It gets hard at times for our family of 4 children ranging from 12 to 4 years old to find read-alouds we all love, but this one was a winner. Kenny is a young rabbit. They didn't use the term nerdy but that is basically what he was. His dad is a farmer, and comes home one day with the news that he saw a dragon out in the fields! Kenny pulls out his trusty bestiary and tries to nail down what exactly they are dealing with. Turns out the bestiary information is wrong entirely, as Grahame our dragon patiently informs him. Of course, the two form a nice friendship with a bit of adventure. The vocabulary included is rich without being terribly hard for our youngest. It is far from dumbed down though, and sentence structure lends itself to an all-ages read aloud. There are a few pencil drawings to show here and there. The chapter lengths vary from super short (3-4 pages) to about triple that, but they are not overwhelming chunks for the 4yo and 6yo. The story of two species finding common ground and fast friendship is always sweet. Tony DiTerlizzi packs a lot of humor into the story, some more subtle and some completely obvious, appealing to kids to all ages. We are about to study Medieval History for the second go-round with our kids, so this was a light intro to some of the terms and the times. We all enjoyed it - 5 stars from us. DiTerlizzi, Tony. Kenny & the Dragon (2008). Characters: Kenneth Rabbit (Kenny), George (Kenny’s best friend, bookstore owner, retired Knight) Grahame (Dragon), Mom and Dad (Kenny’s Parents), Old Pops (Possum), Charlotte (George’s Shop Assistant, Kenny has feelings for her), Porky (Schoolmate, Ruffian), Porky’s Father, Townsfolk, King and Royal Court.Setting: Roundbrook (farming town)Themes: Friendship, Loyalty, and Problem-SolvingGenre: FantasyPlot/Summary: This story takes us to the small farming community of Roundbrook. Kenneth Rabbit is unlike the other children in his town. His interests vary greatly from his classmates. His best friend is a retired bookstore owner, George. Kenny would rather curl up in a book, any book, than anything else. His father comes home one day with exciting news. He has seen a dragon on their property. Kenny cannot believe it. He goes to check it out for himself. He has preconceived notions of what a dragon is. But Grahame is not an ordinary dragon. Kenny soon finds himself absolutely enjoying Grahame’s company and has found another person who understands and likes him. But there is one problem…his two best friends are mortal enemies in the sense that Grahame is a dragon and George is a dragon-slayer. It couldn’t get worse for Kenny. But then, it does. The town has found out about the dragon and they want Grahame exterminated and George has been called to duty. Kenny has to use his knowledge of chess strategies and he devises a brilliant plan. He needs everyone in his life; parents, Grahame, George, and Charlotte to work together to save this gentle giant, Graham.Target Audience: Third through Sixth Grade Personal/Critique: Kenny & the Dragon show cases the importance of getting to know someone before you pass judgement on them. Kenny took the time to know Grahame and he soon realized that Grahame was nothing like the dragons that he had read about. Kenny quickly saw that Grahame was everything you would want in a friend. The message was uplifting while not feeling preachy. The story plot flowed well and the characters were likable.
What do You think about Kenny And The Dragon (2008)?
Absolutely perfect. The art, the characters, the story... I wish I could give more than 5 stars.
—ndsamuelson
Very adorable story. I know the kids I work with will love to read it! Bravo!
—Jess122578
Fun read and an even more enjoyable listen.
—Kayla
