Dragon Rider

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How does Dragon Rider compare to other popular stories about dragons, such as The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug or How to Train Your Dragon? What themes do they share, and how are they different?

2. How does Dragon Rider compare to Cornelia Funke’s other works, such as Inkheart? Or other German works of children’s fantasy, like The Neverending Story?

3. Imagine you are trying to convince a friend to read this book. How would you describe/pitch the story to grab their interest?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Home as both a place and a sense of belonging is a crucial theme of the novel. In what ways does the book’s depiction of home resonate with your own life? Have you ever needed to search for a home, literally or figuratively, like Firedrake and Ben?

2. Have you ever dealt with a betrayal in your life? How did you handle it? How might you have responded to the revelation of Twigleg’s betrayal/spying in the story?

3. Think about the story from Nettlebrand’s point of view. What aspects of Nettlebrand do you relate to?

4. When they first meet, Ben is excited to join Firedrake and Sorrel on their adventure. Would you react in a similar way given the opportunity? Do you identify more with Ben’s adventurous spirit, or with Sorrel, who wishes only to be safe at home in her cave?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does the narrative portray or critique the human impact on issues of environmentalism?

2. Several characters comment on the arrogance, greed, and destructiveness of humans. How do these comments reflect real-world concerns and what lessons does the novel suggest for addressing these concerns?

3. Consider the juxtaposition of Western and Eastern attitudes toward dragons in the novel. How does this contrast represent a particular argument about nature and humanity’s role in the world?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Analyze the novel’s adherence to the classical structure of the quest narrative/hero’s journey. What are the possible benefits and/or limitations of this narrative structure?

2. The hero’s journey often uses archetypal characters, or characters that fill symbolic roles, such as the Mother, the Trickster, etc. What are the protagonists’ archetypes? How do they complement each other in the quest narrative?

3. What do night and day symbolize in the novel? In addition to moonlight, what elements of nighttime are important to the characters? Though Firedrake can’t fly during the day, how do they use daytime to their advantage?

4. Analyze the novel’s participation in the subgenre of ecofiction. Does it fit with the genre well? Why or why not?

5. Compare/contrast Professor Greenbloom to other mentor figures in fantasy fiction, such as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings series, or Dumbledore in Harry Potter. Are they basically the same, or are there important differences?

6. Discuss the power of friendship in the novel. Why is friendship so valued by the characters, and how does it impact the plot? What are the most effective examples of friendship in the novel?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you have become a dragon rider. What is your dragon friend like? What do you do and where do you go?

2. Create a playlist inspired by the novel. Take turns discussing how each song selection pertains to a particular character, scene, or thematic element.