Oh So Brave Dragon

May 26, 2014
The fluffy white hero of Kirk's Oh So Tiny Bunny (2013) imagined himself as a giant, towering above the landscape; likewise, the red, scaly narrator of this companion story has no doubt that he's the bravest of them all. "See my bravery as I flap my oh so mighty wings!" he boasts as adorable white rabbits flee in terror, squirrels cower, and a yellow bird holds onto the dragon's tail for dear life. Of course, a dragon is nothing without a mighty roar, and Kirk gives readers an extreme closeup of its maw that wedges the letters of the word "roar" amid his pointy fangs, glistening uvula, and a passel of terrified, wild-eyed bees. But did that scary roar belong to the dragon or to a monster? Suddenly, the dragon's protective side is on display; he gathers a cluster of forest animals in his big wings, and together they roar loudly (and repeatedly) to scare away the imagined monster. Rest assured: children will be roaring right along with them. Ages 2â6. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary.

April 15, 2014
A young, ruby-red dragon with emerald eyes explores the meanings of bravery and fear in this sequel to Oh So Tiny Bunny (2012). The young dragon is just beginning to feel strong and brave, flapping its wings and spewing fiery, "fearsome breath" that scares away smaller creatures such as bunnies and birds. But when the dragon tries out its first, full-scale bellow, a gigantic sound emerges in a memorable double-page spread with the word "ROAR" emerging from the dragon's wide-open mouth alongside a swarm of terrified bees. The surprised dragon is afraid of its own roar--what sort of monster might have made such a terrible sound? Now much calmer and friendlier, the dragon goes around the forest repeatedly asking, "Did you hear the monster?" The dragon spreads its wings to gather in all the other creatures, and together they make loud roaring sounds to scare away the lurking monster. The dragon is just slightly scary, with a forked tongue, sharp teeth and glowing green eyes, and its blustery bravado and emotional about-face to quivery fear will resonate with kids who can relate to both sides. The huge roaring sounds in supersized display type will also be a hit with young readers, who will want to roar along. An engagingly subtle way to convey the power of friends in helping us face our fears, real or not. (Picture book. 4-8)

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May 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 1-This title features the red dragon introduced in Oh So Tiny Bunny (Feiwel & Friends, 2013). Although the brave little dragon has a spiky tail, pointy teeth, and sharp claws, he is cute and cuddly, with his large green eyes and a toothy grin. Amazed and ashamed at his first valiant roar, he gathers his woodland friends to help him scare off the monster lurking behind his own loud roar. Only yellow bird recognizes the true monster. The adorable and energetic characters, along with themes of fear, bravery, and friendship, will make this a popular title with preschoolers. Kirk's lustrous images perfectly capture expressions of surprise, fear, and curiosity. Each spread presents large colorful illustrations. Smaller images with spare, large text on opposing pages make it appropriate for beginning readers. With its bold images and opportunities to "roar," this story is well suited to be read aloud both at home and at storytime.-Gaye Hinchliff, King County Library System, WA

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