The Baby Blue Dragon
Author: Nell Kent
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication Date: August 15, 2017
Length: 28 pages
Recommended Ages: 4 - 8
About the Author
Nell Kent graduated from Southeastern State University in Durant Oklahoma in 1973 with a degree in Fine Arts. The Baby Blue Dragon was her first book and she has published a second book named Sapphire's Adventure.
A Rescue Farm for Dragons
Cassie and Emma, two sisters who live in the city, are visiting their Aunt Dragon. The girls have never visited their aunt's farm before. They soon discover that this is no ordinary farm. Aunt Dragon runs a rescue farm for dragons!
One stormy evening, the girls saw a strange blue creature land on Aunt Dragon's porch. When Aunt Dragon goes out to investigate, she discovers it is a baby blue dragon.
Aunt Dragon takes the dragon to her barn and names her Sapphire. In a few days she has grown to be eighteen feet tall and thirty feet long. Dragons grow very fast.
The girls want to know why Sapphire showed up on Aunt Dragon's porch. Did she get lost during the storm? How could they help Sapphire?
My Thoughts
Ms. Kent wrote this story, drew the illustrations and self-published the book on CreateSpace. This is an excellent example of how a talented writer/artist can make their book-writing dreams come true.
What child doesn't like to read a story about a friendly dragon? The author developed the plot in a way that will keep the reader anxious to find out what happens next. Children will like the idea that the rescue farm is a place where homeless dragons are taken care of in a safe environment. This could lead to a discussion about rescue organizations for dogs, cats and other homeless animals.
Ms. Kent used art markers and colored pencils to draw the illustrations in a pseudo-naïve style that children will find very attractive. I love the way the cover of the book shows an egg in a nest and the first illustration shows a newly hatched baby blue dragon. Children will be able to see how Sapphire was born and what she looked like before she arrived at the dragon rescue farm.
There is a glossary in the back of the book that defines a "dragon" as a mythical creature that has wings and a long tail. It defines "mythical" as a made-up or make-believe animal. Parents should review each word in the glossary with their child. This is an excellent way to test for comprehension and confirm that the child understands that this is a fantasy story.
There are two blank pages at the end of the book for the child to "draw your own dragon" and "write a story about your dragon".
Kudos to Ms. Kent for providing a creative and imaginative experience for children.
MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5
FYI ~ I purchased a paperback copy of this book with my own funds.
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