- Chapter Books
- Ages 9–13
- Fantasy
Dragonborn: The Twilight Child
A darker, bigger sequel that sends Alex north into a widening dragon war and raises the stakes around her power. Best for readers who have already read Dragonborn and want the adventure to become more epic.
- Best for9–13
- FormatChapter
- Length416 pp
- Read aloud~5 hr55 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Literary
Tone
- Adventurous
- Exciting
- Suspenseful
- Dark
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Alex Evans now knows the truth about herself: she is a dragon. But discovering her identity was only the beginning. In The Twilight Child, Alex must leave Skralla and journey north to the magical heart of Scotland, where humans and dragons are drawn together against an ancient demonic threat. Drak Midna's war against humanity is gathering force, tragedy has struck, and friendships that once felt solid begin to fracture under fear and pressure. As enemies old and new move in the shadows, Alex has to master a frightening power and unravel the legend of the Twilight Child before it is too late. This second Dragonborn book looks set to be a more intense, battle-driven continuation, with the wonder of dragon fantasy balanced by danger, betrayal, and mythic stakes.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 9–13
- Read aloud · 8–12
- Independent · 9–13
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
Low
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Preview before sharing if a child is sensitive to: violence, scary imagery, death of character.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
2 / 5 · Mild
Best for
- Dragon fantasy
- Series continuation
- Epic middle grade
- High energy adventure
- Fantasy battles
Avoid if
- Has not read book one
- Very sensitive to fantasy violence
- Wants cosy magic
- Needs post publication validation
Particularly good for children who are…
- Anxiety and worry
- Making friends
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A thrilling dragon-fantasy adventure — a page-turner and a great class or free read for fantasy fans.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
- Magic powers
- Being special or chosen
- Surviving danger
- Going on a quest
- Proving yourself
Why parents love it
- Shared humour
- Conversation starter
- Great writing
About the author
Struan Murray.
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.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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