Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott (review)

When nine-year-old Jaxon gets dropped off at Ma's house for the afternoon, he has no idea that a stay with a relative he barely knows will involve a jaunt along the space-time continuum, the keeping of three baby dragons, and surprising family revelations. As it turns out, Ma's a witch, and a rather surly one at that, and she's got things to do; if she's going to take care of Jaxon, he's got to put in his work too, mainly by helping to get three baby dragons back into the magical realm. In this start to a new series, Elliott seamlessly blends the culture of the streets of Brooklyn, the culture of Madagascar, and the magic of a fantastical world, adding a TARDIS-like machine for good measure. African-American Jaxon narrates with a sense of awed zeal, but he also ponders how some of the struggles in the magical world mirror his encounters with subtle racism. A missing dragon and Jax's promise to find it ensure a sequel, and black and white art throughout has a bouncy flair. KQG