We don't believe in dragons anymore, but we continue to celebrate these fantastic creatures in stories, movies and songs. In fact dragons are so popular there is a science just to study them! In a book that is carefully researched, brimming with energy and charm, and full of interesting facts, best-selling author and illustrator Gail Gibbons presents dragons from cultures all over the world -- their origins, their place in mythology and folktales, and the reasons why they are still so fascinating today.---from the publisher
32 pages 978-0688155261 Ages 5-10
Keywords: dragons, mythical creatures, history, folklore, folktales, constellation, Komodo dragon, informational picture book, 5 year old, 6 year old, 7 year old, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old
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Other reviews:
Gibbons begins with a discussion of how early humans created imaginary beasts to explain natural phenomena. She credits "dracontologists" with classifying folkloric and literary dragons and describes each of the five types in a few brief paragraphs.
She retells some of the most famous tales involving these creatures, including those of Marduk and Tiamat of ancient Mesopotamia; Hercules and the Hydra; Beowulf and St. George and their dragons; and Quetzalcoatl, the dragon god of the Aztecs.
A final page introduces seven related creatures ranging from Draco, the star constellation, to the Komodo dragon, a living reptile from Indonesia. Gibbons's dragons are boisterous and impressive, but not frightening.---Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA, School Library Journal
