Patrick Carlson

The question surrounding a baby dragon's value is only the beginning of a fun journey, which brings giggles and smiles.

It's the Queen's birthday, and the King knows exactly what she needs: a baby dragon. Alexander volunteers to deliver the present in time for the party, but he meets more than a few characters along the way. Each one not only questions the dragon's purpose but offers their own surprises to make the Queen's birthday that much more special.

The title already caught my attention and raised tons of questions because...what good is a dragon? Now, I'm a dragon fan, but this is a question I've never considered, and I have no doubt that young readers will wonder what the answer could be, too. The author hooks this to the main character's journey across the kingdom, where he meets various fantasy creatures. Young readers won't have any trouble recognizing most, if not all, of these, and each one is portrayed with tons of personality. The situations are slightly humorous, and do make the reader wonder whether poor Alexander will make it to the party in time or not. Because each creature he meets makes his mission that much more difficult.
It's just tons of fun.

The illustrations are colorful, cartoonish, and make the main themes of each scene sit just right. The characters' emotions come across nicely, and it's no problem to understand what is going on. Plus, there's a hint of humor in each one, which follows along well with the written tale.

The ending holds a big surprise and is so simple that it's cute and giggle worthy. Plus, there's a tiny message snuck in along with the fun. It's a fun, easy read and will get the word 'again' after it's done.… (más)