Tipping the Scale: 20 Must-Read Dragon Books

Who wants a dragon in bag? *raise hand* Jaxon agrees to help deliver baby dragons to safety in their own world. But it turns out they’re like Mogwais — there are a rules you must follow when dealing with baby dragons or you’ll end up with a gremlin. And when Jaxon breaks the rules, he’ll have his hands full trying to control them.

From the author of the Inkheart series comes a grand adventure about a young dragon named Firedrake. With the help of his young friend, Ben, he sets out to find the mythical place of safety for dragons, and hopefully help his kind flourish.

In this middle grade debut, a young warrior must train in secret to fulfill her destiny. When Faryn’s father brought shame to his family, she and her brother were shunned by society. But a chance encounter with a demon shows Faryn to possibly be the legendary Heaven Breaker, who is said to command a dragon army. Now she must show everyone what she is capable of by finding the hidden island of immortals before the next Lunar New Year.

When Zachary Ying becomes the host for the spirit of First Emperor of China, he wishes he had learned more about his Chinese heritage. The emperor needs him to go to the Chinese underworld to close a portal before all the ghosts get out. But calamity strikes when his mom’s soul is kidnapped and the emperor’s ghost accidentally winds up in a gaming headset. Zack is going to have his hands full trying to save his mom and the world, which is much harder than a video game.

When Maren’s girlfriend Kaia is kidnapped by the evil emperor, she knows her only chance of rescuing her is by storming the castle on the back of a dragon. To do that, she must be trained by the emperor’s dragon trainer. But will she be safe walking right into the lion, er, dragon’s den?

This is the start to a really cool series about dragons that is set up like a dragon naturalist is keeping scientific journals in the Victorian Age. It is Lady Trent’s fascination with the creatures that brings about a modern understanding of them and changes science forever.

In a land where magic is disappearing, the Sorcerer Royal to The Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers must travel to discover why. On his journey to alternate England’s dwindling magic supplies, Zacharias Wythe will encounter a powerful woman, a grand adventure, and yes, dragons.

And this is also about a world where the magic is disappearing from the world. But with it will go the last dragon, as told in a prophecy. Can Jennifer sit by and let the world’s last great beast succumb to its fate at the hands of the dragonslayer, or can she stop it?

This award-nominated fantasy novel is about Jebi, who has the ability to paint magical sigils that bring things to life. When the government threatens Jebi’s sister, they must work on the mechanical soldiers. But is the destruction caused with Jebi’s help worth the price of one life?

Kihrin has grown up in poverty outside the walls of the kingdom. But when he is claimed by the royal family as the long-lost heir of a traitorous prince, he is suddenly exposed to a whole other life. One that includes destiny and dragons, and possibly ends with him destroying everything.

This book kicks off the seminal dragon series Dragonriders of Pern. It’s about a young woman named Lessa in the land of Pern, who has been waiting to avenge her family. That chance comes when an old enemy returns, and Lessa rides a dragon to claim her victory. And then, a lot more happens, since there are 24 more books in the series.

In a medieval world where women are told they should be seen and not heard, and certainly now allowed any rights, a girl named Silence is raised a boy so that they can inherit their family’s land. And with grand dreams of being a knight and battling dragons, Silence sets out to write their own story.

And this is a delightfully silly and fantastical story. What do you do when a scary dragon, long-thought extinct, shows up in your town and causes mayhem and destruction? Why make it king, of course! But will a title keep it from continuing its fiery reign? (This is part of Pratchett’s Discworld series, but the books are all their own stories, just set in the same world.)

This is a multi-faceted, queer fantasy story of a queen without an heir, a deadly assassin plot, forbidden magic, ancient enemies, and maybe most exciting of all, students studying to be dragonriders! And you don’t have to wait for the sequel — A Day of Fallen Night is out now!

Dragons in the future! In the dying city of Empire Island, the inhabitants live under constant danger from the skies, where two dragons circle. When three of the citizens from very different backgrounds must leave the city, they will uncover a vast conspiracy amidst the chaos of their forced adventure, including a cabal of dragon worshippers.

An endless war has been raging for the Omehi people for hundreds of years, one that involves dragon summoners and great beasts. Tau has no magic abilities, but when those close to him are murdered, he trains in order to turn himself into a ruthless killer, ready for vengeance, no matter the cost.

In this new adult fantasy in an alternate Beijing, dragons meant both death and salvation. The destructive dragons have scorched the lands and brought ‘burnt lung’ syndrome, but the other dragons bring necessary rainfall. Unfortunately, they’re dying out. Kai, a college student, and Eli, a medical researcher must work together to find both the remaining dragons and a cure for burnt lung, before both humans and dragons become extinct.