OH, SIR BRAGALOT!

Someone needs a lesson in humility.

In an animal kingdom inspired by medieval Europe, Sir Bragalot, a little white bunny, has earned the ire of the court through his constant boasting. When a dragon is spotted near the kingdom, the cheetah queen suggests to her lion husband that Bragalot is the perfect knight to defeat the dragon. While traveling, Bragalot regrets his boastful ways but quickly falls into bad habits when he discovers the diminutive dragon. This new round of blustering and teasing earns him a scorched tail, because, regardless of size, dragons can still breathe fire. The narration goes on to state that Sir Bragalot “never, ever bragged again,” but the final spread proves otherwise as he is seen lying to readers about this adventure. This lack of a lesson may frustrate caregivers and educators hoping to use the book to show self-aggrandizing readers the folly of flaunted claims and lies, but the real problem is that Bragalot is not a sympathetic character. Readers may be as disgusted with the tiny rabbit as the menagerie of animals in his kingdom. The colorful illustrations do a lot of heavy lifting in an attempt to elevate the book, but they can’t overcome the problem that this bunny is not likable. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An irritating protagonist and a misdelivered moral make for a disappointing tale.