From Booklist
Gr. 3-5. An informational chapter book about a fantastical topic is a great way to interest fantasy fans in nonfiction, and vice versa. In a straightforward text, Penner explores various myths surrounding dragons. Beliefs from several cultures and time periods are represented. Dragons in Chinese lore are "gentle and kind;" and the legendary Aztec "dragon" Quetzalcoatl brings good luck; the "classical" fire-breathing dragons of Europe are fierce and terrifying. Carefully differentiating between reality and myth, the author intersperses bits of dragon lore (for example, a paragraph or two about Saint George, and something about Beowulf) through the text, setting them in italics. Color illustrations showing different types of dragons add interest, and a concluding discussion about "living" dragons such as the Komodo dragon and the mysterious Loch Ness monster ends with some intriguing questions: "Are dragons real? Could there be one living in a lake in Scotland? What do you think?" Diane Foote
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From the Inside Flap
For hundreds of years, people believed dragons were real. They thought dragons lived in caves full of treasure, soared through the air on large bat wings, and breathed fire. Storytellers told tales of dragons that fought knights and kings. Now kids can learn the unnatural history of dragons and recapture their magic with this full-color chapter book.

About the Author
Lucille Recht Penner is the author of many nonfiction books for kids, including Dinosaur Babies and Monster Bugs in Random House’s Step into Reading program. She lives in Tucson, AZ.

ANNOTATION

Relates myths about dragons from different countries, including where they live, what they eat, and how they look, as well as how the myths may have developed.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

For hundreds of years, people believed dragons were real. They thought dragons lived in caves full of treasure, soared through the air on large bat wings, and breathed fire. Storytellers told tales of dragons that fought knights and kings. Now kids can learn the unnatural history of dragons and recapture their magic with this full-color chapter book.

Lucille Recht Penner is the author of many nonfiction books for kids, including Dinosaur Babies and Monster Bugs in Random House's Step into Reading program. She lives in Tucson, AZ.