Book #23 for 2017
Mt TBR Challenge #8
Better World Books Challenge:
- A book with a color in the title
- A book set in a place you want to visit (Japan)
- A book under 200 pages
- A fantasy novel
- A book by a female writer
- A book set in Asia
- A book about a historical event
GenreLand: May - Historical Fiction
PopSugar Challenge:
- A book involving travel
- A book involving a mythical creature
- A book with a red spine
Possible Book Bingo Squares:
- A Book Under 150 Pages
- A Book with Pictures
Read Harder Challenge:
- A book set more than 5,000 miles from your location (Fort Collins, Colorado)
- A fantasy novel
The Legendary Book Club of Habitica's Ultimate Reading Challenge: A book with a red spine
Personal Challenge: An illustrated children's book

This is also part of the "Merlin Missions" sub-series. I gave it to a friend's nine-year-old daughter, and she was delighted to have it. I probably would have enjoyed it when I was her age, but as an adult (and a non-mommy), I wasn't crazy about it. The story contained all sorts of interesting information, but the reportage-style exposition annoyed me. I gather that's common for this series, as several adults have mentioned it to me as something they like about the books. So, yeah, YMMV.

I also thought the plot wandered all over the place and seemed unrealistic, even for a story about a magic tree house and an ancient dragon. Probably what bugged me the most, though, was that there was zero explanation for everybody speaking English. No babelfish. No translator microbes. Not even an "it's just magic, get over it."

Nice illustrations, though.