It is a rare talent, and only she can care for the Inn's herd. She feeds them, gathers their eggs, and tends to their injuries. But Mella dreams about the dragons of legend, even though hardly anyone believes they still exist. Dragons are small farm animals, not huge fire-breathing monsters. Everyone knows that.

Until one day changes everything.

A Knight of the Order of Defenders arrives at the Inn. Signs of the mythical dragons have led him there, he says. Then a simple errand takes Mella through the forest, where she stumbles across a dragon's egg--and faces the true, terrifying dragon guarding it. On the spot, Mella vows to get the egg safely to the fabled Hatching Grounds. She must leave her home for the first time, and she finds an unlikely companion in the Defender's squire, Roger.

For Mella and Roger, this one day is the beginning of an adventure. Where will it take them?

This book is the winner of numerous awards. It was recognised by the Lupine Award. It was recognised by the Georgia Children's Book Award. It also was recognised by the Great Stone Face Book Award. It was recognised in the Grades 4-6 category by the Black-Eyed Susan Award. Also it was recognised by the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award. It was recognised in the Grades 3-5 category by the Sunshine State Young Reader's Award. It was recognised by the South Carolina Childrens Junior and Young Adult Book Award. It was recognised in the Grades 4-6 category by the Volunteer State Book Award. It was recognised by the Rhode Island Book Awards.

There are 267 pages in this book. This book was published 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers Inc .

Sarah L. Thomson has written everything from picture books to easy readers to middle grade and young adult novels. She lives in Portland, Maine. Visit sarahlthomson. com.