The Dragon Machine - Hardcover

Ward, Helen

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0525471146 ISBN 13: 9780525471141

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile, 2003

Synopsis

Having lived a quiet and lonely life, George is surprised to discover that he has been given the gift to see dragons, but as they appear in great numbers, George also realizes that this gift means that he is the chosen one to lead these powerful creatures back to the safety of the vast wilderness where they belong.

About this title

About the Author:

Helen Ward and Wayne Anderson have worked together on a number of splendid picture books. Their work has been hailed as “exquisitely detailed . . . touching” by Publishers Weekly and “infused with natural wonder,” “beautifully illustrated,” and “stunning” by Booklist. Ms. Ward and Mr. Anderson live in England.
Helen Ward and Wayne Anderson have worked together on a number of splendid picture books. Their work has been hailed as “exquisitely detailed . . . touching” by Publishers Weekly and “infused with natural wonder,” “beautifully illustrated,” and “stunning” by Booklist. Ms. Ward and Mr. Anderson live in England.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 4-George sees dragons everywhere he looks, but they are "ignored and overlooked," just like he is. He likes the creatures, and feeds them, but soon becomes weary of cleaning up after them. He goes to the library in search of a solution, finds a map, and proceeds to build a machine to help him lead the beasts back to where they belong. The child's parents, who are never pictured, finally notice that he is gone, find him, and celebrate his return with a cake and a new dog- or is it a dog? Anderson uses color in the soft paintings to reinforce the emotions of this little boy who blends into the background of the pictures and his world. He and his dragons appear in muted tones while the details around them are often brightly colored. The creatures are appealing and mischievous but George seems to fade even as he takes action to deal with his problem. The huge flying dragon he builds is dark and sinister, and George flies it into a desolate setting. The illustrations brighten when his parents find him, and become lighter still when he is home and "no longer ignored or overlooked." This book is unsettling and a bit heavy-handed, but children will enjoy the dragons, the humor, and the upbeat twist at the end.
Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0525471146
• ISBN 13: 9780525471141
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Anderson Wayne