One Drowsy Dragon

PreS-Gr 2 While an adult dragon tries to sleep, a growing crowd of little guys makes all kinds of noises to keep the tired one awake. Each page turn reveals a new scene of increased chaos, progressing from "ONE marching dragon/clanging on a cup" to "NINE rockin' dragons/jam in a loud band." When "TEN tuckered dragons/think it's time for bed," the big dragon finally sleeps, but its deep snores wake up the youngsters. The rhymes are solid, though the rhythm isn't consistently strong. Interesting vocabulary adds variety to the patterned verse, particularly with the adjectives used to describe the young dragons ("feisty," "rambunctious") and the adult ("groggy," "weary"). The noisy activities go beyond the predictability of playing and fighting to include a shake in a blender and loudly tapping croquet balls. Fun sound effects move from "IEEEE!" and "BANZAI!" for wrestling to the "EEEEEEK!" and "YIKES!" of a "fright show." The digital art features clean lines and distinct colors, so the increasingly crowded pages never become too busy. Big round eyes and slightly goofy expressions lend an air of silliness to the cartoon figures, whose personalities seem equal parts dragon and child. Page layouts neatly reflect the increased chaos: the gutter separates the adult and the little dragons in opening scenes, but as the young ones grow in numbers they overflow onto both sides of the spread. A solid storytime choice that covers several popular picture-book topics, including counting, colors, dragons, and bedtime.-"Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.