THE DRAGON SNATCHER
by M.P. Robertson & illustrated by M.P. Robertson
As in his Great Dragon Rescue (2004), Robertson pairs a perfunctory storyline to arresting, dramatically angled paintings featuring big, leathery dragons. Here, young George is carried off by his beloved dragon to a castle where an icy-hearted wizard has been collecting dragon eggs from various species. George tries to save the last unsnatched one, but during the battle it hatches; the dragonling imprints on the wizard, thus melting his frozen heart and so setting all of the other eggs to hatching too. Sure that the reformed wizard will be a good “mother” to all, George flies home, leaving a glorious flock of multicolored dragons soaring over the castle’s peaked towers. Robertson is a one-note artist, but he plays that note very well, and dragon-lovers will pore over the pictures, at least. (Picture book. 6-9)