No Such Thing as Dragons by Philip Reeve

Philip Reeve is the author of the popular Mortal Engines series. This is quite different. Ansel is a mute apprentice to Brock, a dragon slayer who is looking for a dragon to slay. His father sold him to Brock just wants to be rid of him. Ansel wants to be brave, but finds it difficult to do his job for Brock, a lowly scam artist who fakes his kills for coins from gullible villagers. His life takes a turn when they find a real dragon and Else, a friend worth having. This is an easy read for middle graders who want to go on a dragon hunt.