First published 1999
Mr. Belsaki spots an irresistible deal at the pet store and brings home what seems like a manageable addition to the household: a small, house-trained dragon. The Belsaki family settles into life with their unusual pet, watching it eat and sleep and behave much like any other domesticated animal. But dragons have their own timeline for growth. The creature expands beyond the confines of ordinary pet ownership, developing wings strong enough to lift the entire Belsaki clan into the sky. What begins as a simple impulse purchase transforms into aerial transportation for the whole family. The Belsakis find themselves passengers on their former pet, soaring into adventures they never planned for. Their ordinary suburban life gives way to magical encounters that test the boundaries of what they thought possible. The family discovers that bargain pets come with unexpected consequences, and that the most extraordinary adventures often begin with the most mundane decisions.
Genres: adventure, fantasy, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, unexpected-adventure
41 pages · Paperback · Heinemann