- Illustrated Chapter Books
- Ages 8–12
- Fantasy
Dragon Riders of Roar
Book 4 of 5 in The Land of RoarView the full series
A fresh chapter of Roar: when Rose invents the Dragonlands and a school for young dragon riders in a story she writes, her tale bursts into life inside the folding attic bed. Now she, Arthur and Win must enrol at Dragon Rider Academy and stop the disaster they've set in motion.
- Best for8–12
- FormatIllustrated
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Exciting
- Adventurous
- Warm
- Funny
- Whimsical
- Suspenseful
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Twins Rose and Arthur still love visiting Roar, the imaginary world hidden inside the folding camp bed in Grandad's attic. When they can't get there, Rose writes about it instead, and this time she invents the Dragonlands, a realm of ferocious dragons and a rising clan of witches, complete with a school for young Dragon Riders where she casts herself as the star pupil. Furious at being left out of the story, Arthur argues with her, and the pages get shoved deep inside the folding bed, where they burst into life. Now Rose, Arthur and their ninja wizard friend Win must race to the Dragonlands, enrol at the Dragon Rider Academy and try to undo the disaster their falling-out has unleashed. Opening a new arc set in the world of the bestselling Land of Roar trilogy, Jenny McLachlan's fourth Roar adventure is longer, more action-packed and richer in magical creatures than the originals, with a fun dragon-school setting, interior illustrations by Alla Khatkevich and cover art by Ben Mantle. Perfect for readers who love How to Train Your Dragon and dragon-school fantasy.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Best for 8-12s reading independently; slightly longer and more action-heavy than the original trilogy, with illustration support throughout. It opens a new arc, so newcomers can start here, though it rewards readers who know the earlier books.
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- Best fit · 8–12
- Read aloud · 8–11
- Independent · 8–12
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
Moderate
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Reading together
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
3 / 5 · Workable
Sensitive-child
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
2 / 5 · Mild
Best for
- Dragon stories
- Magic school
- Imaginative adventure
- Reluctant readers
Avoid if
- Wants realistic fiction
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Rose writes a dragon-rider school into being, and now she and Arthur have to actually attend it, tame dragons, survive lessons and fix the mess their argument caused. Bigger dragons, new creatures and a proper magic-school setting make this the most action-packed Roar yet.
- Secret world
- Going on a quest
- Magic powers
- Adventure and freedom
- Proving yourself
Why parents love it
The clever hook, a made-up story bursting into life, lets McLachlan explore sibling rivalry and the power of imagination while delivering a fast dragon-school adventure. Well illustrated and pacey, it welcomes new readers into the world of the beloved Roar trilogy.
- Nostalgia
- Conversation starter
In the series
The Land of Roar.
5 books · open the series →
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
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