UH-OH! MY DRAGON'S HUNGRY

A little girl and her dragon have different ideas about what’s good to eat in Weaver’s picture book.

Feeding a pet dragon can be quite a challenge, especially if the dragon is prone to fire-breathing—just ask the little girl (who has light-colored skin and blond hair) at the center of this whimsical picture book. Her hungry dragon once “lost complete control,” spat fire, and singed the seat of her pants. “So, now I must be careful and make sure he’s always fed,” she says, “or else I might end up with toasted underwear instead!” But what to fix for a dragon’s lunch? The unnamed girl is sure the dragon’s culinary tastes “are similar to mine,” so she rules out vegetables and casseroles in favor of pizza, a milkshake, and chocolate cake. As the clever, rhyming narrative continues, the proposed dragon menu becomes more outlandish, including frosted tacos, a candy bar sandwich, a chocolate lake, and “mountains made of pancakes.” With a light touch, Weaver wraps this quirky fantasy around a good message for picky eaters; the dragon’s preference for steak and veggies persuades the little girl to give more nutritious foods a try. Soylu’s vivid, idiosyncratic, full-page color illustrations are a delight, complemented by the text layout, which is varied with curves, angles, colors, and quirky lettering.

A visual feast and rhyming text provide read-aloud fun and encouragement for picky eaters.