The Dragon of Cripple Creek

Gr 5—8—Kat Graham loves gold—she even has a gold tooth—so when she sees a sign for the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine tour in Cripple Creek, CO, she persuades her father to take a short detour en route to his new job in California. While on the tour, Kat sneaks away from the group, tumbles down a shaft, and makes a startling discovery: Ye, an ancient dragon surrounded by a hoard of gold. Gold, Ye explains, is what remains of dragons after they die, and Ye is the last of his kind. Though touched by his story, Kat can't resist keeping a nugget for herself and ends up sparking a national sensation as various forms of human greed and ambition collide in a second gold rush. Featuring among other things a cool private eye, a nasty investigative reporter, and a tragic accident that has left Kat's mother comatose, Howell's debut novel is often a bit too crowded for its own good, but the book provides some interesting discussion points on the themes of greed, mortality, and wonder.—Christi Esterle, Parker Library, CO