Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher

Midsummer Night (June 23) is the date on which Tiamat must go home to her own world. It represents a time of transformation, both literal and metaphorical, is firmly tied into the story’s themes of Overcoming Insecurities through Responsibility and understanding The Mutual Benefits of Caregiving. For Jeremy, the date signifies both the end of his time with Tiamat and the end sixth grade, after which he will transition to a new school. In this way, Bruce Coville uses Midsummer Night as a symbol of all the transitions in Jeremy’s life. As he steels himself to say goodbye to Tiamat, the bittersweet nature of this parting emphasizes the necessity of closing important chapters in life and moving on to embrace new opportunities and experiences. This lesson is clear in the context of Jeremy’s personal growth and his relationship with Tiamat. Over the course of the novel, he evolves from a lonely boy with self-doubts to someone who has cared for and ultimately let go of a powerful, magical creature. This transformation parallels Tiamat’s growth from an egg into a formidable dragon. Midsummer Night therefore marks the culmination of these arcs and commemorates the threshold that both characters must cross so that they may live as they are meant to.