FICTION

A Gold Star for Zog

by Julia DONALDSON
illus. by Alex Scheffler. 32p. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine. July 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-41724-2.
COPY ISBN
K-Gr 2—In this rhyming story, Zog is subpar at most dragon skills despite being the largest dragon at school. Though he wants to win a gold star, he fails flying, roaring, and fire-breathing, and each time he attempts any of them his injuries are treated by a gentle human who turns out to be Princess Pearl. The kindhearted girl agrees to be captured so that her friend can finally earn his star. She then remains as medic to all the dragons. When a knight in armor arrives to rescue her, she stops the fighting by explaining she'd rather be a doctor than a princess, and the knight agrees to work with her—with Zog serving as an ambulance. Humorous illustrations feature dragons in primary colors with comical expressions in richly colored forest and mountain landscapes. The artist cleverly captures the dragons' enthusiasm and depicts the princess with a long nose and vibrant outfits. Donaldson's rhymes have a bouncing cadence that guides the story's flow. A delightful new twist on happily-ever-after.—Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA
Having faithfully brought Zog remedies for his ailments at dragon school, a girl finally reveals that she's a princess just as Zog fears he's about to fail year four's capture-a-princess test. Bouncing smoothly along, the rhyming text shows how the friendship between Zog and Princess Pearl comes to benefit them both. The illustrations feature a multicolored, endearingly homely cast of cartoon dragons.
Zog may be in dragon school, but it feels more like the School of Hard Knocks when he crashes into a tree during flying practice. Fortunately for him, a girl in the field where he lands offers him a Band-Aid. As the years go by, she faithfully shows up with different remedies -- a peppermint for Zog's sore throat in year two, a gauze bandage for his singed wing in year three -- and finally gives him the most useful gift of all: she reveals that she's a princess just as Zog fears he's about to fail year four's capture-a-princess test, earning him a gold star. A multicolored, endearingly homely cast of cartoon dragons attends class in the woodland setting, where none of the birds, bunnies, butterflies, or other critters seem remotely afraid of the fire-breathers in their midst. Bouncing smoothly along, the rhyming text shows how the friendship between Zog and Princess Pearl comes to benefit them both. "Zog was proud and happy, and Pearl felt good as well. / She took the dragons' temperatures, and nursed them when they fell." (Her Highness has always dreamed of being a doctor.) christine m. heppermann
Reviewed by Gay Lynn Van Vleck , Jun 01, 2012

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