Alex Neptune, Dragon Thief: Book 1

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After reading the first Alex Neptune book, Dragon Thief, I couldn't wait to read the next in the series from David Owen and I was far from disappointed, definitely worth the wait! Now the tourists avoid it too. Haven's waters have become polluted and unswimable, making it tough for businesses to survive in Haven. Alex's family have an ice cream van that Alex often helps in, but it doesn't make a lot of money. Dapo Adeola, Tracy Darnton, Joseph Coelho and Chitra Soundar are among the 19 authors and illustrators longlisted for the Inclusive Books for Child... Alex Neptune has grown up with stories of the Water Dragon which is credited with creating the strange shaped bay in his seaside hometown. He’s never believed them, and indeed, has always avoided the sea, convinced it wants him dead. But just as the waters of Haven Bay are most in need of help, choked with litter and polluted by chemicals from the town’s new industrial plant, Alex discovers that the Water Dragon is more than just a myth and that he has a special role to play in saving it, and thereby the oceans it protects.

There are some scenes that I can easily visualise as part of a tv series or movie. I cheered along even though I knew the obvious ending. Alex and his friends must race against time to save the legendary Water Dragon and clean up the ocean in this fast-paced adventure. Featuring a faded seaside town teeming with legend and danger, Alex Neptune is fun and full of heart, perfect for readers who love mysteries and heists.' - Sarah Driver, author of The Huntress trilogy Alex Neptune, Dragon Thief is another brilliant book by David Owen. An excellent, pacey adventure story full of characters, a great plot and a myth passed down through generations of water creatures and dragons. The story is also filled with humour that will keep any class laughing and engaged.A ship made of trash and being spearheaded by a pirate is trying to find the missing dragon's egg, and they think it's still in their town. There is a new member in their small group, one who comes bearing news of the plans of the pirate. There is so much to celebrate in this book from sprinkles of humour to the funny, quirky characters and plot. The teaching links and hooks are endless too. This would be a perfect book to explore the eco-friendly themes of marine, coastal management, reducing litter and caring for our oceans. It also carries a strong environmental message which is delivered excellently throughout the adventure. The new titles – books four and five in the series – Alex Neptune, Zombie Fighter and Alex Neptune, Dragon Champion, are scheduled for publication in 2024. Sarah Stewart, senior commissioning editor acquired world rights to these two titles in a two-book deal from Ella Kahn at Diamond, Kahn & Woods.

David has created a wonderfully pacy adventure full of imagination and jeopardy. Its eco themes will resonate with readers and his glittering star the water dragon will be taken firmly to their hearts.' - Jasbinder Bilan, author of Asha & The Spirit Bird Obviously special mention has to be made of the animal characters. The otters were just adorable, the thieving seagull was very amusing, and Kraken the blue octopus was just wonderful! Long ranting spoilers At a certain point, our character, who has been afraid of the ocean as it had been trying to kill him ever since he was a young child, finds out he has oceanic powers and can breath underwater. He's also seen doing this one more time before later on he appears scared of entering an underground water tunnel because there is a high chance he might drown. And it's supposed to be this big deal and all but why? He's learnt that he is connected to the ocean. He knows he can BREATHE underwater and that there is no risk of drowning, yet it is built up as this massive thing, for what? To create tension or conflict? To raise the stakes? It just felt really weird to me that suddenly such a u-turn was made. Another thing was that in quite a few places the grammar wasn't quite up to speed where a wrong word was used, jarring the sentence and flow of the paragraph or speech. Size - While the Water Dragon is in a diminished energy-saving-mode size that can fit easily inside an ice-cream van for most of the story, we'll be assessing its size based on the final form when it was returned to fuller (if not full) power. This means while it is possible the bay's shape was indeed like that because the Water Dragon took a bite out of it (leaving it with a 7 or potential 8), the climax size is roughly the size of the boat/ship of the villain. Which isn't huge in dragon numbers (5/10)

About David Owen

As well as being a highly entertaining read - and a great class read - Alex Neptune, Pirate Hunter has a strong environmental message and could also be used to explore themes of marine management, caring for our oceans, and reducing our consumption to help protect the oceans. The setting is wonderful. A decidedly strange seaside town reminiscent of Eerie on Sea, though with a charm all of its own. Much of this lies in the rich local legends, about a pirate and a dragon and their battle across the bay. It's a place full of mystery too, from lights seen in the old, abandoned aquarium to the rather sinister structure recently built on the harbour. What is poisoning the water in the bay? What is the mayor up to? Why does he have secretive guards all over the place? There's so much to delve into here. The story itself was quite predictable and nothing really new happened that I haven't seen elsewhere. The villain and his motive are as generic as they come. Bestselling author Alexandra Christo, author of TikTok sensation To Kill a Kingdom, introduces her new book, The Night Hunt (Hot Key Books), a dark... One day, Alex is given a small octopus, found in the tunnels along the cliffs. This is surprising as most sea creatures left or died in Haven's disgusting water. This octopus isn't like anything he's researched in all things oceanic. This octopus is super smart, and leads him to the local aquarium, closed down and empty.