This ABA/ABC New Voices Search Winner Is Golden In Judy B.'s Eyes

(A dedicated committee of 14 children’s booksellers has been reading and discussing more than 100 books written by first-time authors with the goal of choosing 20 outstanding titles — 10 each in the Middle Grade and Young Adult categories. Here is one of the winners, and it comes highly recommended by Tattered Cover children's books buyer Judy Bulow.)

The Dragon of Cripple Creek by Troy Howell

When Kat and her father and brother visit the Mollie Kathleen, an old gold mine now open for tours by the busload, Kat gets lost from the group and falls down a shaft, where she discovers an awe-inspiring world of fantasy come to life. She meets an ancient dragon—the last of his kind—and discovers a secret about the gold that litters the creature's den and why dragons throughout time have hoarded the sparkling treasure.

The dragon helps Kat escape the endless caverns, but not before Kat greedily takes a piece of gold for herself. Feeling guilty, Kat decides to return it, but before she can do this she drops it in front of a group of visitors, and a media frenzy ensues. Soon the mining town is filled with gold seekers. In order to save the dragon and his gold, Kat and her brother must venture back into the mine to warn him. But will they get there in time?

This fast-paced, beautifully told modern fantasy tale by children's book illustrator Troy Howell will keep readers spellbound.

Read, and see, the author's notes about the creation of this book.



Judy B. says:

"Katlin is a strong, spunky, independent girl who, with her family, has stopped in historic Cripple Creek Colorado to visit the Molly Kathleen Mine.  They take a tour of the mine: she decides to leave the tour and go her own way in the mine (perhaps she will find gold to help her struggling family) and after falling down a shaft, meets a remarkably sweet very old dragon called Ye, the last dragon in the world.

We discover that dragons, when they die, turn to gold. So Kat, even though she likes Ye, takes a piece of his "gold" for her family. Ye helps Kat find her way out of the mine, but above the mine, people discover the gold, and a modern gold rush ensues.  Kat becomes Ye's champion against the greedy, the reporters, and all those who would hurt him or take his gold.

What a great Colorado story - funny and interesting characters with names rooted in the West. And the ending is incredibly moving.  A great read, a supreme read-a-loud for everyone."