Dragon on Trial

Zoe and Logan's lively adventures continue as the Menagerie of mythical creatures is in danger of being shut down after one of their dragons is accused of murdering the goose who laid the golden egg. Tensions are high in this second enjoyable fantastical mystery as the kids follow many leads attempting to clear Scratch's name and save the Menagerie.

An entertaining, suspenseful mystery. Multiple red herrings regarding the disappearance of the Menagerie’s golden goose add to the intrigue. The story’s mythical creatures have innate kid appeal, and readers will enjoy imagining how being a half-human merman or wererooster would affect their lives. Tui and Kari Sutherland deftly portray characters’ emotions while seamlessly incorporating background information: “Logan didn’t know what he would do if he lost the Menagerie now. Zoe Kahn and Blue Merevy were the only friends he’d met since moving to Xanadu, Wyoming, and helping them find the griffin cubs had made him feel happy for the first time in months. . . . [It] also made him feel like working with these creatures was his destiny—like he was born to be a Tracker or a Menagerie caretaker.” A diverse and likable cast is well developed and differentiated. Marco, a fun, funny classmate of Logan and Zoe’s, is a welcome addition to the group.