In this section, the illustrations convey emotional atmosphere and tone, supplementing the text’s more straightforward description of events. For example, while the narrative describes the practical steps Zoey is taking to decide if the baby dragon is a carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore, the word choice is practical and investigative. Citro shows Zoey asking questions, but does not describe her emotions. However, the illustration portrays the feelings in the scene by showing that Zoey is still worried. The image on Page 71 shows Zoey reading in the barn. Her eyebrows are angled downward and her eyes are downcast—physical representations of the anxiety Zoey still has about Marshmallow. 

Even when the prose does make space for Zoey’s feelings, the illustrations heighten the stakes for both the characters and the reader. When Zoey tries to feed Marshmallow healthy foods, but he doesn’t eat at first, both the narrative and the illustration convey her worry. Zoey “sat on the ground and put my head in my hands. I couldn’t even watch anymore” (76), body language that makes it clear that she is too scared about the dragon’s health to be scientifically observant. The corresponding illustration shows Zoey and her cat in this pose. Both have downcast eyes and angled eyebrows, indicating their concern. The text and illustration work together to convey Zoey’s emotional experience. Young readers may not immediately empathize with Zoey’s inner state, but they can readily imagine themselves in a similar pose and facial expression.

One illustration foreshadows a detail from the next chapter. After Marshmallow eats the fish and falls asleep, Zoey decides to “read through the rest of the reptile book, just in case there was something I’d missed” (78). The illustration shows both Sassafras and Zoey curled up asleep in the chair with the book. However, the text only explains what happened in the beginning of the next chapter: “I must’ve fallen asleep while I was reading” (79). This is the only example in the book of an illustration presenting a plot detail ahead of the text. This allows readers to engage with the novel in a different way, gleaning information from an illustration.

When Zoey’s mom returns, it is clear that her relationship with her daughter has evolved slightly, in keeping with Zoey’s new lessons about Trusting Yourself and Asking for Help. Zoey has proven herself to be a resourceful and nurturing caretaker of the magical animals. She has also shown that she understands when to persist in finding a solution to a problem herself, and when to seek an adult’s support. In response, Zoey’s mom foregrounds empathy rather than intervention. Zoey’s mom gently acknowledges her daughter’s worries: “Oh, Zoey. You must’ve been very worried” (81). Although Zoey points out the mistakes she made, her mom instead underscore Zoey’s growth: “I’m so proud. You kept trying even when things got hard” (82-83). 

The novel ends on another connection between real-world animals and the magical being that Zoey has gotten to interact with, Comparing Science to Magic. When Marshmallow grows more, it becomes clear that he needs to be released. Zoey’s mom approaches this decision by indirectly linking the dragon to a regular wild animal that a human could help in an emergency but then needs to free: “I know this part is hard. But a dragon isn’t meant to live in a barn” (86). As Zoey’s mom creates the space for her daughter to make a responsible choice, Zoey realizes that Marshmallow might “have more fun flying around and exploring the forest” (86). Like a real wild animal, the dragon should not be kept as a pet; rather, it belongs in its own habitat. Zoey is able to show her maturity by making the right choice. The representation of the evolved mother-daughter relationship thus supports Zoey maturing and increasingly trusting herself.

The text concludes with a brief glossary of scientific terms that appear in the book, such as biological characteristics (i.e., warm-blooded and cold-blooded) and experimental design terms (i.e., hypothesis). The tone is conversational, and it is written in second person. For example, the definition of “conclusion” is “What you learned from your experiment (hopefully you get an answer to your question but sometimes you don’t)” (95). The fact that the reader is addressed directly assigns ownership; the use of second person suggests that the reader is going to or has conducted an experiment. The novel therefore invites readers to apply what they’ve learned in the novel and discover magic through science.