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Summary
Summary
Wouldn't it be fun to have a dragon for a friend? But that's not going to happen if you don't know the rules. Simon's big sister, Emma, knows them all: DON'T poke a dragon when he's taking a nap; he might sneeze fire. DON'T be surprised if the dragon fries some eggs with his breath. DO be sure to wear a seat belt should you ever ride on his back...Simon is determined to master every last rule, because then maybe, just maybe, he'll get the chance to embark on what is sure to be the adventure of a lifetime.
Reviews (6)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-Simon, a mischievous little boy, is a big fan of all things dragon. He would like nothing better than to become friends with a "real" dragon. His older sister, Emma, an adorable, bespectacled know-it-all, offers him many rules for befriending one. Starting with not scaring the dragon and being nice, her guidelines include wearing a seatbelt when flying on his back, not poking the sleeping creature in the nose with a stick, and saying "thank you" when he fries up some eggs in his mouth. The beast, initially portrayed as an oversize green plush toy in Simon's arms, becomes enormous but friendly looking in the "rules" pages, with tufted ears and horns and an affable expression. Bright, mostly full-page watercolor and ink illustrations in Gorbachev's characteristic style are brimming with gentle humor. Pair this book with Jack Kent's classic There's No Such Thing as a Dragon (Golden, 2001) or David Biedrzycki's Me and My Dragon (Charlesbridge, 2011) for a fun, fire-breathing storytime.-Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Young Simon "loved everything about dragons." But when it comes to achieving his ultimate goal-as articulated by the title-he must rely on his older sister, Emma, for pointers. "If you ever meet a dragon, don't show that you are scared of him," she decrees, as Gorbachev (Shhh!) offers a splendid watercolor-and-ink image of Simon's first encounter with a supersized green beast that breathes fire but has kindly eyes. If readers think that the story's going to be Simon's show after that, they're in for a strange ride. Emma continues to issue a long list of befriending instructions; Simon assents to each one, though he is often seen breaking the rules in the illustrations, swinging from the dragon's tail or waking him up with a poke to the nose. The dragon, who lives in a stately castle and wears a chef's apron when he fries eggs in his mouth, indeed seems like a friend worth courting. But with Emma controlling the strings, Simon's fantasy feels more like a marionette show than something he owns. Ages 4-7. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
When Simon tells his sister he wants to make friends with his favorite animal, a dragon, Emma explains all the rules: don't show you're afraid and don't scare him; be polite and don't tease; and if he takes you flying be sure to wear your seatbelt. Gorbachev's distinctive sketchy illustrations expand the various rules and add humor to this simple fantasy. (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Dragon-taming is a common theme in children's media, and it's not hard to see why. Here young Simon loves everything about dragons and confesses to his older sister that he'd like to make friends with one. She proceeds to tell him the rules of dragon-befriending normal etiquette reminders such as not forgetting to say thank you when the dragon serves lunch (perhaps eggs he's fried in his own mouth), but also dragon-specific rules such as not to put a stick into his nose while he's sleeping, since dragons not only breathe fire, but also sneeze it. Each rule is pictured in full-page spreads featuring Simon cavorting with the bright-green creature. Suitably in a book for younger readers, this dragon isn't too scary, despite all the pyrotechnics. He's got whiskers like a cat, and a wide-eyed, friendly expression on his face. Making friends and exercising the imagination are key tasks on young kids' to-do lists; Simon shows how to have fun doing both.--Foote, Diane Copyright 2010 Booklist
New York Review of Books 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.