Review: The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari

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It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card authors are:

Donita K. Paul

and

Evangeline Denmark

and the illustrator:

Vincent Nguyen

and the book:

The Dragon and The Turtle Go on Safari

WaterBrook Press (January 11, 2011)

***Special thanks to Staci Carmichael, Marketing and Publicity Coordinator, Doubleday Religion / Waterbrook Multnomah / Divisions of Random House, Inc. for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

A former schoolteacher, Donita K. Paul is the best-selling author of the Dragon Keeper series, The Vanishing Sculptor, and Dragons of the Valley.

Visit the author's website.



Evangeline Denmark likes to turn bedtime stories into picture books. She lives in Colorado with her engineer husband, their two noisy boys, her author mom, and Willie, a cattle dog who tries to herd the entire family into one room.

Visit the author's website.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:

Vincent Nguyen has illustrated numerous children's books and is also a part of the art departments for 20th Century Fox and Blue Sky Studios.


Product Details:

List Price: $11.99
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (January 11, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 030744645X
ISBN-13: 978-0307446459

AND NOW...THE FIRST FOUR PAGES...press the pictures to better view them:

Synopsis:

Padraig the dragon and his best friend, Roger the turtle are determined to spend the whole night outside. As brave explorers at the base of Mount Sillymanborrow, the boys use their imaginations to have fun while munching on crunchy baked bugs and toasting s’mores over their campfire. But when the sky gets dark and the sounds of strange animals fill the forest outside their tent, their safari gets scary. This adventure is just what the boys need to discover that the dark might be frightening, but their friendship is stronger than fear.

What We Liked: This was an absolutely adorable book, full of fun illustrations, cute lil’ animals, and imaginative ideas.  It’s suitable for both genders and perfect for little active boys (& girls).  Esmé enjoyed the talking animals and twisted animal pictures.  She loved retelling the story based on the illustrations, and the name Mount Sillymanborrow (along with the legend at the end of the book) was a big hit in her mind.

Personally, I enjoyed the quick study into what a Sumatran rhinoceros is.  I confess, I thought rhinos were strictly African mammals.

While there is a Bible verse at the end with suggested discussion activities, this is one of those Christian books where the moral lessons aren’t blatantly taught but rather left for the child to deduce and discuss.

A fun and exciting story about friendship, courage, helping others, and the benefits of being a fire-breathing dragon… :)

What We Didn't Like: Esmé would probably pick a fairy or princess book over this one, but honestly, we both thoroughly enjoyed it as is.

Activity Ideas:  There are some fun turtle and dragon activity ideas over at the M.O.B. Society to go with the first The Dragon and the Turtle book – and they’d go perfectly with this one as well.  To really make it fun, set up a tent in the living room (with all the stuffed animals) and make s’mores by candlelight.