Kirkus
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A companion to Sutherland’s beloved dragon series. Spanning a vast spectrum from prose and graphic novels to coloring books and how-to-draw manuals, the Wings of Fire franchise expands with this guide to the dragons and their corresponding realms. Ten chapters encompass the 10 different dragon types and their kingdoms, each one starting with a full-color map and a vibrant diagram of the creatures’ distinguishing characteristics. Aiming to make a “more true, more complete, more representative guide” to the dragon world, the coverage of each dragon tribe includes tidbits like music, cuisine, and legends. For example, the SilkWings chapter has a map showing their hives, an excerpt from their school curriculum, a list of their professions, and a recipe for honey drops. The SeaWings section has a guide to interpreting Aquatic (the bioluminescent language of their scales) and a passel of ancient letters between different generations. Sutherland’s extensive epic fantasy is intricately wrought; this text reflects that and assumes readers already have familiarity with the inhabitants of Pyrrhia and Pantala. Series aficionados may enjoy the additional worldbuilding, but those looking to use this as an entry point may be discouraged by the lack of introductory information. The art is attractive, but this is primarily a text-based work; fans of the graphic novel series may wish for more maps and depictions of dragons. Wings of Fire devotees will enjoy revisiting the dragon world. (Fantasy. 8-12) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.