Baby Dragon's Big Sneeze by Sheryl Bass, illustrated by Remesh Ram (Be-Kind Publishing)
Diving into the world of picture books...this time, with dragons!
In Dragons Don't Eat Ice Cream, Tootoo the dragon is used to being left out because he can't breathe fire—but that doesn't mean he's happy about it! Written for very young readers, the book serves as a reminder that it's okay to be different, and sometimes our differences are our strengths. (Think Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but with dragons.)
With text on one side of the page and full color illustrations on the other, the bright and playful images are likely to appeal to kids. (The ice cream in particular looks delicious. Though Tootoo asks for three scoops and seems to get seven, which might set a kid or two up for disappointment when they don't get the same result!) It might have been nice to see Tootoo and the other dragons work together (another dragon could lighting a candle with its fire-breath and Tootoo putting it out?), but the book is aimed at young enough readers that a simple message is probably for the best.
In Baby Dragon's Big Sneeze, this baby dragon doesn't breathe fire...he sneezes it! This lively, rhyming story, something of a twist on classic dragons-burn-it-all-down stories, shows young readers a different side of the story—in this case, a young dragon who needs care rather than blame. With help, he's able to get over his cold...and return the favor by helping the townspeople rebuild.
The illustrations are colorful and with plenty of detail for young kids to examine. The verse is not my favorite (the rhymes are solid, but the meter is a bit hit or miss), but the messages of compassion and collaboration (and covering your mouth when you sneeze!) run a strong thread throughout the story. I love that the story makes fireproof tissues a thing...and who can fail to sympathize with a sick baby dragon?
Thanks to the authors and publishers for providing review copies through NetGalley.
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