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The relationships between Syms and Darwin and his fellow shipmates are well handled and the bond forged between the boy and Farthing is convincing and at times moving. Young readers will appreciate the powerful emotions at work here. The story storms along at a great pace and Lindsay Galvin’s attention to historical and geographical detail gives the fantasy a realistic dimension. As the author tells us, ‘This planet was once home to magnificent dinosaurs, so why not dragons?’ Syms Covington, a real-life thirteen-year-old cabin boy in 1835, tells the story from his perspective. A cabin-boy and ship’s fiddler on HMS Beagle, he uses hard work and natural ability to become Charles Darwin’s trusted assistant during the epic five-year voyage. Whilst exploring with Darwin in the Galapagos Islands, Syms is swept overboard during a violent storm and is washed up on an uninhabited, volcanic island called Narborough. A remarkable adventure story about the cabin boy Syms who falls overboard during a voyage with Charles Darwin. Syms comes across a small volcanic island where it appears that dragons might be real, thus making the discovery of a lifetime. With short chapters and being split into parts makes Darwin’s Dragons a great choice for a class text as it is easy to fit into the very busy timetable within the primary school classroom, but also allows readers with less stamina to still access a longer text. There are also so many ways this book could be used to support wider learning, including the evolution topic in Year 6 science, or using it to inspire geography or history learning. The author tries to show how mistakes are often made by trying to do what is “best” to make things right in our own understanding but without all of the facts it can end up making things worse.
It's a brilliant middle-grade read that I imagine will be enjoyed by everyone. Animals, adventure, daring and... well, DRAGONS. What more could you ask for? Exciting and original historical fiction charting the discoveries of a cabin boy aboard Charles Darwin's Beagle.The historical side of this story made all the difference when reading it. Set in 1835 the story then takes flight, using imagination to explore what could have happened! Which I felt was a nice balance throughout my read. Despite being grounded in fact, this story was highly unpredictable, with a brilliant twist. It followed the journey and the work of Charles Darwin more closely than I'd anticipated, giving it a feeling of deep authenticity. There are strong themes of ecology, friendship, loyalty balanced with the exploration of right and wrong. I particularly loved what Queen Victoria brought to the plot and it was lovely to see her in her younger years. The ending, set twenty-five years later will leave the reader with a satisfying feeling of wonder and belief.
Farthing helps Syms escape the erupting volcano, the marauding sea lions, and the terrifying dragon. Along the way, he rescues the dragon’s eggs and shortly afterwards, he’s rescued himself by Darwin and the crew of the HMS Beagle. But that’s not the end of the story. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens. This tale is a rich tapestry of storytelling. It sews fact and fiction together in a seamlessly written plot that involves volcanic eruptions, dragon's eggs, a fiddle and Queen Victoria. Covington and Darwin are strong and likeable characters with an interesting master/servant dynamic but, for me, it is the lizard, Farthing, that steals the show in terms of character. Sharply intelligent, lively and adorable, she is definitely the teacher of this lesson- allowing the reader and Covington to uncover surprise after surprise and to discover more and more about this magical species. The book felt a bit empty at times, like it was missing details. And it was a bit too dry and needed more humor. The only redeeming quality of this book was that it had dragons. There are so many other dragon books out there that have more established plots full of excitement, action, and are fast-paced, that this book wouldn't be my first choice. The Galapagos Islands landscape is drawn as a rough but remarkable jewel with its stark terrain and abundant wildlife, and the characters are great. We have the brave but sympathetic Syms, with his companions, Scratch the violin and Farthing the lizard, and the kind but firm Charles Darwin, who is generous yet so intensely focussed on his work that he is quite immovable. Other personalities muscle into this story too - some quite special - but I won't give it away. Just know that there are conflicts and friendships and that you'll love every one of them. First of all I was drawn to this book by its great title, you immediately know this is going to involve great real historical people. Second, the cover is just stunningly beautiful and you can't wait to dive in and be swept away in time, science and adventure.
About Lindsay Galvin
I don't want to give anything away but it just gets better and better the modern story progressed. I loved the Victorian history elements where I'm that time, we were on the verge of new discoveies. At first Fathering was just an intelligent lizard, (or is she?) but soon Fathering became much more! She became Stym’s friend; imagining their tight nit relationship grow over the course of the story was so magical and wonderful to read about. Darwin’s Dragons is a wonderful read. Crystal clear writing and a very clever concept. For indeed there was a cabin boy on Darwin’s journeys, with whom he formed a lifelong friendship. But there’s a documented gap in their correspondence, and this is a period in history that Lindsay Galvin has plumbed with her brilliant imagination to ask ‘what if’? What if the boy discovered something new, something so incredible, something he was so passionate about that it drove a wedge between him and the clinical-minded scientist?
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