BooksForTopics Reading for Pleasure Recommendations
Book Title: Look Out, It’s a Dragon!
Author: Jonny Lambert
Publisher: Little Tiger Press
Publication Date: Feb 2018
Most Suitable For: EYFS & KS1
Everybody knows that dragons are ferocious by nature. They live in dangerous places and spend their time capturing princesses or crushing up castles. Or at least that is what everyone expects of Saffi, the dragon in Jonny Lambert’s newest picture book ‘Look Out, It’s a Dragon!’.
But Saffi is a different type of dragon. She is temperate and gentle by nature and she is just looking to find some friends to play with near her new home. Saffi’s new neighbours, however, are not so keen on the idea of hanging out with a dragon and they swiftly tell Saffi that she can’t stay, calling her names like ‘knobbly knickers’ and ‘lumbering beastie’. Little do they realise that when they later meet dragons that do conform to their expectations, they will need Saffi’s help to save the day.
Saffi is a very likeable character with whom it is easy for readers to empathise. I really liked the way in which the illustrations highlight the posture and body language of the characters and set them against a spacious white backdrop, drawing the reader in to consider the emotions evoked by the interplay between the characters.
This is a story that explores the theme of prejudice and stereotyping in a gentle way that is easily relatable for young children. Even at a very young age most readers will have experienced what it is like when other people are too quick to make assumptions or expectations about conformity. The book has a lot of potential to facilitate classroom discussions that explore these themes and I recommend this book as a worthy addition to classroom libraries in reception and KS1.
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Find ‘Look Out, It’s a Dragon’ on Amazon or from any good book shop or library.
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Thank you to the publisher and to www.Toppsta.com for kindly arranging a review copy of this text.
