A Tale of Two Dragons

by Geraldine McCaughrean, Peter Malone (Illustrator)

Overview

The kingdoms of Arbor, with its lush forests, and Pomosa, rich with farmland, have no love between them, and the children have taken to sneaking across the borders at night to steal the precious resources of milk and wood that the adults won’t share.

So the Kings decide to fight, instead . . . with dragons. But do the dragons have another idea?

This new parable shows that the way to peace and prosperity is not through fighting, but teamwork and generosity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728467740
Publisher:	Andersen Press USA
Publication date:	11/01/2022
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	499,705
Product dimensions:	9.50(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD680L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 9 Years

About the Author

Geraldine McCaughrean has written more than 170 books, published in 61 countries and and her work has been translated into over 45 languages. She is a three-time recipient of the Whitbread/Costa Children's Book Award, the Michael L. Printz Award and a double Carnegie Medal winner.

Peter Malone has worked for many years as a successful children’s illustrator and is published worldwide. Peter has also worked on commissions from the New Yorker and on Christmas stamps for the Royal Mail. He works in gouache and watercolor and lives in Bath, England, with his family.

Editorial Reviews

07/08/2022

K-Gr 3—People of various skin tones in old-fashioned dress are separated by the high thorn hedge between their two kingdoms, Arbor and Pomosa. Arbor has all of the trees (and thus firewood), while Pomosa has all the wheat and dairy cows. Hearing their parents' wishes for what lies on the other side of the hedge, children sneak across and steal what they need; to put an end to the thefts, each king sends to China for a dragon to guard his country. The dragons come—one male, one female—but they have their own agenda, and when they fight, people on both sides realize their folly. The wise but exhausted dragons are attended to and the kings are sent packing. Told and illustrated in traditional European fairy-tale style, the moral of the story is didactically laid out: Fighting is wrong, sharing is good. VERDICT A tale equally suited for story hour entertainment or used in the folktale curriculum.—Jenny Arch

School Library Journal

2022-10-12
Two kingdoms decide to solve their differences—through dragons.

The kingdom of Arbor is known for its ample trees, orchards, mushrooms, birds, and fruit. Separated from Arbor by a long hedge, Pomosa is famous for its wheat, cattle, and lakes. The citizens of each kingdom often look to the other’s land, desiring the goods they lack. Hearing their parents’ wishes, the children steal the wanted items at night, escalating tensions between the two kings. Both rulers send ambassadors to China to get dragons to defend their territories. The resulting scenes show somewhat stereotypical portrayals of Chinese people (Arbor’s and Pomosa’s residents are diverse). The decision to have the kings travel to a real country feels jarring given that Arbor and Pomosa are fictional. The choice to set part of the book in China is especially odd given that the dragons appear to be European, with relatively short bodies, large wings, and the ability to breathe fire. (Chinese dragons have elongated bodies and are typically tied to water.) The presence of the dragons does halt the thefts, but the kings still demand each other’s goods. Eventually the dragons fight, collapsing in front of the citizens. Both kingdoms decide to forge peace and rid themselves of the selfish kings. The narrative is evenly paced and the artwork attractive, with whimsical landscapes filled with immaculate shading and detailed portraits in a warm pastel palette. However, they can’t overcome the clichéd and inaccurate cultural depictions.(This book was reviewed digitally.)

Inconsistencies in worldbuilding and confused portrayals overshadow this fantasy. (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews