Merlin's Dragon #1 by T.A. Barron

This book is the first in a trilogy, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. The setting of this story is in the magical land of Avalon, a land beyond Earth where Merlin has returned to be married. One day, a small creature hatches from an egg and is named Basil due to the fact that he smells like that herb. None of the other creatures can identify his species, and he wants to become someone who makes a difference in the world. Basil dreams that a large beast attacks and kills Merlin, and he becomes determined to warn Merlin of the danger. Basil goes on a quest to eat a piece of soil from all of the realms in Avalon, and there are hints that this will make him something special. However, an evil being invades Avalon, and its presence puts the entire land in peril. Basil must find Merlin and warn him that the being may be gaining strength, but how can this little creature help in saving Avalon?

The plot follows the life of Basil as he grows up in Avalon. He doesn't grow much, so he spends much of his early life trying to survive the predators. I liked how Basil struggled to accept himself, because he seemed so small and insignificant. Some other characters were curious about him and sensed that he was something special. The conflict grew once he left the realm of his birth and attended Merlin's wedding. The plot builds to a climax against a seemingly unbeatable enemy, and Basil does something totally unexpected to defeat it.