Christopher Dragon Shopping with Friends
Mary Kagan Draper, Patti Brassard Jefferson
Paperback
(Halo Publishing International, Oct. 31, 2014)
In "Christopher Dragon Shopping with Friends" (The Tales of Christopher Dragon, Book 2) Christopher Dragon and his new friends prove that love and friendship can exist regardless of color, size, and different lifestyles. This second book in Mary Kagan Draper's wonderful bedtime rhyming children's series continues the author's imaginative and adventurous development of this soon to be classic friendly dragon. The author's talent nicely combines with the award winning illustrator's magnificent illustrations so children can follow the story beautifully. Christopher is brightly colored with shiny green and red hair and belly with purple wings. The author transitioned Christopher Dragon from a time of knights so bold in the days of old, to modern times with a bedtime rhyming tale in Tales of Christopher Dragon Book 1. In this second book in the series, his new friends continue to prove that love and friendship can exist regardless of color, size, and different lifestyles. The children take Christopher Dragon, a new librarian in their grade school, to the mall to go shopping for jeans and other things that will help this kind new friend adjust to his new world. His magical size does not prevent the children from helping him adjust to his new surroundings. He takes the children to a toy store and buys them a kite. Of course they want to fly the kite right away and they head to an adventure in the park. After Christopher Dragon rescues the kite, they return to the mall for a hamburger. Stove burner trouble ensues and Christopher saves the day with fire from his snout. A stop for ice cream will top the day. Award winning VPK teacher and award winning illustrator have teamed up to create this delightful bedtime rhyming tale that teaches good values. Dragon stories in verse can be awkward at times - but not in this dragon fairy tales series. Smooth flowing verse, combined with the beautiful illustrations, will keep your child's attention and enhance vocabulary and other oral language skills by association. With adult encouragement, the rhyme will help your child build a vocabulary of words that rhyme and have similar sounds. The Christopher Dragon series of books teach the values of friendship such as sharing, planning activities together, bonding and accepting other's differences. An editorial review by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite had this to say about this dragon fairy tale: Mary Kagan Draper's children's book, "Christopher Dragon Shopping with Friends" (The Tales of Christopher Dragon - Book 2) is imaginative and entertaining. Christopher is also a great role model for children. They learn that being different is okay, and that everyone has unique skills and gifts that make them special." Jack Magnus also said, Patti Brassard Jefferson's illustrations are bold, with bright colors and a fluid comic book style that will tempt artistic children to try their own hands at drawing Christopher and his friends. This is a great book for kids to read on their own or with an adult, and everyone will have a grand time reading about this very personable dragon. Mary Kagan Draper's children's book, Christopher Dragon Shopping with Friends: The Tales of Christopher Dragon Book 2 is highly recommended. FIVE STARS More beautifully illustrated adventures come in the first book "Christopher Dragon Meets the New World" (The Tales of Christopher Dragon, Book 1). (The Tales of Christopher Dragon, Book 3) entitled "Christopher Dragon Goes to the Beach" was published February 2015