Dear Dragon: A Pen Pal Tale - Hardcover

Funk, Josh

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0451472306 ISBN 13: 9780451472304

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers, 2016

Synopsis

A sweet and clever friendship story in rhyme, about looking past physical differences to appreciate the person (or dragon) underneath.

George and Blaise are pen pals, and they write letters to each other about everything: their pets, birthdays, favorite sports, and science fair projects. There’s just one thing that the two friends don’t know: George is a human, while Blaise is a dragon! What will happen when these pen pals finally meet face-to-face?

"When I was a kid, my best friend was Josh Funk. Now he's becoming a friend to a whole new generation.”--B.J. Novak, author of The New York Times bestseller The Book With No Pictures

About this title

About the Author

Josh Funk (joshfunkbooks.com) lives in New England with his wife and children. He has never had a dragon as a pen pal, but he once wrote a letter to Corduroy (and sent along a spare button). He's the author of the picture books Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast, Pirasaurs!, and more. Follow him on Twitter @joshfunkbooks.
 
Rodolfo Montalvo (rodolfomontalvo.com) grew up in Long Beach, California. He received a B.F.A. in illustration from California State University, Fullerton. He has illustrated children's books including The Contagious Colors of Mumpley Middle School and The Amazing Wilmer Dooley, both written by Fowler Dewitt. He currently lives with his wife in the Los Angeles area. Follow him on Twitter @RMontalvo3.

Reviews

PreS-Gr 2—In this picture book that's written in bouncy rhyme, classrooms at a school for human children and one for dragons are each beginning a combined poetry and pen-pal unit. Blaise Dragomir and George Slair exchange letters, telling each other about their families, relating what's going on in school, and finding out that they have lots in common, without ever realizing that theirs is an interspecies friendship. The game is up at the pen-pal picnic, though, when the friends are at first startled but then just happy to meet at last—and the teachers plan the same trick for next year. Young readers will enjoy being in on the secret that this tale's characters don't know about; adding to the fun are Montalvo's bright, detailed, and at times wonderfully chaotic depictions of childhood. VERDICT Funk's title is perfect for classes undertaking a pen-pal unit, but general picture book collections can benefit from this gentle reminder that kids who look different can still get along.—Henrietta Verma, National Information Standards Organization, Baltimore

Edition details

• Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0451472306
• ISBN 13: 9780451472304
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Montalvo Rodolfo
• Number of pages: 40