What to Know Before You Start
Step into the chaotic and hilarious world of The Dragonsitter, where a mischievous pet dragon turns a simple favor into a whirlwind of adventure! Written by British author Josh Lacey and illustrated by Garry Parsons, this charming children’s series follows young Eddie Smith-Pickle as he navigates the absurdity of caring for his uncle’s unruly dragon through a series of frantic, laugh-out-loud emails. Perfect for young readers aged 6 to 10, the series blends lighthearted fantasy, humor, and relatable family dynamics.
The defining feature of the Dragonsitter series is its unique epistolary format. Told entirely through emails from Eddie to his highly unreliable Uncle Morton, the books read like real, modern communication. Children—and parents reading aloud—are treated to Eddie's increasingly desperate pleas for help as his Uncle Morton stays out of contact. Garry Parsons’ illustrations are cleverly framed as email attachments, showing the visual destruction the dragons wreak, from charred curtains to missing pets. This structure makes the series exceptionally engaging, particularly for tech-savvy kids and reluctant readers transitioning to chapter books.
The Recommended Dragonsitter Reading Order
Because the Dragonsitter books follow a continuous narrative thread where characters, pets, and family members grow and return, the best way to experience them is in their original publication order. The chronological timeline of Eddie's adventures matches the publication order exactly. Reading them sequentially allows children to see Eddie transition from a panicked kid who doesn't know how to handle a baby dragon into a confident, albeit still stressed, dragon expert.
Here is the complete publication and chronological order for the series:
1. The Dragonsitter (2012)
Eddie agrees to look after Uncle Morton's pet dragon, Ziggy, for a week while his uncle goes on vacation. It sounds easy enough, but Eddie quickly realizes he has taken on more than he can handle. Within days, Ziggy has eaten his sister Emily's pet rabbit, set the living room curtains on fire, and terrorized the mailman. With Uncle Morton refusing to answer his emails, Eddie must figure out how to survive the week.
2. The Dragonsitter Takes Off (2013)
Ziggy the dragon is back, and this time he is joined by another dragon named Arthur. The trouble starts when the dragons refuse to eat anything Eddie offers them. As they start showing signs of sickness, Eddie is forced to send increasingly panicked emails to Uncle Morton, desperately seeking a solution before the dragons completely waste away or set the neighborhood on fire.
3. The Dragonsitter's Castle (2013)
Uncle Morton decides to house his dragons in a drafty, ancient castle, and Eddie and his family are invited to stay there over the winter holidays. Far from a peaceful vacation, the drafty castle becomes the perfect setting for a cold and fiery disaster. Eddie must deal with freezing rooms, grumpy castle keepers, and dragons who find endless ways to cause trouble in the historic corridors.
4. The Dragonsitter's Island (2014)
Hoping for a normal family holiday, Eddie and his family travel to an island. Of course, where Eddie goes, the dragons follow. Uncle Morton's dragons manage to turn the beachside retreat into a full-scale emergency, forcing Eddie to keep the mythical beasts hidden from tourists while preventing them from eating the local wildlife.
5. The Dragonsitter's Party (2015)
It's time for a birthday party! Eddie is determined to have a normal birthday, but when his mother reluctantly agrees to let the dragons attend, chaos ensues. A birthday cake, excited children, and fiery breath do not mix well. Eddie must manage his guests, his family, and his uncle's mischievous pets all at once.
6. The Dragonsitter to the Rescue (2016)
In the sixth installment, Eddie finds himself in a race against time. The dragons have gotten themselves into a massive mess, and Eddie is the only one who can save them. Without the help of his elusive Uncle Morton, Eddie has to step up, display creative problem-solving, and rescue the creatures before the authorities find out.
7. Trick or Treat? (2016)
First published in the UK in 2016 (and released in the US in 2017), this spooky installment sees Eddie facing a Halloween nightmare. Minding dragons during the trick-or-treating season leads to massive misunderstandings, as neighbors mistake the very real, fire-breathing dragons for children in exceptionally good costumes. Eddie has to control the candy-hungry dragons before they run wild.
8. The Dragonsitter Detective (2017)
When items start mysteriously disappearing around the house, Eddie has to put on his detective hat. Is it one of the dragons playing a prank, or is there someone—or something—else causing the thefts? Eddie uses his emails to Uncle Morton to document the clues and solve the mystery.
9. The Dragonsitter's Surprise (2018)
Just when Eddie thinks he has seen every possible dragon disaster, a major surprise arrives on his doorstep. Uncle Morton has managed to get himself into another bind, leaving Eddie with an unexpected delivery that turns the Smith-Pickle household upside down once again.
10. The Dragonsitter in the Land of the Dragons (2019)
The epic series finale takes Eddie far away from his suburban home. He travels all the way to Mongolia, the legendary home of wild dragons. There, Eddie finds himself in the middle of a massive dragon battle and must apply everything he has learned over the years to help Uncle Morton, protect the dragons, and safely make it back home.
Key Themes and Why the Series Resonates
Behind the silly emails and fiery accidents, the Dragonsitter series carries subtle, heartwarming lessons for early readers. First and foremost, the series is about responsibility and problem-solving. Eddie doesn't want the chaos, but because his Uncle Morton is unreliable, he is forced to step up and handle the emergencies himself. This models resilience and independence for young children in a highly entertaining way.
Additionally, the series highlights strong family bonds. Eddie's mother and his younger sister Emily are frequently drawn into the madness, and their reactions provide much of the book's grounded humor. Despite the constant frustration, the family always comes together to protect the dragons and help one another.
Related Series and Author Recommendations
While there are no direct spin-off books in the Dragonsitter universe, author Josh Lacey has written several other fantastic series that fans should check out. If readers enjoy Lacey's signature comedic style, they can explore the Grk series (which he wrote under the pen name Joshua Doder), following the global adventures of a boy and his dog. Older readers might also enjoy his Time Travel Twins series, which sends its protagonists back to historical eras like Victorian London and ancient Rome.
For those looking for books by other authors with a similar magical, funny tone, Andy Shepherd’s The Boy Who Grew Dragons is a highly recommended next step that shares the same target audience and playful, illustrated style.