THE DRAGON WHO DIDN'T LIKE FIRE

A dragon who marches to a different drummer comes into her own.

“Once upon a time, there was a little dragon. And this little dragon didn’t like fire.” She even hides between her father’s legs while her siblings create a gigantic fiery orb. Though she tries hard to please her family, she can’t breathe fire—or fly. When her wings don’t grow, she makes some, and when those fail, she even launches herself from a cannon. Finally, she soars, but after a short flight, she lands in the water—the one place her father has warned her a dragon must avoid. Except…the dragon feels amazing in the water. It is even better than flying, and she discovers “other dragons in the water and not one of them [has] wings!” After being fished out of the water by her father, the little dragon apologizes for her lack of dragon abilities, but her father showers her with love and encourages her to embrace her skills—turns out, she’s a crocodile…and a born swimmer (the endpapers explain how this uniquely blended family came to be). Rich, full-color illustrations include both spreads and vignettes. Consistent eye contact between the parent and child dragons shows their strong emotional connection. There’s plenty of humor, too, such as the catastrophic cannon-powered flying experiment. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An affirming tale that will inspire readers to embrace their unique selves.