ALA Booklist (Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

Magical creatures are invisible to most humans, but not to Zoey, a bright African American girl, or her scientist mom. In the first in a series of three simultaneously published titles, Zoey discovers her ability to see magical creatures and learns they've been coming to her family's barn for years whenever they need help. When Zoey's mom leaves for a conference, she entrusts this special responsibility to Zoey. When a sickly baby dragon appears, Zoey and her cat, Sassafras, use the scientific method (question, hypothesis, steps, findings), along with research on reptiles (a close relative to dragons), to nurse the dragon back to health. This plot-driven early chapter book boasts 16 quick chapters and a glossary of scientific words. The first-person narration is presented in a large font with lots of white space and complemented by pleasant black-and-white spot illustrations. Although there's little conflict in the story and Zoey is perhaps a little too well behaved, conscientious, and responsible, the imaginative premise and the incorporation of STEM elements make this an attractive and engaging choice.

Kirkus Reviews (Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

Zoey discovers that she can see magical creatures that might need her help.That's a good thing because her mother has been caring for the various beasts since childhood, but now she's leaving on a business trip so the work will fall to Zoey. Most people (like Zoey's father) can't see the magical creatures, so Zoey, who appears in illustrations to be black, will have to experiment with their care by problem-solving using the scientific method to determine appropriate treatment and feeding. When a tiny, sick dragon shows up on her doorstep, she runs an experiment and determines that marshmallows appear to be the proper food. Unfortunately, she hadn't done enough research beforehand to understand that although dragons might like marshmallows, they might not be the best food for a sick, fire-breathing baby. Although the incorporation of important STEM behaviors is a plus, the exposition is mildly clunky, with little character development and stilted dialogue. Many pages are dense with large-print text, related in Zoey's not especially childlike voice. However, the inclusion in each chapter of a couple of attractive black-and-white illustrations of round-faced people and Zoey's mischievous cat helps break up the narrative. In spite of the book's flaws, dragons are very appealing, and tales for young audiences that model the scientific method are nice to see. (Fantasy. 6-9)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

In this whimsical first book in the Zoey and Sassafras series, Zoey-a resourceful budding scientist with brown skin, springy curls, and a cat sidekick-learns that her mother has been secretly rehabilitating magical animals in their backyard. Naturally, Zoey wants to help, but when a sick baby dragon appears while her mother is away, she must use the tools available to her to help the dragon survive. Citro plays Zoey-s anxieties against her can-do attitude, demonstrating how research, past experience, and the scientific method can come in handy (investigating what dragons like to eat, Zoey learns that they enjoy marshmallows but fish is a better choice). Dense blocks of text don-t make for a terribly inviting reading experience, but Lindsay-s cheery spot illustrations help, and Citro gracefully balances her story-s scientific and fantasy elements. Simultaneously available: Monsters and Mold and Merhorses and Bubbles. Ages 5-9. (Mar.)

School Library Journal (Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

Gr 1-3 Zoey and her cat, Sassafras, love to explore, play pretend, and learn. They make an excellent team. Unfortunately, Zoey is feeling blue because her mom is leaving for a work conference. While her mom finishes packing, Zoey makes a big discovery: a photograph that glows purple, hidden amongst her mom's papers. Zoey learns that magical animals come to the family's barn when they need assistance. With her mom away, it is up to Zoey and Sassafras to aid a sick baby dragon. Zoey puts her Thinking Goggles to work as she researches how to help the dragon. The book relies heavily on STEM themes (Zoey creates an experiment, considers a hypothesis, and gathers evidence), but the story line does not suffer. Concepts are explained concisely and clearly, and a short glossary provides valuable vocabulary building. The slightly larger font makes the text inviting for emerging readers, and the illustrations blend perfectly into the story. Sassafras and the dragon prove to be able sidekicks in the vein of Disney characters, which will appeal to readers. An African American family takes center stage, something not often seen in early chapter books. VERDICT This book is a natural fit for STEM collections and deserves a place in all libraries serving young readers. Sarah Wethern, Douglas County Library, Alexandria, MN