Customer Reviews

The Book of Dragons

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My daughter (6 yo) and I are reading this book together, and both she and I love it. The book has stories and exerpts selected by Michael Hague, and has been illustrated by him too. The illustrations are simply amazing.

The content of the book is also quite good. The stories are exerpts from a variety of authors, from J.R.R. Tolkien's _The Hobbit_, to C.S. Lewis. Some are dragon fairy tales that stand on their own. Some stories have a humorous bent. Both adults and children will love these stories and illustrations.

The reading level is around 9 - 12 years of age, though a younger child will enjoy reading with an adult and looking at the beautiful illustrations. This would be a wonderful addition to any children's home library.

This book is perfect for any young person, or person young at heart, who loves dragons. It features many of the marvelous illustrations by that master of fantasy, Michael Hague, accompanying 17 classic tales of dragons and their prey.

The tales range in place setting from China to England, Scandinavia to Narnia. The dragons themselves range from fearsome to foolish, rage-filled to reluctant, and everything in-between. If you or your child love dragons and their stories, don't hesitate to buy this book!

I first read this book when i was in fifth grade.I think it would also be good for kids who are under 13. It's a pretty good easy read book.

It had ok stories about people who fought dragons and stuff like that. Most of the stories where pretty interesting and that I've never seen before, but the real thing that I liked about the book was the illistrations. The are really eye catching.

My boys love this book, which we got for them for Christmas. Some stories are too hard for them (they're six and four), but even the younger one loves looking at the pictures. "Why's this dragon happy? Because he like to eat some people?" "Look at this funny dancing dragon!" "Daddy, this dwagon's cwying. Why?" My older son can read some of the stories, a bit. . . But it might take a few more years to grow into all of them. I enjoy them maybe just as much. The authors are all first rate, and each story seems better than the last, and than the one after it, if that makes sense. All in all, this book is a great idea, well-executed. I should add that I myself am a dragon, and find that the book's square, flat shape makes it a good fire-stop.

I liked all the different stories. There were some stories from books that I had read before like one about Smog the dragon from The Hobbit. There were also some pretty funny dragon stories. Overall there was a nice mix of dragon stories. I highly recommend this book to kids from about age 8 and up.

Scaly and sinuous, winged and wise, dragons have soared into the imaginations of all who have believed in more than what is within reach. Their flame-licked lips form a blazing phrase, heating human hearts into the drum of fear or the beat of awe. Rarely seen, though ever present on the tongues of our storytellers and the brushes of our artists, dragons wind a serpent's bind around dreamer's dreams everywhere.

And so, it is with great pleasure that I recommend The Book of Dragons by Michael Hague; there is much here to read, to see, and to dream upon. Dragons are famed for their great hoards of treasure, stacked high into the cave walls of their lairs. This tome is a treasure trove of tales and paintings, enough to satisfy the greediest of appetites. All of the finest baubles of dragon lore are stored within: sparkling gems such as the paranoid crimson wyrm Smaug from "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien, the golden arm-band wearing boy-turned-dragon Eustace from "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis, and the sapphire-blue creature of "The Reluctant Dragon" by Kenneth Graham. Magnificent jewels which may be unfamiliar to you are also waiting to be newly discovered within this wealth.

Those of you who are disturbed by the maleficent and evil image most often attributed to dragons will not be turned off by this book, as dragons of all possible shapes, colors, personalities, and lands of origin are gracefully presented and contrasted herein. Hague has taken care not show bias towards any opinion of dragons--reading both versions of the St. George and the Dragon legend side-by-side will surprise you. See the beast in a new light, not merely as a vicious monster, but as a peaceful poet, as well. Equally heartening are the many illustrations created by Hague especially for this book--you will not go away from this adventure unsatisfied. The images throughout "The Book of Dragons" illustrate the immediacy and inspiration of the unspoken story, fanning the burning glory of these tales' hearth songs. Gather ye all 'round this one.

This is a beautifully illustrated book with many beautiful tales. I sometimes wonder why the dragons are usually the enemies, while the book is titled "The Book of Dragons." My favorite story is "The Dragon and the Enchanted Filly." I like it because the hairs of the filly are magical!

I've read a few of the stories so far and I'm looking forward to reading more. So far I've read "The Dragon Tamers", "Perseus and Andromeda", "The Flower Queen's Daughter," "Bilbo Baggins and Smaug", "The Devil and his Grandmother", and "The Good Sword." All of the stories really held my attention and I couldn't put the book down. The only better Dragon book I've read is "Eldest." - by Louis, age 11

Quite possibly the best anthology of dragon tales in print, "The Book of Dragons," collected and illustrated by artist and editor Michael Hague (famous for his paintings for the popular J.R.R. Tolkien calendars), is a must have for the dragon admirer--or dragon slayer--of any age. The seventeen gorgeously illustrated stories, legends, and excerpts bring to life every kind and color of dragon imaginable: many are villains of the most terrifying sort, and others are surprisingly gentle and kind, sometimes even silly. Michael Hague also introduces dragons to the reader that he or she may have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, such as the cloud-breathing dragons of Asian legend or the serpentine monsters of Greek mythology. The stories within "The Book of Dragons" are not just about those majestic and frightful beasts, but also detail the men and women who have challenged--or befriended--dragons. Of particular interest to the dragon lover is the excerpt from the novel "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" by C.S. Lewis, which alerts the reader to exactly what may happen if one begins to think too many greedy, dragon-like thoughts...you will have to read it to find out. The reader will be equally pleased with the dragon drawings and paintings within this anthology; this book is generously illustrated by Michael Hague's lush watercolors and pen-and-ink sketches. His art brings to mind the great storybooks of the turn of the century, the kind illustrated by masters like Arthur Rackham and Howard Pyle. Get "The Book of Dragons" for your library or lair immediately! ~Jason Baron

I love this book, it has wonderful painting/drawings and good stories. My favorites were "The Dragon Tamers" and "The Dragon of Wantly" which is a very long, nicely written poem. I reccomend this book.