Once Upon a Dragon's Fire

by Beatrice Blue

Overview

A charming story about kindness, friendship, and magic from a rising star picture book creator.

How did dragons get their fire? It all began once upon a magical kingdom, where a fearsome dragon stalked the land. The dragon was mean and scary and evil, or so the stories said. One day, two brave children set out to stop him for good. But when they finally met the monster, he wasn't quite what they expected . . .

Find out how two kids' determination to save their village led to a friendship that will warm the hearts of dragon lovers everywhere in this gorgeously illustrated celebration of the magic of kindness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780358469506
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/02/2021
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	92 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Beatrice Blue is the creator of the picture books Once Upon a Unicorn's Horn and Once Upon a Dragon's Fire. She is a visual development artist and freelance illustrator who has worked with a variety of clients, including Dreamworks. She currently lives in Spain. www.beatriceblue.net Instagram: @beatrice.blue 

Editorial Reviews

05/10/2021

This enchanting picture book regales with the power of story as author-illustrator Blue follows Freya, a child with freckled light brown skin and blue-gray eyes, and Sylas, a pale-skinned kid with a dark blue topknot. Residents of a village in a magical kingdom, they “loved reading stories about the dragon out loud to each other”—despite rumors of how terrifying the dragon actually is. When a snowstorm threatens the village’s safety, the duo sets out to stop the dragon, whom they presume responsible. But when they reach the dragon’s mountaintop lair, the pair discovers a creature quite different from the narratives they’ve consumed. Blue presents sweeping cinematic scenes rendered in a friendly yet intricate style, highlighted by vibrant colors and expressive, dynamic characters amid gorgeously immersive fantastical landscapes. A creative origin fable offering a tender reminder to abstain from stereotyping and to extend care to others. Ages 4–7. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"This enchanting picture book regales with the power of story....Blue presents sweeping cinematic scenes rendered in a friendly yet intricate style, highlighted by vibrant colors and expressive, dynamic characters amid gorgeously immersive fantastical landscapes. A creative origin fable offering a tender reminder to abstain from stereotyping and to extend care to others."—Publishers Weekly "This sweet tale of adventure, courage, and compassion is a warmhearted reminder of the dangers of stereotypes and the power of perspective and hope....A page-turner of an adventure story about challenging preconceived notions and building empathy and compassion."—Kirkus —

From the Publisher

02/01/2021

PreS-Gr 3—An inventive fantasy featuring Freya, who is tan with brown hair, and Sylas, who is black-haired with pale skin, who are terrified by dragons until they set upon a quest that becomes an origin story. The villagers live in fear of dragons, spreading stories of horror and tragedy amongst themselves, though none have ever seen one. The intrepid protagonists discover just how wrong all this information is this during a cold storm, when the villagers believe the dragon is responsible for their circumstances. When Freya and Sylas meet the dragon face-to-face, all of what they read and heard melts away when faced with the truth. Bright digital artwork accompanies the text with hidden visual gems for those who seek it. VERDICT Themes of friendship, truth, and believing what one sees rather than what someone else says are valuable lessons imparted and shared. This is a heartwarming tale of friendship and discovery, and a compelling read-aloud.—Rachel Zuffa, Case H.S., Racine, WI

School Library Journal

2020-12-25
Once upon a time, a long time ago, Freya and Sylas lived in a village in a magic kingdom where everyone feared a dragon.

Although it isn’t clear if any villagers have actually met the dragon, rumor has it that the beast is heartless, ruthless, and cruel. Unlike their fellow villagers, Freya and Sylas find the dragon fascinating as well as terrifying. The children spend hours together reading stories about the dragon, becoming dragon experts, each reassuring the other that they are interested but not afraid. When an enormous snowstorm freezes the village, Freya and Sylas are sure that the dragon is to blame. Together, they decide to scale the mountain near their village where the dragon supposedly lives—something that, in their entire village, only they are courageous enough to attempt. But when they finally reach the dragon, Freya and Sylas get a surprise: It turns out that the dragon is nothing like what anyone in their village imagined. Could it be, Freya and Sylas wonder, that the dragon isn’t evil at all? This sweet tale of adventure, courage, and compassion is a warmhearted reminder of the dangers of stereotypes and the power of perspective and hope. The manga-style illustrations are colorful and detailed—full of whimsical touches—perfectly complementing the fairy-tale–inspired prose. The story’s moral, while clear, is more lighthearted than preachy, rendering the happy ending entirely satisfying. Freya has light-brown skin and poufy brown hair; Sylas has pale skin and black hair in a topknot. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.3-by-18.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 32.1% of actual size.)

A page-turner of an adventure story about challenging preconceived notions and building empathy and compassion. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews