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25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wag the Dog., February 5, 2004
This review is from: The Reluctant Dragon (Paperback)
This delightful story tells the tale of a boy who meets a kindly dragon on the edge of town. The boy and the dragon become friends and start spending a lot of time together. Then the people of the town find out about the dragon and send for St. George. The boy meets with St. George and takes him to meet the dragon. All three soon become friends and find themselves in a quandry. George doesn't want to kill the dragon and the dragon has no desire to kill George. A plan is hatched and at the end of the story everyone lives happily. It's really great reading this to younger children. It's got a great message about not prejudging others. It also shows how people can sometimes get everything they want, without anyone having to get hurt by it. That doesn't happen often, but it's nice to be reminded now and again that it can.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Brilliantly Written Satirical Fantasy, June 27, 2010
This review is from: The Reluctant Dragon (Paperback)
The Reluctant Dragon is a mild-mannered specimen of his breed who, unlike the "active and earnest" fellows who used to charge around battling knights, has survived long enough to develop his passion for poetry. He is befriended by an intelligent young shepherd boy, who is placed in an awkward position when the villagers discover the dragon's presence. Although the dragon has harmed no one, the villagers are so aroused that they call on Saint George to battle this "pestilential scourge." When Saint George arrives the dragon flatly refuses to fight, and the boy is left to find a solution to the impasse.
This is a brilliantly written satirical fantasy, lambasting the traditional knight-and-dragon stories and providing a wonderful protagonist that boys of all ages (and many girls) will want to identify with. The fantastical pleasure of friendship with a dragon is enhanced by encounters with the famous knight, a theatrical battle, and plenty of intelligent wit to amuse both children and adults. The language is advanced, suitable for reading aloud or for confident self-readers. Some of the humor will be above young readers' heads, but there is enough action to make it interesting for younger ages.
The original classic version is charmingly illustrated in pen-and-ink by Ernest Shepard (who also illustrated the Winnie-the-Pooh books), but for younger readers a more colorful version may be more appealing. There is a visually pleasing paraphrase by Inga Moore, which unfortunately preserves almost none of Grahame's marvelous prose. The unabridged edition by Michael Hague has lavish illustrations on almost every page, and it is my favorite version.
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Treasure!, May 11, 2002
This review is from: The Reluctant Dragon (Paperback)
Author of historical fiction. This book is a treasure for your library. It brings endless pleasure, and is the kind of story that spans all ages. It is the tale of a boy and his dragon who lives up on the Downs. In spite of the bad reputation dragons have, the boy and he become quick friends. Saint George shows up to do battle with the reluctant lizard, and the boy arranges a mock battle, unbeknown to the villagers that pleases everyone.
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