Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
George and the Dragon
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Random House, 2006 ISBN: 978-0375833151
Far in the mountains there lives a fierce dragon who is able, "with a blast of his fiery breath," to turn a whole forest into a bonfire. He is so strong that he can turn a stone castle into a pile of rubble and he can wipe out a whole army with one swipe of his tail. He also has a fondness for eating princesses, of course.
One day a mouse called George moves in to the cave next to the one occupied by the dragon. It is a most unsatisfactory cave, and George is further upset when he discovers that he is out of sugar. He cannot possibly have tea without some sugar, so he goes next door to ask his neighbor if he can borrow some sugar. The dragon is just about to partake of a princess when George arrives on the scene. What the princess and George don't know is that the dragon is simply terrified of mice. You can just imagine what happens next.
A large format simply worded text and beautiful double page spread paintings are perfectly married in this picture book to create a story which is full of surprises and which is delightfully funny. Children will love to see the expression on the dragon's face when he sees George standing at the doorway to his lair. A highly satisfying ending rounds off a book which children will want to read again and again.
