I really like the concept of this book, the dragon and fairy magic is an intriguing idea and I really liked the main character. She is a sweet girl with a very interesting life that I would like to read more about. I really think this book needed to be longer though, the magic system needs a bit of exposition and the tone of the book could be better balanced if the ending was longer. The book has multiple scenes in the school and referencing the characters reading books about dragons and it would have been so nice to see this used to give a little more background information about the magic we see. As is it currently there are some clear rules about who becomes kindred but they're more hinted at then really explained, likewise we know fairies bring girls dragon eggs and there is some clear history here with the ritual of setting out a basket and wishing for a fairy visit but this also raises a lot of questions about when and why this happens. The tone of this book is also often sad, the main character feels isolated and misunderstood for most of the book and it would have been so nice to see more of the happier ending where she has renewed her friendships and found a way to help the dragons. The book also deals with dementia, illness, and death before this happy ending which is pretty heavy subject matter so the pacing from that to Alice being happy with her friends and dragons is jarring. I am hopeful that because this is a series the second book will delve more into the world building and that happy ending will set the tone for Alice's future adventures.

Alice wants a dragon more than anything, but only a select few are chosen to receive an egg and become kindred. When she befriends an abandoned old dragon in the woods, she sets off on a journey to find his Kindred. Heavily inspired by Anne of Green Gables, this is influence is obvious in the old mean aunt that is too tough on a young girl, but eventually lightens up a bit. Overall, this was a sweet story, but not the most compelling or in-depth book. I suspect it will still be a hit with young dragon-lovers.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this eARC.

Kindred Dragons is described as Anne of Green Gables with dragons and boy did they hit the nail on the head with that!
It was an absolutely gorgeous story accompanied by beautiful illustrations that come together to create an absolutely fantastic graphic novel! Perfect for all ages and all dragon lovers, this story explores love, loss, family dynamics, responsibilities and friendship, with loveable characters and even better, very loveable dragons!

This book was gorgeous! I loved the time setting and wardrobe. The story was interesting and set in a unique world. If you like dragons, great art, and a unique story this one is for you!

Kindred Dragons is a fantastic middle grade graphic novel that will be flying off bookshelves! It's the story of a young girl that is hopeful she will get a dragon egg/dragon to call her own. In the meantime, she studies dragons and spends time trying to help dragons and their owners. A story full of adventure and hope. Kids of all ages will love it! I can't wait to add this one to my classroom library!

While sad at times (cw for death), this was a lovely, reflective story, which will appeal to middle grade - adult audiences. I would love to see the final version, and am hopeful that it will be printed in color (the review copy was more outlines, and black and white). The message is light, but something that all readers can relate to: choosing your own path, while destiny sometimes chooses pieces for you along the way.

While I wish this book was in-color (I'm hoping it will be in-color once it's published) it was an adorable story of finding one's own path in the world, even when that path doesn't match up with our dreams or expectations. I love that this book shows children how to forge their own path and find a journey that works for them.

Kindred Dragons by Sarah Mensinga is a sweet and magical graphic novel that pulls you right in from the start. Alice has just been sent to live with her grandmother because her parents are always traveling, and she’s not exactly thrilled about it. Her grandmother happens to be a Kindred—someone chosen by fairies to care for a dragon egg and raise the dragon once it hatches—and Alice dreams of being one too. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen for her… or so she thinks.

One day, Alice stumbles across a dragon named Brim in the woods. Brim is injured, and his Kindred is nowhere in sight. As Alice tries to help him, she discovers not only courage she didn’t know she had, but also something about herself that’s truly extraordinary. The story gently explores the idea that people can be unkind to those who are different, and it shows how compassion and understanding can change everything.

With charming artwork, a warmhearted message, and just the right amount of adventure, Kindred Dragons is perfect for middle-grade readers. It’s a delightful blend of friendship, fantasy, and self-discovery, and I’ll definitely be adding it to my school library’s shelves.

This read reminded me a lot of the books Anne of Green Gables and Eragon mixed into one! I adored how the author made the book feel cozy while simultaneously delving into the kindred love that can grow between outsiders. The atmosphere and world-building were also very immersive and keep you hooked from start to finish. I highly recommend this graphic novel for anyone who adores a quick and cozy fantasy read!

I really enjoyed how Sarah Mensinga wove a story filled with deep feelings and made me connect with Alice in her desire to have a dragon and feeling left out, but overcoming it to help others. I connected with Alice because I too would do anything for a dragon.

This was such a sweet and enjoyable read! I was immediately absorbed into this world, and I love the lore and the dragons! I found it so interesting that dragons would only be kindred with women, and the protagonist came off as a very sympathetic character. I was rooting for Alice to have her own dragon egg and while it did not turn out how I expected, I liked the ending that happened even better. My only complaint is that I wish there were more in depth scenes with the dragons, particularly at the conclusion, but I look forward to those moments in a sequel! Overall, this was a cute and immersive read.

This was absolutely amazing to read and I loved how it’s Anne of Green Gables meets Eragon. Can’t wait to see how the series goes!

Content/Trigger Warnings: Bullying, on page death, abandonment


I won't lie, I have some serious mixed feelings on this graphic novel. Don't get me wrong, I love the dragons and they were probably my favorite part, but sadly I felt there were wasn't enough focus on them and they deserved a lot more. I also liked how we do see a bit of a redemption between the main character and her friends. I feel like that is the only relations in this comic that got redeemed. With these few good things being said, I had a lot of issues with this graphic novel. My biggest issue with this graphic novel is the fact that any form of hope or even whimsy felt completely removed from this story. For this being a graphic novel targeted toward a middle grade audience, this felt bleak in many ways and the ending itself didn't do enough to turn the overall vibe of the graphic novel. The other issue I had was how the relationship between the grandmother and the main character felt horrible and there was no real resolution to how terribly the grandmother treated the mc. Honestly, I despised the grandmother because her treatment to not only the mc, but to her own daughter and the way she would speak about her son, I was over it. There wasn't a single conversation or moment where the grandmother could be a redeemable character. Overall, I wanted to love this and I had a lot of high hopes with graphic novel. However, I felt there were more disappointments than there were things that I loved. If this is part of a series, I hope in the next volume we see a turn in the overall tone and vibe because this one felt more hopeless than it needed, should have been.


All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.

A lovely story about a girl who loves dragons.

This book felt like reading Anne of Green Gables with the addition of dragons.

I definitely want to read more books from this series.

If this book was around in 2008, I would have been OBSESSED!! This was so niche and I loved it. (However, what was the gma’s problem? Marilla would NEVER).

I will be purchasing this for my classroom library when it comes out because there will be somebody that will enjoy this.

"Anne of Green Gables" + "Dealing With Dragons" = "Kindred Dragons!"

This adorable graphic novel follows a young girl who loves dragons. There are themes of empathy, bravery, and following your own heart. I recommend it for readers 8 and up. I hope this is the beginning of a series because I would love to spend more time with these characters.

The world of Kindred Dragons is a wildly fascinating one. All at once readers are thrown into a magical realm in which dragons exist, bonded to specific “kindred” people, eggs just appearing in a basket overnight for the chosen ones. But dragons in this world, living connected to their person, have created a litany of problems for the non-kindred living there. We’re introduced rather quickly to a young girl, Alice, who is desperately waiting to be chosen as a kindred and receive her dragon egg despite sharing no blood with a kindred relative. Her grandmother, who’d adopted her father—a non kindred—for the sole purpose of allowing the kindred line to end with her, has her own dragon which therefore makes this desire of Alice’s even stronger and the subsequent disappointment when she continually does not find an egg in her basket even stronger.

At this same time, an old and sickly dragon grumpily wanders about the wood and its outskirts, his kindred having been somewhat ousted from public society as she now lives deep within the forest. As Alice faces disappointing morning after disappointing morning, watching her friends be chosen, she suddenly finds herself in the position of needing to help this old dragon as he desperately reaches out to her for help, causing problems with the people of the town.

Now Alice, unlike the kindreds, is unable to communicate with any dragons—but in her eager desperation to help the old dragon, Brim, she suddenly develops the ability to receive his thought images and soon learns that his kindred was ill and left to get help, but has not returned. Thus begins a rather beautiful journey of Alice helping Brim, eventually saying goodbye, and finally realizing her calling.

You see, the dragons whose kindred are elderly, sick, and dying have been considered dangerous and are put in chains by the people who do not know how to communicate with or handle them. It’s a sad depiction, one that leaves readers feeling intensely almost immediately for each of the dragons experiencing this. And while Alice may never find a dragon egg of her own in the basket she leaves by her bed, with her newfound abilities, there is something meaningful and dragon-related that she can do.

I loved this story. So. Much. Sarah Mensinga’s Kindred Dragons is such a beautiful tale with the most amazing characters, an exceptional plot, and a fantastic message. The artwork is excellent throughout and I’m so excited to read more as this seems to be only the first in a series. I truly cannot wait to see where it goes next.

A very good introduction to this world where some lucky girls are gifted dragon eggs. Once these egg hatch they become a dragon that the girl is bonded with for life, when one dies the other does as well. While this seems like it would be a dream come true this first volume does a great job of showing why this might not be the "gift" it first appears. I am loving this world and can't wait to learn more about it in future volumes.

The middle-grade graphic novel “Kindred Dragons (Book 1)” by Sarah Mensinga follows Alice who is obsessed with dragons. While she is waiting to see if she will ever get a dragon's egg from the fairies, she finds an abandoned giant dragon in the woods and starts on a journey to help him find his Kindred.

The graphic novel describes itself as “Anne of Green Gables meets How to Train Your Dragon” and I think this description is spot on! The story is engaging and heartwarming. I really loved Brimstone the giant dragon as a character and really felt for him. Supported by the wonderful illustration styleI had a good time reading.

In my opinion it sadly was a great deal more “Anne of Green Gables” than “How to Train Your Dragon”. The familial conflicts had too much room for my taste and I would have liked to have a greater focus on the dragons. If you are a fan of the classic however this will be perfect for you!

Overall this was a solid read with great illustrations and heart.

A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher ABRAMS Kids | Abrams Fanfare for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the premise, and the mix of real world and fantasy!

I felt like I related to Alice a lot... especially in her passion for dragons and being left out, once her best friend got a dragon!

I really wanted Alice to get her own dragon, or become kindred with Brim once Edith died, but I do really love that she became a foster parent for the abandoned dragons!

I did not like her grandma, however. I felt like she was too stubborn in holding a grudge against Edith for something she did when she was a teenager, and had basically no ability to see Edith's point of view until after Edith died and Alice helped her.

I do think that Alice was too easy in forgiving her Grandma for how she treated her, and I would have liked to see Alice get her own dragon, but I really enjoyed this and I'm excited to read the full color version when it comes out!