Anyone that knows Harriet will be familiar with her slight obsession, not only with bears (see our bear book review here), but also with dragons. Her favourite dress-up costume is a purple dragon one and she has assured me that for Book Week at her pre-school she will be wearing it – lucky for her the theme is Knights and Princesses, so we have decided a dragon will fit in quite nicely.
Anyway, I digress. is one of her many dragon books. It is one of her favourites and she chose it as the first dragon one to share with you.
Timothy Knapmans children’s stories often circle around the themes of friendship and adventure. So, you’re off to good start from my point of view. This tale starts when a delightful green dragon stumbles across a somewhat different creature in the woods, and apparently it’s called a Benjamin…
The dragon and his family and friends are all amazed by the Benjamin. The dragon takes it to school, the Dragonwood Academy, and they all try to learn more about it. It doesn’t have a tail, or wings and it’s roar is more like a squeak. What’s more, they can’t believe that Benjamins all think dragons are make-believe! The dragons struggle to work out what Benjamins can do, until the Benjamin teaches them the art of playing football. After having an exciting day and becoming great friends, the dragon realises that the Benjamin is homesick and flies it home to its own country. He can’t wait to return to see the Benjamin again and visit its school to meet its teacher, “or was that to EAT his teacher?”
The illustrations throughout the book by Gwen Millward are imaginative and enticing. Giving you lots of additional things to talk about with your minis. The front cover is cleverly designed and you enter dragon wood as you turn the cover page. With a fun and witty story and such great illustrations to back it up, is a really fun read for any 3 to 5 year-old, boy or girl.
Do you have any great dragon stories your minis love? We would love any recommendations.
Katie
