4.5 A very good middle-school read that can also entrance adults. Cimorene's arrangement with the dragon Kazul - a princess who'd rather have a dragon than a prince - is a good way to show kids that you don't always have to do what people expect of you. The characters are all nicely written, even if the antagonists are a little one-sided. The world is colourful and has enough fairy-tale charm to help kids get into it, but with an edge of realism that takes it to another level.