Young Lucy Pennykettle is settling in to sleep when suddenly, there it is again. It's a monster. She yells for her mom, Liz, who comes to see what's going on. This is the third night that the monster has appeared. Her mother has a special gift and she is about to use it to protect Lucy. Liz can create a dragon out of clay and using some special ice, can bring the dragon to life. Over the course of a few days, Liz creates a Guard Dragon for Lucy and they name him Gruffen after his first uttered word. Gruffen has a book of instructions on how to be a guard dragon and takes his job seriously though he fumbles at first to get it right. (Don't we all.) Then, the night comes when the monster appears and Gruffen must meet the mighty foe who turns out to be a bat in need of a roost so she can safely birth her pup. The book is a combination of facts about bats, fantasy, and adventure all tied up nicely with a neighbor next door who is the true adversary. 104 pages