• Age: 11 to 18
• Grade: 6 to 12
• Reading age: 11 to 12

Listen! For I sing of Owen Thorskard: valiant of heart, hopeless at algebra, last in a long line of legendary dragon slayers. Though he had few years and was not built for football, he stood between the town of Trondheim and creatures that threatened its survival. There have always been dragons. As far back as history is told, men and women have fought them, loyally defending their villages. Dragon slaying was a proud tradition. But dragons and humans have one thing in common: an insatiable appetite for fossil fuels. From the moment Henry Ford hired his first dragon slayer, no small town was safe. Dragon slayers flocked to cities, leaving more remote areas unprotected. Such was Trondheim's fate until Owen Thorskard arrived. At sixteen, with dragons advancing and his grades plummeting, Owen faced impossible odds—armed only with a sword, his legacy, and the classmate who agreed to be his bard. Listen! I am Siobhan McQuaid. I alone know the story of Owen, the story that changes everything. Listen!

The cool things about Emily Kate Johnston are that she is a forensic archaeologist, she has lived on four continents, she decorates cupcakes in her spare time, she adores the Oxford comma, and she loves to make up stories. The less cool things about Kate are that she's from a small town in southwestern Ontario, she spends a lot of time crying over books in random coffee shops, and she can't play as many musical instruments as she wishes she could. The Story of Owen is Kate's first novel. Visit her online at ekjohnston.ca.

E.K. Johnston's profile page

• Nominated, Evergreen Teen Book Award
• Long-listed, Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award
• Nominated, Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award
• Nominated, Oregon Reader's Choice Award
• Short-listed, Los Angeles Times Book Prize
• Winner, Toronto Star Best Book of the Year
• Nominated, White Pine Awards Reading Program
• Winner, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Choices
• Commended, William C. Morris YA Debut Award
• Winner, Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
• Winner, Toronto Public Library Teens Summer Edition Booklist
• Winner, YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults
• Short-listed, Monica Hughes Award for Science Fiction and Fantasy
• Winner, OLA Best Bets Young Adult Fiction
• Winner, NYC Reads 365 Recommended Reading List
• Winner, Kirkus Smart Reads for Teens
• Short-listed, Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature
• Winner, Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
• Long-listed, Green Mountain Book Award
• Winner, Tayshas Reading List
• Winner, Booklist Editor's Choice
• Winner, Moonbeam Children's Book Award
• Winner, Kirkus Best Teen Books of the Year
• Winner, Cream of the Crop for Children's and Young Adult Literature
• Winner, Junior Library Guild Selection

"Siobhan is the true star of this novel, narrating the tale with off-beat humor and a believable teen voice.... Readers who enjoy world-building will enjoy the attention Johnston gives to infusing history and contemporary life with dragons." —VOYA

"Siobhan narrates the story with great teen wit, and conveys her excitement and fear in an authentic teen voice.... [T]hemes of friendship, family, loyalty, and sacrifice will keep readers turning pages." —Library Media Connection

"Johnston's masterful book is a refreshing blend of alternative history, high fantasy, and contemporary teen life. Johnston has done careful research for her intricate world building, and the result is strikingly original and believable." —starred, Booklist

"...nothing short of epic." —The Horn Book Magazine

"The promising 'Story of Owen' is a clever first step in the career of a novelist who, like her troubadour heroine, has many more songs to sing." —The New York Times Book Review

"Humor, pathos and wry social commentary unite in a cleverly drawn, marvelously diverse world." —starred, Kirkus Reviews

"Johnston has created a whip-smart, witty, and utterly inventive alternate history. If this stellar debut is any indication, hers looks to be a bright, long-burning career." —starred, Quill & Quire

"Siobhan's narration sings thanks to her dry wit, intelligence, and ability to see the inherent musicality of life, while also commenting on the unreliability of history (and storytelling) and the power of a community to rally to save itself." —starred, Publishers Weekly

"Johnston seamlessly blends fantasy with realistic fiction.... Suggest this title to reluctant readers as the fast-paced plot and witty dialogue will keep them turning pages until the tale's exciting conclusion. A great addition for any library with a strong fantasy following." —School Library Journal