• Age: 10 to 13
• Grade: 5 to 8
• Reading age: 11 to 13

Impulsive young Prince Siegfried craves glory and recognition from his aloof parents, the king and queen of Denmark. Starting a war with a neighbouring country and seeking out the most feared dragon in the realm seems like a good place to start.

An epic tale full of action, adventure, mythological beasts, magical swords, powerful rings, and a treacherous companion.

Adapted from the ancient Norse mythological Völsunga Saga, Siegfried: Dragon Slayer is the first in a two-part series by Canadians Mark Allard-Will and Jasmine Redford.

Mark Allard-Will is best known for writing Canadiana comedy comic, Saskatch-A-Man, and adventure graphic novel, Årkade (Renegade Arts Entertainment) Living in the the cold but welcoming tundra of Saskatoon, and born, raised in the picturesque, rural depths of Suffolk, England, Mark loves nothing more than reading a good book, soaking in world mythology and participating in the international film festival circuit. Mark is also an award winning screenwriter.

Ryan lives in Saskatoon, where he illustrates graphic novels ranging from humour to superheroes to horror and more. Best known for his work on adventure title, Daisy Blackwood: Pilot for Hire (Soaring Penguin Press).

Mark Allard-Will's profile page

Jasmine Redford: "Illustrator, copy editor, teacher's assistant, full-time single parent, and graduate student working on some sort of crazy thesis about Canadian comic books. I snagged my B.F.A. with a major in Visual Arts from the Emily Carr University of Art and Design and, years later, followed up with a B.A. Honours from the University of Saskatchewan where I am currently a graduate student. Clearly, I have fallen down the rabbit hole of Humanities, and there is no waking up yet. I might need someone to shake me by the shoulders."

Jasmine Redford's profile page

• Runner-up, ALBERTA BOOK AWARDS 'GRAPHIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR

"Fantasy lovers will dive right into this graphic novel which starts with a sword fight training scene before cutting to a dream of treasures and a dragon. [.] This retelling of an ancient story was created so more readers could delve into the Völsunga saga, and this graphic novel achieves that goal. The text is easy to read and has an appropriate pace for the fantasy story while still challenging readers to expand their vocabulary or perhaps their understanding of the mythology. Recommended." - Lindsey Baird, Canadian Materials

"Adventurous and epic, this wonderful retelling of Siegfried and the dragon brings the classic story to life right before your eyes. Every detail of the story and the art is bang on perfect." - Arthur Slade, author of Modo: Ember's End and Dragon Assassin

"This is a marvellous retelling of the Völsunga Saga. Mark has made it accessible to such a wide range of readers, Jasmine's whimsical illustrations are charming and complement the text perfectly." - Catriona Glazzard, CEO of Asgard (Asgard.scot)