Brodie is back in this sequel to the award-winning Welcome to Monstrovia! This time Brodie and his lawyer uncle must help a ferocious dragon stay out of prison while taking on a new opponent in a hairy courtroom case, and keeping two young dragon cubs out of mischief! In Monstrovia, anything can and does happen! Silver Medal Winner, Florida Writers Association - Top Ten Children’s Book- P&E Reader Poll "Mark Newhouse's children's book The Case of the Disastrous Dragon is a fun romp through the mythical land of Monstrovia where mythical creatures live and where anything can happen." "The Case of the Disastrous Dragon is a frolic into a modern Alice's Wonderland. However, as a former middle school counselor, I found deeper meaning to the book. Brodie is a child of divorce -- like so many children today. He is angry and feels abandoned and knows he is the only person who ever felt this way. Without moralizing or preaching, Mark Newhouse lets Bodie express his feelings without comment. For the young reader in the same position, the message is clear -- You are not alone and it's OK to feel that way." -Amazon Reviews KIRKUS REVIEW: Welcome to Monstrovia In book one of a newfantasy series for middle schoolers, a boy's sour perspective on life changesduring an unexpected encounter with giants, dragons, trolls, and other mythicalcreatures. Mom is on a prolongedsales trip in China; Dad is deployed to the Middle East; and Brodie Adkins, age12 and angry about his parents' divorce, has been sent to Key West, Florida, tospend the summer with an uncle he's never met. After Brodie's plane lands, heis whisked away by a troll cabbie to Monstrovia, a "crazy place not on any mapof Florida, the United States or the World." Uncle Jasper turns out to be alawyer famous for defending "Monsters, Fictional Folk, etc." who counts Draculaamong his clients and drives a dragon with a bathtub sidecar. Brodie hangs onto his skepticism and keeps his emotional distance until he is caught up in thecase of Jack, accused of murdering a giant and stealing certain precious items.Jack's sister insists he's innocent, but it doesn't bode well that the judgeand jury are giants. The author deftly weaves these "Jack and the Beanstalk"elements into a parallel world where pixies are pesky reporters, the districtattorney is a 14-foot-tall Perry Mason look-alike, the goose with the goldeneggs takes the stand, and Jack's missing father and mother become keys to theverdict. As Brodie becomes invested in the outcome, he puts aside his owngrievances and fears (although he's still not crazy about the giant spiders),assists his uncle in court, and begins to understand the roots of his own angerand mistrust. That the summer will be a life-changer for the troubled youthisn't hard to predict, but Newhouse ( A Bite Before Christmas , 2016,etc.) goes about it with imagination, humor--often the mild, gross-out kind--anda solid awareness of challenges faced by many young adolescents, while avoidingcloying plot strands. How affirmation and positive reinforcement can effectchange may be the unsubtle takeaway here, but the author, a former educator,delivers it with informed empathy and gleeful wit. An inventive andsurprisingly coherent mix of monsters, mystery, courtroom drama, and real-lifefamily dynamics. "Kirkus Reviews" For Immediate Release:October 1, 2016 Reader's Favorite recognizes "Welcome to Monstrovia" in its2016 international book award contest. The 2016 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Contestfeatured thousands of contestants from over a dozen countries. Readers' Favorite has become the fastest growing book reviewand award contest site on the Internet. They have earned the respect ofrenowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins, and have received the "Best Websites for Authors" and "HonoringExcellence" awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are alsofully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Reviewand Book Award Contest companies. In addition to reviewing for some of the biggest names inthe literary industry, as well as the first time independent author, they hosta respected award contest which features entries from new authors to NYTbest-sellers, as well as celebrities like Jim Carrey and Henry Winkler. "Readers' Favorite is proud to announce that Welcome to Monstrovia, by Mark HNewhouse, published by AimHi Press, is a Bronze Medal Winner in the Children -Grade 4th-6th category in our 2016 International Book Award Contest." Kirkus Review Newhouse ( A BiteBefore Christmas , 2016, etc.) goes about it with imagination, humor--oftenthe mild, gross-out kind--and a solid awareness of challenges faced by manyyoung adolescents, while avoiding cloying plot strands. How affirmation andpositive reinforcement can effect change may be the unsubtle takeaway here, butthe author, a former educator, delivers it with informed empathy and gleeful