This Book Is Not About Dragons

by Shelley Moore Thomas, Fred Koehler (Illustrator)

Overview

Meet a mouse narrator who stubbornly insists that this book contains absolutely no dragons—not even a claw nor a flame nor any large, pointy scales. Readers will know better—and enjoy being in on the joke—as a flock of dragons chase the mouse to the very end of the book within the book. Suspense builds humorously as the energetic text insists there are no dragons in this book, leading to a clever, unexpected ending. Clever artwork by Fred Koehler provides fun scenes to linger on and details to discover over multiple readings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629791685
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	996,035
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	BR (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Shelley Moore Thomas is the author of several children's books, including No, No, Kitten! and the popular chapter book series Good Knight. When she isn't writing, she's teaching elementary school or playing with puppets—or both at the same time. She lives in Oceanside, California. Visit shelleymoorethomas.blogspot.com.

Fred Koehler wrote and illustrated his first book, titled Archie the Shoestring, at age seven, and has been doodling and writing stories ever since. His first published picture book, How to Cheer Up Dad, was inspired by a coffee-shop standoff with his two-year-old son. He illustrated Rebecca Kai Dotlich's highly-praised One Day, The End. He lives with his two spirited kids in Lakeland, Florida. Visit ilikefred.com.

Editorial Reviews

"A mouse's repeated and resolute denial of dragons is sorely tested by one fiery disaster after another.... Koehler creates a set of brightly colored dragons set in singed collage scenes... Dragon lovers—and all who enjoy being teased by playful disconnects between text and pictures—will be plenty happy indeed." — Booklist

From the Publisher

2016-05-14
A mouse's repeated and resolute denial of dragons is sorely tested by one fiery disaster after another.Stoutly refusing to notice the outsized claws, fanged muzzles, spiked tails, and jagged shadows visible in each illustration, the minuscule narrator marches through a smoky forest, past a house that is converted to flaming wreckage on the next page, and through a town whose residents (of diverse species and skin colors) flee fiery destruction. Eventually the titular claim rings hollow even to the mouse, who then frantically tries to prevent readers from turning the page: "NOOOOOOO!" As if. And, indeed, the following spread is "FULL OF DRAGONS!": horned, toothy, and gleefully pursuing the hapless narrator. Starting with "crumpled paper and various incendiary devices," Koehler creates a set of brightly colored dragons set in singed collage scenes and closes with the mouse resentfully erasing the "Not" from a reproduction of the volume's cover: "I hope you are happy." Display type with jagged edges that emulate licking flames is a nice touch, as are the faux holes stray embers have burnt through the pages. Dragon lovers—and all who enjoy being teased by playful disconnects between text and pictures—will be plenty happy indeed. (Picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews

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