The Golden Wasp (Secrets of Droon) Hardcover – June 1, 2000

great books for my 3rd grader.... one of MY favorites.. yes i read them too... it was fun to be able to have a conversation!! with my son.. about the books... we talked... we compared... and it was fun for me to read too!

Whew! Not only has the latest installment in the Secrets of Droon series arrived, but it's a winner. My son is delighted (and when he's happy, I'm happy). As we feared at the conclusion of the Land of the Lost, Eric's dad's disappearance was merely the tip of the iceberg. Alas, for the first time, an inhabitant of Droon has invaded the upper world! (If this makes no sense, it's best that you begin with The Hidden Stairs and the Magic Carpet. You'll need to meet Eric, whose basement leads to Droon, and his stalwart friends Julie and Neal. This intrepid trio teams with Princess Keeah, a junior wizard tutored by the master, Gaelen Longbeard, to foil the dastardly desires of the evil Lord Sparr. Sure, you can figure out how Max, the spider troll, and the warrior Ninns fit in without starting at the beginning, but why spoil the fun? ) For loyal followers of this parallel universe saga, book number eight offers a huge payoff. This is the longest Droon tale yet - where the prior episodes are in the 80- and 90-page range, here Tony Abbott breaks through the 100-page barrier. (My son, transfixed by the tale's momentum, never noticed that my voice started to fade as I read for more than an hour straight.) Moreover, the author brings together many rarely seen (but sorely missed) characters from earlier stories. Ensnared in Lord Sparr's evil scheme are King Zello (Princess Keeah's father), Batamogi (the furry Oobja monarch), and my son's favorite, the pillow-shaped Kahn (liege of the purple lumpies). Even the elusive, shape-shifting Queen Relna, last seen battling the Sleeping Giant of Goll, returns in spirit. The action moves at a steady clip and the author skillfully makes this book feel as fresh as the first in the series. Now my son must wait for the next book about Droon. It's a shame time moves so slowly here in the upper world....

My daughter is in the 4th grade. She is hooked on the entire Droon series. I wouldn't recommend these for younger children unless they are above average readers. Droon is a magical world full of adventure and mystery.

This book is great because it gets you very excited. All of the kings are invited to a ball but they were tricked by Sparr and they all get stung by the golden wasp. Read another great book in the Droon series.