Dactyl Hill Squad

By Daniel José Older

Book #1 in the Dactyl Hill Squad series

Dinosaurs in Civil War-era New York. Can orphans outsmart a villain to save their friends?

3.8/5 Goodreads · 1,010 ratings

288 pages· 48,004 words· Est. 6.5 hour read

$6.99Save 4%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In 1863 New York, amidst Civil War chaos and roaming dinosaurs, Magdalys Roca and her fellow orphans face a dire challenge. When their friends are kidnapped during the Draft Riots, they escape to Brooklyn's Dactyl Hill, a sanctuary for black and brown New Yorkers. There, they join forces with the Vigilance Committee, learning to fly on dactyls and plotting against the sinister magistrate, Richard Riker. As they uncover new allies and incredible dinosaurs, the stakes rise. Can Magdalys and her squad rescue their friends before time runs out? Adventure and danger await in this thrilling historical tale.

From the publisher

An unforgettable historical, high-octane adventure. – Dav Pilkey, author-illustrator of the Dog Man seriesIt’s 1863 and dinosaurs roam the streets of New York as the Civil War rages between raptor-mounted armies down South. Magdalys Roca and her friends from the Colored Orphan Asylum are on a field trip when the Draft Riots break out, and a number of their fellow orphans are kidnapped by an evil magistrate, Richard Riker. Magdalys and her friends flee to Brooklyn and settle in the Dactyl Hill neighborhood, where black and brown New Yorkers have set up an independent community – a safe haven from the threats of Manhattan. Together with the Vigilance Committee, they train to fly on dactylback, discover new friends and amazing dinosaurs, and plot to take down Riker. Can Magdalys and the squad rescue the rest of their friends before it’s too late?

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