Study Committee in l986, and that committee has commended many of Adler’s books. Split Sisters in l987 and Ghost Brother in 1991 were I.R.A. Children’s Choices selections. One Sister Too Many was on the 1991 Young Adults’ Choices list. Always and Forever Friends and Eddie’s Blue Winged Dragon were on a 1991 I.R.A. 99 Favorite Paperbacks list.

Many of her books have been on state lists and have also been published in Japan, Germany, England, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, and France.

Reviews

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rated PG for thematic material.

Eddie finds a nifty glass dragon in the shop of his best friend's father, but doesn't have enough money to buy it and what he wanted to buy for his sister's birthday has already been sold. His friend steals it from the store, though, and Eddie gives it to his sister--but he soon finds that it seems attuned to him. Furthermore, it seems to come alive and attack his enemies!

As Eddie struggles with his conscience and with what he should do with the dragon, he also learns a few lessons about life.

I have to admit, though, I don't love this book. It feels a little bit like The Neverending Story, but I have seen the same idea of boy-meets-dragon done better in other books such as Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, and I have seen other books about dealing with bullying that have communicated their purpose better. I just don't know if this is the book that has effectively combined the two ideas.

[Phillip · Rating 3 out of 5]

We all love stories about how the underdogs rise up above their challenges. C. S. Adler creates an admirable underdog in Eddie, a recent transfer from a school dedicated to helping those afflicted by cerebral palsy to a mainstream school. His awkward gait and struggles with speech mark him as an easy target for the school bullies. Despite the goodness of his heart, he struggles with feelings of revenge, feelings that he can’t act upon due to his physical limitations. The arrival of the blue-winged dragon changes that and Eddie is surprised at his new ability to lash out at those who wrong him.

This book provides a good exploration of the need to control our emotions as well as introducing the challenges a disability can add to a person’s lifestyle.

[Don Gubler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty fun fantasy book.