My reading goal for 2024 is to read sixty books about dragons in honor of my sixtieth birthday during this Year of the Dragon. Kelly Barnhill’s Newbery Award winning book features a magical girl (Luna) who keeps a tiny dragon for a pet.
Luna was rescued as an infant from certain death by a witch. She had been left as a sacrifice by her village - all part of an evil plot by the town Elders and the Sisters of the Star meant to keep the rest of the villagers in line.
The Sisters are the only ones with access to the libraries, the only ones that is except for their parade of apprentices who were always sent away “once they became aware of how much learning there was to be had in the libraries of the Tower, and they became hungry for it”. The Sisters knew, of course, that "the last thing they needed was to allow the populace to be getting ideas. Ideas, after all, are dangerous." When the Sisters and the Elders are finally conquered their apprentice (Wyn) is the person who opens the library to all because "knowledge is powerful, but it is a terrible power when it is hoarded and hidden".