Goodnight, Dragons

K-Gr 2—So many young children believe in dragons, and the little boy in this the story is no exception. He is convinced that there are such beasts in the forest and that it is his job to tame them. He prepares for battle and enters the forest, not with swords, but with hot chocolate (heated, of course, by their fire). The child tells the story, but the prose is stilted and doesn't sound as if it's coming from a young boy at all. He calls to the dragons "with a voice strong as hawksong." He states confidently, "I am called to tame dragons. My heart tells me so." This dialogue sounds too adult for a boy young enough to ride a dog like a horse. The illustrations, on the other hand, are charming. Lemaitre has a knack for combining the everyday with the fantastic. Grouchy dragons stomp toward the child while he attempts to charm them with a cape tied around his neck and a baseball cap turned backwards as his helmet. He wraps them in soft blankets while small woodland creatures look on. This art adds a sense of whimsy to the stiff text, but it's not enough to make a winning book.—Susan E. Murray, formerly at Glendale Public Library, AZ