Where Dragonwoofs Sleep and the Fading Creeps

When thirteen-year-old Ben wakes up in a fantasy land called Meridia, he encounters evil faeries, transparent elves, and others like him called 'weeds.'  The world he has entered is disappearing, or 'fading.'  All things are vanishing.  ”What once was, never was.”  Fortunately, Ben is wearing a watch, albeit broken, that can stop the Fading.  He befriends brother elves, Tamerlane and Charlemagne, as well as other weeds Queen Regent Avery and Marcus.  They are attacked, and barely escape one of the Sovereign’s generals in the queen’s crystal castle.  Together they set out on an adventure to find The Creator to stop the Fading.  During the journey, they acquire three dragonwoofs, creatures Ben describes as, “You really are just a dog, aren’t you?”  The dragonwoofs used to be able to fly and breathe fire; but no longer, and they are almost extinct in Meridia.

This book is full of adventure and written with great description.  The characters go between dreams and reality, and it can be a little confusing at first as the transitions are a little sudden or choppy.  Ben, Marcus, and Avery share this dream world, but you don’t realize this until well into the book.

This novel touches on the important topic of friendship, and how people are often sent into your life for a reason.  True friends will like you for who you are, stand by their promises, and encourage you to have faith in yourself to become all you can.  Additionally, there is a minor theme that education is important.  Bullying is addressed as well, represented as being trapped by our demons and temptations which we must fight.  Luckily, there is a happy ending!

I enjoyed this novel.  The surprise friendship that develops is wonderful.  Teenagers encounter bullies but hopefully seek out true friends.  The Fading could be understood as dying, singularly or in totality, and bonding together can save one or all.