THE CARE AND FEEDING OF DRAGONS

In a sequel to The Dragon That Ate Summer (1992), Alastair's pet baby dragon, Spike, is the target of inept thieves who want to sell him to the Photon Institute for research. Alastair has other problems as well: a tough fourth-grade teacher, a nosy neighbor, and Spike's tendency to flare up when angered and to become comatose when depressed. Even worse, Alastair's Uncle George has been fired from the institute for refusing to acquire Spike. Seabrooke keeps every aspect of this lighthearted; readers won't need to know the first book to read this one, but for a book about dragons, it's remarkably staid. Alastair's problems are easily conjured and just as easily dispersed, making this suitable for the undemanding few who will devour any book on the topic of dragons. (Fiction. 9-11)