Dragonbreath

June 8, 2009
Vernon's (Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a Somewhat Brave Shrew) fiction/graphic novel hybrid stars an audacious young dragon who can't get the knack of breathing fire. After Danny Dragonbreath gets an F on his science paper about the ocean-written at the last-minute on the school bus and describing "the rare and elusive snorkelbat"-his teacher tells him to rewrite it. To research the topic, Danny and his pal Wendell, a timid iguana, head for the Sargasso Sea. Guided by Danny's sea serpent cousin, Edward, the two encounter creatures like an octopus that can become polka-dotted or striped, "mermen" guarding Atlantis and a vampire squid that emits "a cloud of glowing snot." (They also learn about the bends, which Edward equates to "shaking a can of soda, only inside your body.") Illustrated with comic book-style art with a lime-green wash, the story gets some spark from wry asides presented in speech balloons ("Why couldn't you have gone to the library instead?" wails Wendell as a giant squid approaches). But scattered amusing snippets don't quite keep the tale afloat. Ages 8-12.

January 1, 2010
Gr 2-4-Danny Dragonbreath feels like a loser in more ways than one. No matter how hard he tries, he can't muster up even one lukewarm dragon's breath. Now he's in trouble with his teacher at the Herpitax-Phibbias School for Reptiles and Amphibians. He handed in a carelessly written paper on the ocean and received a well-deserved F. Now he must rewrite the paper. To research the topic he talks to his cousin, a sea serpent. Along with Danny's iguana friend, Wendell, Edward takes them on an underwater adventure to the Sargasso Sea. The adventure becomes life-threatening when Danny and Wendell are attacked by a giant squid. Danny must save his friend and does so with a long-awaited fire breath. Not only is Danny a hero but he gets an A on his re-submitted paper. The exchanges between the less-adventurous and nervous Wendell and nonchalant Danny make this a laugh-out-loud read. The text is generously illustrated with engaging, comic-book style cartoons in green, black, and white, many full page and others that cover several spreads. This humorous adventure story will appeal to reluctant readers and children seeking early chapter books."Tina Martin, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, IL"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2009
Grades 3-5 Young dragon Danny Dragonbreath has a problem: he cant yet breathe fire. Meanwhile, he just received an F on his report about the ocean and he now has one night to rewrite it. Along with his best friend, Wendell (an iguana), Danny visits Cousin Edward the sea serpent, who takes them on an undersea tour that includes a visit to a coral reef and a trip down to the dark depths of an ocean trench. When a giant squid attacks the two youngsters and tries to eat them, Danny finally finds the motivation to breathe fire (which doesnt work too well underwater). This book follows the same kind of hybrid format as Jeff Kinneys Wimpy Kid books, interspersing two-color comic-book-style panels (sometimes pages of them) throughout the prose. Young readers will sympathize with Danny as he deals with a bullying komodo dragon and struggles with his fire-breathing problem; they will also sympathize with Wendell as he gets dragged into all kinds of adventures with the fearless Danny.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)