Dear Dragon's Seasons

K-Gr 2—A young boy enjoys the seasons with his parents and, of course, his dear dragon. Holidays, seasonal changes, activities, and clothing all reflect the differences you would expect as the year progresses. Margery Hillert is well known for her easy-readers that include simple stories with basic vocabulary, no contractions, and plenty of repetition, setting beginning readers up for success. In this case, the four books have been loaded onto a Go Reader—an individual listening device. The stories are told through conversations between the boy, his dragon, and his parents. Each voice is unique. The bright illustrations by David Schimmel are essential to the story, often illustrating what the characters are talking about but not naming. The slow-paced narration is clear and crisp. Some sound effects are added, as well as page turn signals. The Go Reader is an interesting device that allows listeners to locate the specific preloaded story they want, adjust volume, pause, and fast forward. It does, however, have a few minor flaws. It took several tries to get the batteries settled perfectly for use, the ear buds would need to be cleaned between users, and a clip attachment would be a nice upgrade. A good enrichment activity for beginning readers who need a little extra support.—Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA