Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Custard the Dragon and the Wicked Knight
Illustrator: Lynn Munsinger
Picture Book
For ages 3 to 6
Little Brown, 1999 ISBN: 978-0316599054
Custard the dragon lives in a little house with a little girl called Belinda, a kitten, a puppy and a grey mouse. Custard looks like a real, honest-to-goodness dragon but he is a dreadful coward. Luckily for him none of his ‘family’ minds in the least.
Then something dreadful happens to shatter the happy little home - Sir Garagoyle, the evil knight, arrives and carries Belinda off. Blink the mouse, Ink the kitten, and Mustard the puppy all come up with excuses as to why they cannot save their little girl from certain imprisonment. Custard however decides that he must do something, for there is no one else. Conquering his terrible fears, Custard sets off for Sir Garagoyle’s icy and fearsome castle.
This deliciously funny story with its all too human characters who come complete with courage, cowardice, devotion, and honesty, is a delight. Lynn Munsinger’s illustrations bring the characters to life in all their furry and scaly glory complete with expressive faces and clouds of smoke.
