Dragonbreath
by Ursula Vernon
Fantasy
* * * Stars (Pretty good)
Danny Dragonbreath is a dragon, but so far he’s not a very good one – he can’t even breathe fire, no matter how much he practices (and he’s getting tired of his dad’s long-winded lectures on the subject). He goes to a school for reptiles and amphibians and his best friend, Wendell, is an iguana. When Danny receives a failing grade on his report about the ocean, he decides to visit his cousin Edward – the sea serpent – who lives in the Sargasso Sea (which is just a quick bus trip away!). He drags Wendell along for the ride. They learn A LOT about the ocean and its creatures and faceoff with a giant squid before returning safely to land. Danny even writes a decent paper! He still can’t breathe fire, though. Maybe in the next book? Cute black and white and green illustrations accompany this funny (and surprisingly informative) story. This should delight boys – especially reluctant readers – who will empathize with Danny’s desire to shortcut his homework and focus on the important stuff in life – imagination, play, and friends! Plus, they’ll secretly (shhhh) be learning something about the ocean.
Reviewed by YA Librarian
