DYLAN'S DRAGON

Dylan’s days are packed full to the brim, but all he wants is a little bit of time to just be a kid.

Dylan loved drawing when he was very little. He drew castles, snakes, trains, but especially dragons. As he grows, his days begin to fill up with karate, baseball, swimming, and gymnastics. “Every second was planned, every moment measured, every day completely, utterly full.” One morning, Dragon appears to see if Dylan would like to play. He needs to go to school but promises to play later—which they do, until it’s time for piano lessons. So the week goes on, with Dylan stealing away moments of play with Dragon around school, baseball, and piano lessons. It seems like Dylan is always busy, until Sunday finally comes and he goes looking for Dragon—only Dragon is nowhere to be found. Disappointed, Dylan devises a plan to bring Dragon back, but will it work? Kids and caregivers alike will commiserate with Dylan and his parents as they navigate their busy weeks. The frustration of not having time to play is something most kids can relate to. Busy illustrations help fill out the text and give a clear visual of the chaos that is Dylan’s family schedule. Dylan and his parents present White; the toy tepee in the playroom is a disappointing detail.

A reminder that making time to play can bring a little bit of magic back into our days.