King Jack and the Dragon

This celebration of imaginative play is deftly narrated by Andrew Watts. After building their fort, King Jack and his loyal men, Zack and baby Caspar, courageously battle dragons until the loyal men are taken away by giants. The fort building and dragon battling are performed with the right amount of excitement and energy. Jack battles along bravely until a thing with four feet comes for him, and then, like his loyal men, he is whisked off by a giant. Young listeners will experience just enough spine-tingling excitement before discovering that it is Jack's parents come to put him to bed in his warm, safe house. Calmness descends with Watts's reassuring narration, leaving the listener quietly content. Pacing is perfect for listening only or for following along. J.K.R. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

Starred review from May 16, 2011
Fort making is one of the great enterprises of childhood, but just in case the art has been lost to some, Bently (The Great Dog Bottom Swap) and Oxenbury (There's Going to Be a Baby) open their felicitous collaboration with what is essentially an illustrated instruction manual: "A big cardboard box,/ an old sheet and some sticks,/ a couple of trash bags,/ a few broken bricks,/ a fine royal throne/ from a ragged old quilt,/ a drawbridge, a flagâ/ and the castle was built." Declaring himself king, Jack leads his friends Zack and Caspar in defending the fort against a
menagerie of imaginary creatures. But when Jack's knights are carried off by giants (their parents), Jack finds that a solo defense of the fort is no picnic: "He wished he was anything else but a king." Bently's verse never misses a beat, and Oxenbury shifts between monochromatic, engraving-like drawings and pale watercolors; the images feel as if they were drawn from a classic fairy tale book and contemporary life simultaneously. It's an enchanting tribute to both full-throttle pretend play and the reassurance of a parent's embrace. Ages 3â5.

January 1, 2013

PreS-K-Three little boys play make-believe before bedtime in Bently's rhyming picture book (Dial, 2011). Jack plays the King and his friends Zack and Casper are his knights. They protect the castle by fighting dragons and beasts, until "giants" come to put each boy to bed. The muted colors in Helen Oxenbury's charming illustrations make this book perfect for quiet time or bedtime reading. The boys are adorable as they act out their imagined adventures. Andrew Watts narrates the story with a soothing voice that matches the tone of the book. Page-turn signals are optional. A great addition to libraries and classrooms serving young children.-Jenny Ventling, Dayton Metro Library, OH

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.