Dragons

Kids Picture Book Review – Have You Seen My Blankie?

HAVE YOU SEEN MY BLANKIE?
Written by Lucy Rowland
Illustrated by Paula Metcalf
(Nosy Crow; $16.99, Ages 2-5)

 

Have You Seen My Blankie cvr

 

Princess Alice always takes her soft, warm and snuggly blankie to bed until one day it goes missing in Have You Seen My Blankie? The picture book, told in rhyme, is written by speech and language therapist Lucy Rowland, with colorful full-page illustrations by Paula Metcalf.

The book opens to Princess Alice’s bedroom with purple walls, a large canopy bed and more toys than most kids would know what to do with. But the toys aren’t as important to Alice as her white and orange blankie she is shown cuddling on her bed. “This blankie was so cuddly! So soft and warm and snuggly!”

 

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HAVE YOU SEEN MY BLANKIE?. Text copyright © 2019 by Lucy Rowland. Illustrations copyright © 2019 by Paula Metcalf. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

“But one day … it went missing!” Metcalf shows Princess Alice searching under her bed, the piano, the couch pillows, and even inside the toilet (she stands on a stool for this drawing!) Each illustration shows her princess crown on top of her head which I found adorable. Princess Alice hurries to the palace door and asks her brother, who is upside down swinging on a tree (but his crown doesn’t slip), “Do you have my blankie, Jack?” Jack explains that after he used her beloved blankie as a curtain, a giant took it from him and wouldn’t give it back! Rowland offers some laugh out loud brother sister dialogue kids will love.

Princess Alice’s search begins as she tracks down Giant Jim who says, “Yes, I had your blankie but I used it as a hankie.” Each illustration depicts beautiful detail of the scene. We know Giant Jim is a chef by the apron he is wearing, and the rolling pin in his hand. His outdoor table is set for tea, and his smile shows the reader he is a nice giant.

 

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HAVE YOU SEEN MY BLANKIE?. Text copyright © 2019 by Lucy Rowland. Illustrations copyright © 2019 by Paula Metcalf. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

 

Page by page Princess Alice continues her search for her beloved blankie. “But then she saw her blankie with a dragon who looked cranky.” Alice felt a little scared. “That’s my blankie she declared.”

Alice has an idea and works with the dragon to find him a replacement, so he will return her blankie. The detailed drawings and fun rhymes, take the listener into an imaginary world of magical kingdoms, giants and snuggly teddy bears. Princess Alice shows love and compassion for the dragon who took her blankie. Knowing how important it is to sleep with something soft and warm, she wipes away his tears. strokes his head, and promises she will find something that’s just right.

This sweet story teaches children about kindness and compassion, even for someone who may have caused them harm. They’ll be happy when two unlikely characters become friends: ” … inside a royal palace lives a young princess named Alice. And now there is a dragon who will often come to stay!” Have You Seen My Blankie? is a comforting bedtime story for any child who, while still needing a security blanket or stuffed animal to cuddle, will feel reassured to learn that even a big dragon needs a snuggle at bedtime.

  • Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder

Read another picture book review by Ronda here.

 

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New Chapter Book Series – Warren and Dragon by Ariel Bernstein

WARREN & DRAGON: 100 FRIENDS
Written by Ariel Bernstein
Illustrated by Mike Malbrough
(Puffin Books; $14.99 Hardcover, $5.99 Paperback, Ages 5-8)

&

WARREN & DRAGON: WEEKEND WITH CHEWY
Written by Ariel Bernstein
Illustrated by Mike Malbrough
(Puffin Books; $14.99 Hardcover, $5.99 Paperback, Ages 5-8)

 

cover art from Warren & Dragon 100 Friends Book 1book cover art from Warren & Dragon Weekend With Chewy Book 2

 

WHO AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS NEW CHAPTER BOOK SERIES:

Warren Nesbitt, a seven-year-old boy.
The realistic relationship (and dialogue) between siblings.
Dragon, a 122-year-old dragon who is real and only visible to Warren.
Dragon, the stuffed animal everyone thinks is what Warren is always referring to!
Warren’s twin sister, Ellie and her quick wit and snide comments.
Friendly next-door neighbors, Nia and Paula Berry, are a gay African-American couple with three children.
Michael Berry, first-grader and soon-to-be Warren’s good friend.
Alison Cohen, Warren’s classmate in Mrs. Tierney’s class.
The descriptions of lunchtime in Book 1.
The Nesbitt family need to move because Mom, an engineer, has been offered a job in a new city.
All of Alison Cohen’s pets in Book 2 and a burgeoning friendship.
Warren’s fear of Dragon eating Chewy in Book 2.

 

REVIEW:

In Warren & Dragon: 100 Friends (Book 1), the Nesbitt family move to Eddington. While his sister Ellie is not happy about having to leave all her friends, narrator Warren has his pal Dragon and doesn’t care much. After some goading from his sister, Warren decides to set a goal of making 100 new friends despite feeling uncomfortable doing it. However, there’s no way he’ll let Ellie get the better of him when she proclaims, “There’s no way you’re going to make more friends than me!” Luckily Dragon says he knows how to make friends as long as it involves massive amounts of marshmallows. When Warren’s first day of school isn’t going as well as he’d like, things go further south when Dragon goes missing. Soon he is recovered safe and sound, even content, helping Warren to realize that the experience has taught him how to make a new friend. The book works on several levels, one being the friendship aspect and another being a “new school” story. The sibling, family, and neighbor dynamics also add to the pleasure of reading this first installment in what promises to be a popular series.

Witty dialogue from all the main characters makes for fast flowing, always funny ten chapters in this very entertaining read. Initially I read it quickly, eager to find out how Warren fared in his new school. Then I read it more slowly a second time to see how Bernstein pulled me into her well-crafted tale. Kids are going to want to read every book in the series which is great for two reasons: 1) It’s engaging and relatable and 2) Book 2 is available and Book 3 in the series, Warren & Dragon: Scary Sleepover, comes out in 2019.

 

Warren & Dragon: Weekend With Chewy (Book 2) had me grinning enormously through all fourteen chapters, vicariously living through the experience of taking a class pet home since I never had the opportunity. In fact I’m not even sure we had class pets when I went to school. Anyway, once again Bernstein’s created a clever premise for this story. Warren gets chosen to take class hamster, Chewy, home for the weekend. He not only has to care for him, but he also has to write a report about it. The catch is, Warren already has plans and they’re exciting. He and his friend Michael from next door are going to construct a chute between their bedroom windows “to trade snacks after bedtime.” Warren convinces Dragon to hamster-sit Chewy so he can focus his energies on ramp building. At the same time, Warren’s twin sister Ellie wants a pet of her own and thinks that, in order for her parents to agree, she must demonstrate responsible behavior. Classmate Alison Cohen gets pulled into the picture when Warren wonders how to write up the report. Before long, everyone’s attention is focused elsewhere and that’s when Chewy goes AWOL. Can the kids find the missing rodent to ensure a happy ending? Things may be looking up, literally, when Warren at last lays eyes on Chewy at his bedroom window ready to take a ride on the “chute-of-doom.”

Malbrough’s charming illustrations, dotted throughout both books, are a welcome addition for children just transitioning to chapter books. These two chapter books confirm that Bernstein knows what type of story will appeal to young readers. I’m looking forward to more of Warren and Dragon’s adventures because anything goes as long as there are marshmallows in the mix! 

  • Review by Ronna Mandel 

    Find a review of a picture book by Ariel Bernstein here.

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Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

An Epic Journey

SHADOW SCALE
by Rachel Hartman

(Random House Books for Young Readers; $18.99, Ages 12 and up)

★ Starred Reviews – Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, & Booklist

Shadow-Scale-cvr.jpgIn this stunning sequel to Hartman’s first book, Seraphina, the author revisits the kingdom of Goredd. In the previous book the court musician, Seraphina, had to come to terms with the stigma surrounding her half dragon, half human ancestry. This book begins with Seraphina’s search for others of her kind, called the ityasaari. Seraphina hopes that gathering all the ityasaari together will help to protect the kingdom from the ongoing dragon-against-dragon wars. To find the other ityasaari, Seraphina must journey through many different kingdoms. However, with every ityasaari found, she comes closer to being controlled by one of her own. Jannoula, a powerful and highly manipulative half dragon, tries again and again to gain control of the minds of all the ityassari. It will take all that Seraphina has learned from her dragon uncle, Orma, and everything that she will learn along the way, to defeat Jannoula. Along the journey Seraphina encounters defeat, loss and hardship. Perhaps the greatest thing Seraphina learns is that set backs seldom mean defeat and that help can arise from the most unlikely places.

Hartman’s world is fascinating, complex and detailed. Spanning four kingdoms, each with its own unique customs, food, and sometimes even religion, Seraphina’s journey is a sprawling quest. Readers of the first book will remember her love interest with Prince Kiggs, which only grows more complex in this second installment. Seraphina’s dragon uncle and mentor, Orma, is mysteriously missing which also adds to the necessity of Seraphina’s search. With this parting of the guide, Seraphina must learn to navigate the world as an adult. Hartman examines the origin and function of religion in society to work for good or for evil closely in this sequel, which makes for a fascinating read. Shadow Scale is a tribute to the power of a talented author to create a fully realized fantasy world full of danger, tradition, sacrifice and love.

– Reviewed by Hilary Taber

Read our review of Seraphina here.

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Of Dragons and Music and Dangerous Secrets

Seraphina Strikes a Most Positive Chord

Seraphina ($17.99, Random House Books for Young Readers, ages 12 and up), by Rachel Hartman, winner of the 2013 YALSA Morris Award for Best YA Debut Novel, is reviewed by Grace Duryée.

Tensions are high in the kingdom of Goredd. The tenuous peace treaty between men and dragons threatens to snap just as Ardmagar Comonot, the leader of the dragon community, comes to Goredd to celebrate forty years of uninterrupted peace between dragon and mankind. The royal family struggles to keep the conflict at bay for just a little longer, while trouble bubbles up from beneath them anyway. Huge resistance groups form, riots break out, and worst of all, the brutal–and strangely draconian–murder of one of their own: the widely respected Prince Rufus leaves the family at a loss at the worst possible time. Amidst all of this excitement is Seraphina, the gifted music mistress of Goredd’s castle. Seraphina is tossed head first into this wild tangle of trouble, torn between what is right and what is safe, who she can trust and who she can love. 

Seraphina-cvr.jpgRachel Hartman, the creator of this world and of the heroic woman Seraphina, skillfully lures her audience into this intoxicating tale of dragons that can fold themselves into humans, musicians that fall in love with princes, and secrets so dangerous they scarcely can even be thought about.  Hartman has lovingly woven the details of the beautiful world she has created into the pages of this fantastically original novel, bringing her audience to truly care about the characters and their relationships with each other. 

Seraphina being a musician is incredibly appropriate in that the story itself plays out exactly like an epic ballad played on her flute. It’s swirling melodies and booming crescendos make Seraphina a song that resonates for quite some time in the hearts of fantasy fans.

Fans of the Eragon series, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings – or anything dragon-related – will surely love this refreshing read. The intricate worlds of Goredd and Seraphina’s mind, along with the incredible lore, will surely leave all fantasy-loving young adult readers craving more of Hartman’s universe, and counting down the days to the release of the sequel to Seraphina, entitled Dracomachia, currently set for release in February of 2014. 

GraceToday’s guest reviewer, Grace Duryée, has been an avid reader since childhood, and values the experience reading provides for every person, particularly children and young adults. This is why Grace has recently taken an interest in children’s literature, and has attempted to combine it with her other long-time love: writing. Grace and her cousin Hilary have recently begun preparations for their very own children’s literature blog, and are both very excited to get it up and running! Grace is 20 years old, and in her spare time she plays too many video games and reads books about dragons. In her not-spare time, Grace is the manager of the teen and children’s department at a Barnes and Noble as well as a college student pursuing her degree in Economics and Business. 

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Dragon? What Dragon?

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A DRAGON, written and illustrated by Jack Kent is reviewed today by reading enthusiast Lindy Michaels of BookStar on Ventura Blvd. in  Studio City.

Sometimes oldies are indeed goodies. And this one certainly is. Billy Bixbee  awoke one morning to find a kitten-sized dragon beside his bed. He didn’t know where it came from, but being so cute, he gave it a pat on its head.

14755257Downstairs having breakfast, Billy told his mother about his new friend. “There’s no such thing as a dragon,” she told him. “Yes there is!” answered Billy. “No, there isn’t!” And so Billy heeded his mother’s advice and ignored the animal. Now, listen closely children (and that goes for you parents, also), because the more Billy’s mother denied there was, in fact, a dragon in the house, the more the dragon grew and grew… bigger and bigger and bigger, until he was bigger than their house!

Mayhem arose when the friendly bread truck drove through the neighborhood. The very hungry dragon, now so big the house was perched on its back, raced after truck for a snack! When Father Bixbee came home, imagine his surprise to find his house atop a dragon, blocks from where it was supposed to be.

Unfortunately, Mother Bixbee was still in dragon denial until Billy screamed, “Yes, there is such a thing as a dragon and he’s right here!” And then Billy patted the humongous beast on the head and low and behold, the dragon starting shrinking and shrinking, until it was back down to the size of a kitten.

Mother Bixbee admitted, having a little dragon wasn’t so bad and wondered why it had gotten so big. And out of the mouths of babes, Billy told her, “Well, maybe he just wanted to be noticed.”

lindymichaelspicThe very versatile Lindy Michaels aims to inspire young minds through children’s literature. Lindy owned L.A.’s first children’s bookshop, OF BOOKS AND SUCH (1972-1987) where she did storytelling, taught drama to children, had art and poetry contests and the like. According to Lindy, “It was truly a ‘land of enchantment.” She also spent years lecturing on realism in children’s literature at colleges in the state. For close to five years Lindy has worked for Studio City Barnes and Noble (BookStar) in the children’s section and does storytelling (with no interruptions!) every Saturday at 10:30 a.m.

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