Dragonbreath #1

If you like the sample you will like the whole book. There's both drawings and normal writing, just the right amount of each. Produced lots of giggles ! I am likely to read this more than once! :)

Bought this for my reluctant reader niece who loves reptiles. Got sucked in by the sentient potato salad, read to the end, and regret nothing. Ursula Vernon aka T. Kingfisher is a treasure to humanity, and no matter what age she’s writing for, I’m here for it!

My kid loves this series. The first one really grabbed him -- he thought it was funny and he loves the friendship between Danny and Wendell, and the way they are friends despite (because of?) their differences. We read them together as bedtime books and they have a great combination of images and text for still-learning readers. As a parent, they are infinitely less painful to read than a lot of other transitional books. They're genuinely funny and entertaining, increasingly so as you progress in the series (from what I've seen so far.)

There is nothing astonishingly new in this story--an elementary-school student is bothered by bullies, and he goes to a fantastic place to complete a homework assignment--but Ursula Vernon handles it with her characteristic tongue-in-cheek wackiness that makes it a light and enjoyable read for all ages. Her drawings complement the text perfectly and more--rather than being mere illustrations, they carry the story along, comic-book style. Though the story concludes satisfactorily, at the end I found myself wanting more.Fortunately, more stories are indeed in the works, and I look forward to seeing them. You will too.

Dragonbreath is a fun read. It doesn’t make my list of classic children’s stories, however.As a middle-aged guy I enjoyed revisiting Beatrix Potter The Complete Tales, Charlotte’s Web, Winnie the Pooh The Complete Tales, Treasure Island, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, Watership Down and The Wind in the Willows as much, maybe even more, than I did as a kid. All classics.I’d shelve Dinotopia and the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, with this group of classic children’s stories too.About half of what I read is everything from nonfiction to westerns to children’s stories like Dragonbreath. The other half of what I read is sci-fi and fantasy.I read the first books, but I haven’t seen any of the movies or TV series from the following book series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Twilight, Outlander, Fifty Shades of Grey, The Long Earth, Divergent, etc. I sample a lot of first books, but I don’t read many complete series. (Who has that much time?) The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, and The Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) series by George Martin are a couple of exceptions. I’ve read both of those series more than once.Sci-fi and fantasy authors I like include Douglas Adams, Taylor Anderson, Isaac Asimov, Paolo Bacigalupi, Ray Bradbury, Jack Campbell, Orson Scott Card, Arthur C. Clarke, Earnest Cline, Suzanne Collins, Abe Evergreen, William R. Forstchen, Joe Haldeman, Robert A. Heinlein, Frank Herbert, Hugh Howey, George Martin, Larry Niven, Andre Norton, George Orwell, Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson, John Scalzi, John Steakley, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Andy Weir.Starship Troopers (1959) (not like the movie) by Robert A. Heinlein is the book that got me started in sci-fi adventures, and has remained one of my top five favorite military science fiction adventure stories for decades. The Forever War (1974) by Joe Haldeman, Armor (1984) by John Steakley, Ender’s Game (1985) by Orson Scott Card, and Old Man’s War (2005) by John Scalzi, round out my top five military sci-fi adventure stories.

Absolutely delightful. The ratio of comic to text is low enough that I felt like my son had to do a good, solid amount of traditional reading with this, but it never lost his attention, and the occasional comic page was more of a fun “bonus” than a constant interruption. Plot is silly/fun enough to engage a reluctant 9yo but writing is imbued with surprisingly sophisticated dry humor that made me laugh as he read it to me. Did not expect that in a 3rd-grade level book and am not sure he got every joke, but I did. Thrilled to find this series and definitely buying more.

My eight year old is obsessed with this series and this book was another loved addition to his collection.

We brought a young mind into our home who everyone said "can't read." "He doesn't like to read. He doesn't like to be read to." So we looked for something unique and fun. Before we were half way done with this book he would get upset if we missed reading time. And before we were done he decided he wanted to learn to read.The story is fun, and the language is simple enough for kids to understand. The illustrations are also eye catching. I appreciate the help this series has given us in reaching some kids that didn't want to be reached.