Dragonbreath #1

When one follows Ursula Vernon's art and quirky storytelling sensibilities for as long as I have, one knows what to expect from her work. A respectful knowledge of nature's actual workings mixed seamlessly with the absurdities of her imagination, practical and pragmatic characters coping with singularly surreal situations, and small cute critters overcoming monstrous and weird obstacles. That having been said, there's always SOMETHING in her stories that catches me off guard and stands out in my mind, and in this case, that something is called a Snorkelbat. I won't spoil the surprise, but let me just say that page 23 ALONE was worth the purchase price.

I honestly can't imagine anyone who couldn't get something out of this book. It's stylish, humorous, witty, incredibly inventive, and even a little educational (Snorkelbats notwithstanding...sorry, I still can't quite get over them). If you're a fan of Vernon, this will be just one more reason to love her. If you're not, this will convert you.

I can't wait for the sequel!

"Dragonbreath" is an amusing story that combines witty text and wonderful artwork in the same style that Ursula Vernon employs in her "Digger" series. From predatory potato salad ("A school of potato salad can skeletonize a cow in under two weeks, assuming that the cow doesn't get bored and move...") to burly mermen from Atlantis and vain luminescent deep sea creatures ("Hey! DO I come up to the surface and make fun of your looks?"), this book presents a host of very likeable, bizarre characters. The two main characters, Danny and Wendell, find themselves in enough trouble to keep the story moving along nicely. My nine-year-old and I give it five stars, and we look forward to the next story in the series.

It seems like lately, illustration has been making all sorts of inroads into what was once text-only territory. You can't go very far in a library or bookstore these days without coming across some new-fangled marriage between these two mediums. My Unwilling Witch, Frankie Pickle, Prince of Underwhere, Max Disaster, and (of course) the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series have all combined words and images in ways that have left catalogers in fits (Which shelf does this go on!?). Dragonbreath, by Ursula Vernon (Nurk) falls into this category. While I wish it delivered more humor and storyline direction, this school story/fantasy will have some appeal for young readers.

Danny Dragonbreath is the lone dragon in a school filled with amphibians and reptiles. Danny has yet to breath fire, and along with his nerdy friend Wendell, is picked on by classmates. Not a go-getter in terms of his schoolwork, Danny turns in a made-up science paper about the ocean and receives an F and the dreaded "See me" note from his teacher. His punishment? Completely rewrite the paper. When Danny's mother suggests he talk to his sea serpent cousin Edward to help with his paper, a gung-ho Danny drags the unadventurous Wendell along for a tour of the deep sea that provides more material than the dragon can imagine.

The illustrations remind me of another series aimed at this age group - Babymouse. Boldy outlined, inky illustrations are colored with variations of muted green. They give the appearance of being created with a Sharpie, and are immensely appealing.

The storyline could have benefited from a dose of focus. Especially during the scenes that take place in school, there are moments of dialogue that don't do much to move the story forward or add humor.

While it isn't quite as compelling as I had hoped, Dragonbreath (as all series beginnings do) holds the promise of future success. This one ain't too far off.

This book is awesome, its really funny. its about a dragon named Danny who cant breathe fire. but he is not scared of anything, unlike Wendell, his nerdy friend, who is scared of everything. this book is about Danny getting an F n his paper about the ocean. Wendell comes too, even he is not very happy about it.
Danny goes to the Sargasso Sea,which is supposedly in the mittle of the ocean. They take a bus there, not a boat,a bus. Wendell cant belive how they got there in 10 minutes and Danny is all like "Well you have never seen a dragon till you met me so the bus isnt thet amazing" not exact quote but you get it. well, anyway they go to the Sargasso Sea and find Danny's cousin, Edward the sea serpent. Edward gives them breath mints so they can breathe underwater.then they explore the ocean and learn things so Danny wont get an F on his paper. they get attacked by a shark, and a giant squid (as seen on cover). Whike they are doing that, Wendell is always freeking out and complaining. it really makes the book funny.
If you like comidy and like this first book, i reccomend the whole series.