by Kelly Barnhill
On April 25, 1955, thousands of women spontaneously morphed into dragons. Some flew off without incident, but others left a trail of death and destruction behind them. What would cause these women to do such a thing? After all, they should have been perfectly happy and content in their socially suitable lives. But to change into something fierce and beautiful and utterly independent! What a horrible tragedy. And all hoped it would never happen again….but it did.
This novel follows young Alexandra (or Alex as she prefers to be called) from childhood to young adulthood as she navigates a world where female role models struggle to figure out their identities. Alex’s aunt Marla is a dynamic woman who flew aircraft in the war, works in a garage and has never married. Alex’s mother was a gifted mathematician who built a name for herself in banking and investment but chose to become a wife and mother and leave her mathematical aspirations behind. And seeing how the story takes place in the 1950s and 60s, this struggle for identity is divisive both in society and the family dynamic. To make matters worse (or better), it seems that those women breaking from the societal norm of how “womanhood” is defined spontaneously turn into dragons. Alex must first decide how she views herself in a society defined chiefly by men and then decide what path she will take to live as her authentic self. Will that include turning into a dragon? Read the novel to find out.
Ink And Spine 
Such a great book – thank you for the recommendation!