Dragon Picture Books for Kids

Storybooks Feature Popular Mythological Animals

May 28, 2009

Funny and wacky illustrations fill these dragon picture books for kids that are meant to be read aloud.

Of all mythological animals, dragons are arguably the best known and most popular imaginary beasts among children. Kids love these magical creatures that have been portrayed by turns as wise mentors, ferocious brutes, or just plain goofy companions.

Here then, are three dragon picture books for kids that show the many sides of these popular mythological animals.

All Winnie the witch and her black cat Wilbur want to do at the stroke of midnight is crawl into bed and go to sleep. They never expected to be visited by a smoke breathing baby dragon who loves to chase cats, burn brooms, and smash everything in sight.

Fortunately, Winnie is able to magically make the dragon breathe butterflies instead of smoke. Unfortunately, it turns out both Wilbur and the dragon love chasing butterflies. Can Winnie calm everyone down and get some sleep?

A fanciful tale that seems tailored for reading aloud, Winnie’s Midnight Dragon takes two great loves of kids – dragons and a Halloween witch – and combines them into a screwball comedy that will keep kids laughing. Although a fast paced tale, storytellers should be sure to linger on each page, to make sure kids can enjoy Korky Paul’s illustrations, that are similar to James Marshall’s designs in Miss Nelson is Missing.

Young Jane dreams of being a knight, but everyone expects her to be a lady-in-waiting – save the court jester who gives Jane a small suit of armor to help live out her dreams. Encouraged, Jane spends all her time practicing her swordplay, her horseplay, and even her victory speeches – until one day an enormous green dragon flies into the kingdom and kidnaps the Prince, giving Jane an opportunity to prove her knightly skills.

But when Jane discovers the dragon only kidnapped the Prince because it was what people expected him to do, Jane realizes she has more in common with the dragon than she thought. Can a young girl knight convince a dragon to do the unexpected and release the Prince?

Written and drawn by British author Martin Baynton, Jane and the Dragon later became a popular digitally animated Canadian children’s TV show. Like the characters in the TV show, Jane is sympathetic and willful while Dragon is by turns goofy and imposing – although since this story is about Jane’s quest, we don’t get to see much of him until the end. Definitely a winner for fans of fractured fairy tales and tough girl heroes.

When Jimmy finds a beautiful green and white shell at the beach, he’s startled when it says hello – although it won’t speak to anyone else in his family but him. Deciding to take the shell home, Jimmy is even more amazed when Danny, a remarkably polite dragon with red sneakers, pops out of the shell, along with his navigator Skipper.

How did the two travelers wind up in the shell? As Jimmy spends time eating and playing with Danny, he learns his new friend can magically shrink and grow, making him one of his family’s most unusual – yet accommodating – houseguests.

The first picture book in the Danny the Dragon series, Danny the Dragon “Meets Jimmy” offers pleasing dragon pictures by Latvian artist Aija Jasuna. While Danny doesn’t reveal as much about himself as Jimmy (or the reader) would like to know in this first installment, author Tina Turbin does leave the door open for sequels. A gentle story that should please fans of the Barney & Friends children’s TV show.

Thomas, Valerie and Korky Paul. Winnie’s Midnight Dragon. New York: Harper Collins Children’s Books. 2006. ISBN: 978-0-06-117314-1

Baynton, Martin. Jane and the Dragon. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. 1988. ISBN: 978-0-7636-3570-1

Turbin, Tina and Aija Jasuna. Danny the Dragon “Meets Jimmy.” Dunedin: Imagination Publishing Group. 2008. ISBN: 978-0-98-00721-0-5

The copyright of the article Dragon Picture Books for Kids in Picture Books is owned by Michael Jung. Permission to republish Dragon Picture Books for Kids in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.