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The dragons are back – and soaring into bookshops everywhere this month! We're hugely excited to see Dragon Rider and The Griffin's Feather as books of the month in WH Smith and Waterstones respectively. In celebration, we've put together our fave reasons why we love Firedrake and co. so much! 

1. Cornelia Funke is a master storyteller. No one does classic fantasy quite like Cornelia – kidlit fans across the world have been enchanted by her wonderful stories for twenty years. Stories such as Inkheart, The Thief Lord and Dragon Rider have become firm staples on book – and DVD – shelves across the world!

2. It's a magical return to a world so beloved. 2017 marks 13 years since the UK release of Dragon Rider, which was a smash hit across the globe - US readers loved it so much that it spent 78 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. We can't wait to find out what Firedrake, Ben, Twigleg and Guinevere have been up to since ...

3. The wonderful illustrations. From the beautiful cover art from Laura Ellen Anderson, to the intricate map by Alexis Snell, to the black and white interior illustrations by Cornelia herself – there are so many brilliant visuals to immerse you in the world of the dragons.

4. The huge array of magical creatures. From dragons to sphinxes to feathered frogs, Cornelia has created an amazing magical menagerie. We've even included a handy Who's Who guide at the end!

5. It's as meaningful as it is magical. In Cornelia's own words: 'This story is for all who have the courage to protect instead of dominate, to save instead of plundering, and to preserve instead of destroying.'

6. It's soon to hit the big screen! Yep, that's right – an animated feature of Dragon Rider is currently in the works with Constantin Film. Keep your eyes peeled for more info ...

                    Courtesy of Constantin Film

Read the first chapter of Dragon Rider here, or follow Cornelia on Twitter!