Dragonbreath: Nightmare of the Iguana by Ursula Vernon

I don't usually review sequels, but I love Ursula Vernon so much and her Dragonbreath books are always a funny read. It's a lovely thing to be tired and glum and have a new, hilarious adventure.

In this adventure, it's Wendell who's in grave danger. It's not bad enough that his mom has an unhealthy obsession with health food, that Wendell is constantly worried about school (even though he is one of the smartest students). Now he's having nightmares about it all! Wendell and Danny will have to travel back to mythical Japan to enlist the aid of Great-Grandfather Dragonbreath and Suzi, reincarnated ninja queen. Luckily, Great-Grandfather has a portal to the dream world in his refrigerator and Danny is enthusiastically ready to travel into Wendell's dreams and track down the nightmares, not to mention the even more dangerous Dream Wasp.

I love the way Ursula Vernon can be so dang funny while still making her characters act exactly as real kids (or reptiles) would. Danny's gung-ho enthusiasm and Suzi's second thoughts, not to mention Wendell's resigned attitude (except for when he finds out about the Dream Wasp eggs and faints) all keep the characters recognizable, even as they adjust to new situations and characters.

Verdict: These aren't educational (despite the publisher putting out a teacher's guide) they're just fun! The perfect thing to hand to a reluctant reader, enthusiastic reader, or anyone having a bad day. It is imperative that you have the ENTIRE series. I have just decided I cannot, personally, live without them any longer and ordered the rest of the volumes I am missing for my personal collection.

ISBN: 9780803738461; Published 2013 by Dial/Penguin; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library; Purchased for my personal collection