a lilting Seussian singsong, with wonderful, surprising rhymes
Where Is the Dragon?
A hide-and-seek picture book from New York Times award-winning author Leo Timmers, about three silly knights and a clever dragon in disguise.
The king can’t sleep for fear of the dragon, so he sends his three knights outside to find it. With only one candle between them, they go out into the dark. Is that a dragon? Attack! But every suspicious shape turns out to be something else, until the knights confidently turn for home, not noticing what’s behind them.
This cleverly illustrated game-inside-a-book will have young children shouting out loud in delight as they spot the dragon hidden on every page.
With intricately detailed illustrations and joyful rhyming text, this picture book is a fun read-aloud for toddlers and pre-schoolers aged 2 years and up.
Where Is the Dragon? is an absurdly fun take on mistaken dragon identity, from the master storyteller and author of Monkey on the Run, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book. Leo Timmers is one of Belgium’s pre-eminent picture book artists. Translated from the Dutch edition by poet James Brown.
Picture Book Winner, Teach Early Years Awards 2021.
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Book Details
Country of Origin Belgium Reader Age 2-5 year Book Size ISBN
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Reviews
Available worldwide from your local bookstore or online.
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School Reading List (verified owner) –
Destined to become a modern classic.
School Library Journal SLJ, 2021 Translated Books for Kids (verified owner) –
Metal gleams when Timmers paints it, but at the same time things get awfully goofy. If you like Timmers (and who amongst us doesn’t?) better snap up his latest.
Alistair Bryce-Clegg (verified owner) –
Leo Timmers gives the reader so many different concepts to explore: invitations to experience maths, think about science, predict outcomes and express feelings. The list goes on…
The New York Times (verified owner) –
A beautiful, unsolvable riddle about fear, its manifestations and what it means to try to conquer what might have no intention of ever causing any harm.
Sal’s Fiction Addiction (verified owner) –
Full of giggles, rhythmic language, refreshing dialogue, and quickly-dissolved fears, this is a book that begs for return visits.
CBCA Reading Time (verified owner) –
I’m a sucker for picture books about dragons, and Where is the Dragon? had me smiling the whole way, with an out-loud chuckle or three for good measure.
Celebrate Picture Books (verified owner) –
Part Monty Python, part bedtime story, and entirely ingenious, Where is the Dragon? will become a quick favorite for fun, madcap and imagination-filled daytime or nighttime story times at home, in the classroom, and for public library collections.
Kit on Lit (verified owner) –
With a rhyming storyline underscored by hilarious illustrations, this picture book begs to be read aloud.
ReadPlus (verified owner) –
this delightful story will win hearts…Eye catching illustrations will turn the heads of the readers as they take in the story and its stunning backdrop. Timmer’s use of shadows and outlines is superb, the detail arresting and the Medieval touches intriguing.
Lancashire Post (verified owner) –
a quirky story translated by James Brown, Timmers’ trademark richly detailed illustrations with their stunning use of colour, and atmospheric light and shade, and a humorous contrast between the illustrations and the words, Where is the Dragon? is the ideal book to inspire the imaginations of even the youngest children.
Red Reading Hub (verified owner) –
…the illustrations with the superb characters, skillful use of dark and light, clever details (small and large), textures and rich colour palette, that are the real show stealers. Zimmers has a wacky sense of humour that is evident at every page turn, especially the final one. Little ones will relish this as a storytime read aloud, delighting both in guessing and knowing. Ensure you give your audience time to look closely at the revelatory spreads so they can appreciate Zimmers’ transformations of the imagined into the real.
My Book Corner (verified owner) –
Fun, cleverness and rhythm make this the perfect book for bedtime! The carefully executed illustrations are an example of how a well thought illustration process can make a picturebook outstanding. The whole play between light and dark itself is in worthy of an award.
Youth Services Book Review –
The illustrations…are very cool and sophisticated.
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast –
it would make for a fabulous story-time choice. Timmers’s illustrations feature rich colors, lots of textures, and characters that seem to stand off the page. He works wonders with light and shadow here — to great comic effect.
Waking Brain Cells –
Timmers has a marvelous sense of humor in all of his picture books. This book glows with that humor, as each shadow is cleverly revealed to be nothing at all. The dialogue between the knights is delightful…Just the page turns alone in this picture book are a joy, each reveal is great fun to guess at before turning the page…Perfect for any knights and dragon fans you might have, this book is a great read aloud.
Starred review, Kirkus Reviews –
a lilting Seussian singsong, with wonderful, surprising rhymes, and little readers and their grown-ups will have a great time combining their voices and giggling through the proceedings.