Customer Reviews

Brave Martha and the Dragon: A Tale of Provence

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

 

 

This is a beautifully illustrated book for children. The story takes place in France, and is about St. Martha and how she tamed the terrible Tarasque, a very bad dragon. She brought him to the town of Nerluc, which he had terrorized for so long, and to her dismay, the villagers killed him. Then the citizens changed the name of their town to Tarascon in memory of the dragon.

My daughter is nearly four and would be frightened by a dragon-taming story such as Saint George and the Dragon, with its detailed description of the fierce battles and the wounds incurred by each party. Brave Martha and the Dragon is based on a Provencal legend and has much more cheerful illustrations (collages of cut paper and fabric) as well as a happier overall tone. The dialogue is humorous and it's a fun book to read aloud. Of course, Martha tames the dragon, which is the basis of a celebratory festival in the French town of Tarascon each year. This would therefore be a good book to read when studying either French culture or dragon legends from around the world. Some of the collages are a little sloppy or confusing which is what prevents me from giving it 5 stars but this a good not-too-scary dragon book which even a young child would enjoy.