When a Dragon Moves In

March 14, 2011
Fans of If You Give a Mouse a Cookie and its sequels should enjoy how debut author Moore, channeling an imaginative boy at the beach with his family, muses upon the consequences of having a bright red dragon take up lodging in his sand castle. At first it's all fun and games ("...you'll have a built-in marshmallow toaster"), with a little subterfuge thrown in (since there's no smoking on the beach, "you'll have to hide his smoke from the lifeguard"). But as the day wears on, the fantasy begins to impinge on others. Ultimately, the cardinal sin of the beach is committed: throwing sand at one's annoying big sister. "Then you'll march over to your sandcastle and order your dragon to leave until he learns some manners," says the narrator, who seems firm in his resolution, but who will live to pretend another day. Although it's not the freshest concept on the shelves, Moore has a light, sure touch, and she gives McWilliam (I Need My Monster) plenty of room to exercise his considerable gifts for operatic expressiveness and expertly choreographed physical humor. Ages 4â8.

April 1, 2011
Doesn't every child want a dragon? Well, "[i]f you build the perfect sandcastle, a dragon will move in," and in this funny and creative riff on cause and effect, that's exactly what happens. At first, things are perfect: You have a friend to play with, a permanent bully deterrent, a built-in marshmallow toaster and an ever-present raft. But then things start to get complicated. You have to feed the dragon and clean up after him—and no one will believe you when you explain that the dragon is the one to blame. Was that a dragon-ish cackle coming from inside the sandcastle? Be careful what you wish for! Colorful, cartoony illustrations brim with humor as they depict this animated boy and the impish dragon who may or may not entirely exist. The deadpan text is sure to illicit giggles as it captures the conundrum of an imaginary friend with a child's eye and provides a gentle acceptance of the mild misbehavior that sometimes accompanies imaginative play. Oh, well. Maybe it's time to get rid of the dragon, as long as you are polite about it. But if you build another perfect sandcastle, perhaps he'll come back (with friends) tomorrow. A sandy complement to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. (Picture book. 4-8)

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September 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 2-While enjoying a day at the beach with his family, a boy builds a perfect sand castle and a dragon promptly moves in toting a well-worn suitcase. The youngster can't believe his luck while the rest of the family can't believe him. Mischief blamed on the dragon eventually gets the child in trouble, but that doesn't stop him from building an even better castle the next day. While the text is fun, the story is truly told through the comical illustrations. The friendly red dragon's expressions are hilarious whether he is joyfully flying a kite, gobbling sandwiches, or has his snout wrapped in a towel to smother his smoke. Readers will enjoy pointing out what could be real-life explanations for everything the boy attributes to it. Certainly "no beach bully would dare stomp your castle with a dragon inside." (But it would run from an angry dad, pictured behind the narrator.) From the delighted face of the boy when he finds the dragon, to the frustration of the parents when the creature has caused too much trouble, the story and pictures show a classic family outing. This story of a runaway imagination will make for an entertaining storytime as well as an enjoyable one-on-one read.-Laura Stanfield, Campbell County Public Library, Ft. Thomas, KY

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