FICTION

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight

by Penny Parker KLOSTERMANN
illus. by Ben Mantle. 40p. Random. Aug. 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780385390804.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2—No one seems to know why the old dragon swallowed the knight ("It's not polite!") In addition, the bright red beast proceeds to swallow a steed, a squire, a cook, a lady, a castle, and finally, a moat. At this point the creature decides to burp out everything (except the knight), and what preschooler won't love that! The author has used a broad range of words—savory, shady, fattens, tassel, guzzled, bloat, quote, perchance, amass, and billow. These will add depth to the young listener's vocabulary. Mantle's illustrations are full of primary colors and are quite expressive as the dragon gobbles each entity he encounters. Life in the Middle Ages is hinted at with the additional drawings surrounding each dragon tidbit. This will be a great addition to the kindergarten/first grade curriculum on comparing and contrasting similar stories.
VERDICT A fine purchase for most collections.
Reviewed by Elaine Lesh Morgan, formerly at Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Patterned after "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," these whimsical verses describe a dragon who--not satisfied with the knight--gulps down everything from the squire to the castle moat before having second thoughts. "Maybe I've been a tad impolite. / Perchance I should only have swallowed the knight." Jaunty illustrations complement the absurdity of the rhyme.
 , Jul 01, 2015

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