The Book of Dragons (Hardcover)

by Michael Hague (Author, Illustrator) "THERE WAS ONCE a king and queen who had no children..." (more)
Key Phrases: dragon poison, Flower Queen, Mother Dragon, Uncle Lubin (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Take one first-rate collection of fire-breathing, scale-flashing, wing-flapping, tail-lashing dragon yarns. Lace it with elegant black-and-white line drawings and a generous dollop of unabashedly romantic color plates awash with vibrant hues. The result? A deliciously old-fashioned storybook, delivering just the sort of fantasy Hague is best known for. He pulls out all the stops for this one, using watercolors to present a diverse assortment of winged beasts. There are green dragons, red dragons, multi-headed dragons, even dragons that hint of the Orient with their long beards and manes. The stories-from such luminaries as Kenneth Grahame, J.R.R. Tolkien, E. Nesbit, Elizabeth Coatsworth and C.S. Lewis-are equally splendid. All ages.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6?Seventeen short selections that will appeal to lovers of dragons, fantasy, and folktales. A broad range of writing styles and plot twists are pulled together to provide readers with something fresh in each tale. Excerpts from classic novels such as J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, C.S. Lewis's Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and short stories such as Kenneth Grahame's "The Reluctant Dragon" are included. In addition, there are folktales from China, Italy, and Germany. Most of the heroes are men, but occasionally children are the only ones who can outsmart the dragon. In "Li Chi Slays the Serpent," it is a young girl who conquers the beast. Hague's beautiful full-page watercolors reflect the different moods of the stories and the temperaments of the dragons depicted. A pen-and-ink drawing of a dragon announces each new selection; delicately detailed line drawings appear throughout. The combination of well-selected stories and excerpts and dramatic artwork make The Book of Dragons a fine addition to library collections.?Dawn Ibey, Vancouver Public Library, Canada
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition edition (September 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688108792
• ISBN-13: 978-0688108793
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #543,112 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lovely book of dragon tales, October 3, 2004

By	Lisa M. Bednar "ehlana37" (Pittsburgh, PA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful collection of stories with great illustrations.., June 11, 2000

By	Laura Haggarty (Northern KY USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars pretty interesting, September 26, 2004

By	person (California) - See all my reviews

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.