Review by New York Times Review
What's not to love about a book with the absurdist premise that dragons love tacos - as long as they're not too spicy? Rubin and Salmieri, the team behind the equally hilarious "Those Darn Squirrels!," bring their kooky sensibility to this irresistible story about what can go wrong at a taco party for dragons. (A hint: jalapeños set more than just human mouths afire.) Salmieri's pencil-and-watercolor drawings are not only a wacky delight, they're also strangely beautiful. The dragons may screw up the party, but this book gets everything right. ELEPHANT JOE, BRAVE KNIGHT! Written and illustrated by David Wojtowycz. 32 pp. Random House. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 3 to 6) Elephant Joe and Zebra Pete are peacefully swimming in a moat (on floaties, naturally) when a cry for help rings out from the castle. Quest and adventure ensue, illustrated in colorfully eclectic digital collage, when the king claims that a dark knight has stolen his crown. A wisecracking frog, a fair damsel in disguise and a dragon that is far more ticklish than fierce also figure into the tale, which takes gleeful pleasure in upending fairy tale cliché. HOW TO BE FRIENDS WITH A DRAGON Written and illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev. 32 pp. Albert Whitman & Company. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 7) If you've never thought of dragons as especially sweet creatures, this delicious story about making friends and maintaining good manners will rid you of worn-out prejudice. Gorbachev's soft, dreamy watercolor-and-ink illustrations are well suited to the story of Simon, whose big sister Emma offers a helpful guide to befriending-a dragon - without causing the creature offense. Needless to say, Simon wants to do right but can't always carry through. A good dragon friend understands. A GOLD STAR FOR ZOG By Julia Donaldson. Illustrated by Axel Scheffler. 32 pp. Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Finally, a lightly Americanized version of "Zog" hits these shores from the creators of "The Graffalo" and other hugely popular British picture books. Donaldson, the current children's laureate in Britain, is a master of witty comic rhyme and original stories with heart ("Stick Man," "The Snail and the Whale"). Here she and Scheffler outdo themselves with the smart, funny - dare I say, deep? - story of a dragon in training, a princess who wants to be a doctor and a knight who could use a bit of rescuing. The book gets a gold star too. KING ARTHUR'S VERY GREAT GRANDSON Written and illustrated by Kenneth Kraegel. 40 pp. Candlewick Press. $15.99. (Picture book; ages 5 to 8) From a gifted new author-illustrator comes an original story about a very old hand: namely, Henry Alfred Grummorson, the great-greatgreat-great-great-great-great-grandson of King Arthur. On the day of his sixth birthday, Henry sets out for peril and conquest. "He had heard of a fire-breathing dragon lurking far out in the hills, so into the hills he went." Alas, all he finds are peaceable beasts. A Cyclops who prefers staring contests, a dragon who blows smoke rings, a griffin who plays chess - everyone's actually pretty friendly. It's still exciting. PAMELA PAUL ONLINE A slide show of this week's illustrated books at nytimes.com/books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [June 17, 2012]
Review by Booklist Review
If there's one thing that young boys probably can't get enough of, it's knights. Kraegel introduces wee Henry, the many-times-great-grandson of King Arthur, who sets out for a rousing adventure on his sixth birthday. Clad in armor and wielding a mighty sword, he approaches a dragon ( Behold, vile worm! I . . . do hereby challenge you to a fight to the uttermost! ), but the great lizard turns out to be a softie and suggests the boy try his luck against another monster. To Henry's frustration, Cyclops would rather have a staring contest, Griffin wants to play chess, and Leviathan just wants to splash around in the water. In the end, though Henry never does get a chance to vanquish a terrible beastie, he does gain four fine new pals. Kraegel contrasts his simply drawn kid hero with a visual feast of wide, meticulously patterned landscapes. And thwarted expectations aside, the boy's bombastic proclamations should inspire youngsters to great heights of stately derring-do against their own imaginary foes (and friends).--Chipman, Ian Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
With King Arthur's DNA swirling in his wiry little body, it's only natural that six-year-old Henry Alfred Grummorson would want to go on a monster-battling quest. The thing is, every monster he encounters-be it a terrible dragon, a dreaded cyclops, or the "most to be feared" leviathan-seems to have the DNA of Ferdinand the Bull. Ordered to "unsheathe your claws and let us have ado!" an elaborately feathered griffin instead offers a game of chess. "I prefer black. Is that ok?" it asks eagerly. Although the wrap-up is too pat, considering what precedes it, debut author Kraegel proves he's a talent to be reckoned with. He has a Monty Pythonesque sense of language, humor, pacing, and character-the text's mixture of bombastic and deadpan deliveries makes for a stirring read-aloud. This fine sense of the epically absurd also animates Kraegel's rococo watercolor and ink renderings: in his hands, a dragon's scales coalesce into an intricate mosaic, a tree is a swirl of mazelike lines, and the sea becomes a tangled mass of blue ribbons. Ages 5-8. Agent: Ronnie Herman, the Herman Agency. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Six-year-old Henry, the (many times) great-grandson of King Arthur, sets out on a birthday quest for adventure with great bravery and determination, but the mythical beasts he encounters prove more cuddly than confrontational. In the end, Henry acquires new friends rather than conquering foes. Striking watercolor and ink drawings complement the tale. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
On his sixth birthday, Henry Alfred Grummorson, the great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson of Arthur, King of Britain, goes in search of adventure. First, he challenges a fire-breathing Dragon that simply blows smoke rings. He announces his presence to the giant Cyclops who, instead of fighting, engages him in a staring contest. "NO! NO!" cries Henry. "I want a struggle of arms, a test of might and courage!" Travelling far in search of a worthy adversary, his search leads him past the winged Griffin (who offers a game of chess) to the sea monster Leviathan. Has he finally found something worthy of a fight? With all the courage and flourish of Arthurian legend, Henry's formal voice bellows each call to duel, all in capital letters and in a distinguished font from ye olden days. Kraegel teases this tiny knight with monsters that prefer play over fray. Despite the determined lack of conflict, Henry still manages to find a treasure he didn't know he was seeking. The illustrations succeed in matching the rugged scenery with the adventurous text while giving clues to the surprising ending. This is a good choice for reading aloud and for discussing such topics as friendship, aggression and the bravery it takes to change your mind. (Picture book. 4-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
