Read Your World Celebration Day is fast approaching. Today I am going to share the final of my books for this year's celebration. It is a young adult fantasy novel combining California surfing life with ancient China. The book is Dragon Surf by D. G. Driver with Jeni Bautista Richard.
From the Publisher:
While on a surfing vacation with his father up near Santa Cruz, California, Eric has visions of a woman from Imperial China with the ability to control a dragon and the emperor who wanted to exploit her talent to fight a war. One foggy morning, Eric and a new surfing friend sneak down to see the off-limits Dragon’s Bluff beach near their motel, and he is rescued from drowning by a real-life dragon. This is the dragon of his visions!
Now Eric realizes that those visions are the dragon’s memories. But why is he able to see them? Why is the dragon warning him to leave and never come back? Could Eric be a descendant of the Dragon Tamer? How dangerous will it be if he stays and tries to find the answers?
From Me:
Eric is embarrassed by his mother's obsession with dragons. He actually hates dragons because their house is filled with them. He dreams of learning to surf and to be able to surf with his champion father. When he finally turns fifteen his parents get him a surfboard and plan for him to go with his father to a tournament where he will also get surf lessons. His dream is here, but he feels it is ruined with the dragon his mother lovingly painted on his board and the dragon swim shorts and dragon beach towel she got him. He rudely lets them know he is disappointed that the dragons are everywhere. Then when he gets to the motel and looks out at the cliffs called Dragon's Bluff, he begins hearing a voice. He also is having dreams about a Chinese woman in China during the opium wars. He doesn't understand what is going on and the voice keeps telling him to go away and that he shouldn't be there. Then when he and his new friend, Mark, go exploring the cliffs and he almost drowns a dragon saves him. The dragon keeps telling him to go away. Eric has to try to piece together all the things happening to him. They also discover a cousin of his mother that none of them realized was there and her father was just as obsessed with dragons as Eric's mother is.
The story is well written. You want to find out what happens next from each part. There are several story lines going on. There is the surfing competition, Eric's adventures of surfing and exploring, as well as him trying to piece together the dreams and meeting the dragon. Then his mother joins them and adds another story that helps tie much of it together. I love how throughout the book Eric is dealing with his own emotions about being Chinese as well as his feelings about his parents. At a time in life when kids are moving away from parents, Eric begins to see them, especially his mother, in a whole new light. Then there is also his relationship with his new surfing friend, Mark. At times they are weary of each other, then besties and then fighting. It goes back and forth. This book has so much of life in it. Eric goes through his emotions of a new friendship, new experiences, and the tricky relationship between parents with their teenage children.
The book also gives a look at Chinese American history. Eric does some research, and he gets some help from Mark. Both boys realize neither learned any in school history classes. This book could be used to introduce researching various cultures coming to America and the history behind it. Lucy, Eric's mother's cousin, also has some genealogy research that her father began, and she and her brothers continued. Eric uses this research and his dreams to piece a bit of what happened with the dragon tamer and the dragon. It would also be a great introduction to a genealogy project.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves fantasy, dragons, and history. It is great for a classroom book to introduce a bit of how learning about different cultural history is important to everyone. It shares a lot in a fun way and I can truly see many teens loving the story.
Read Your World 2025 (1/30/25) is in its 13th year! Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen founded this non-profit children’s literacy initiative; they are two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural diverse books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.
Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission and history HERE.
Read Your World is honored to be Supported by these Medallion:
FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr (Audreypress.com)
🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media
🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Publisher Spotlight and Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 60 Languages
🏅 Gold Sponsors: Third State Books
🏅 Silver Sponsors: Red Comet Press and Lerner Books
🏅 Silver Corporate Sponsor: Scholastic Books
🏅 Bronze Sponsors: Lee and Low
🏅 Corporate Sponsor: Crayola Education and Scholastic
Read Your World is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!
Authors: Stephanie M. Wildman, Martha Seif Simpson, Anna Jennings, Gwen Jackson, Afsaneh Moradian, Josh Funk, Nancy Tupper Ling, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Gea Meijering, Eugenia Chu, Dorktales Story Time, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Authors J.C. Kato and J.C.², Cynthia Levinson, Diana Huang, Rochelle Melander, Lisa Chong, Lisa Stringfellow, Brunella Costaglioga, Lindsey Rowe Parker, Rachel C. Katz, Tonya Duncan Ellis, Shifa Safadi, Lisa Rogers, Sylvia Liu, Eva Clarke
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📌 FREE RESOURCES from Read Your World Day
📌 Register for the Read Your World Virtual Party
Join us on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 9 pm EST celebrating 13 years of Read Your World Day Virtual Party! Register here.
This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.
We will be giving away a 10-Book Bundle during the virtual party plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants are welcome. **
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 30, 2025, at our virtual party!
