Over at the Castle
PreSchool-Grade 1—The loving Mom and baby from Ashburn and Murphy'sHush, Little Dragon(Abrams, 2008) reenact a variation of another familiar folk song. Well-rhymed quatrains guide readers through a medieval landscape populated with ever-increasing numbers of inhabitants (from one little dragon and two gruff guards all the way up to ten frisky jesters). Suspense builds on each earth-toned page, as mother dragon advises "patience" while child eagerly anticipates the book's culminating surprise: fireworks ignited by the "whoosh" of the dragons' breath. Simple but richly textured oil and acrylic illustrations contain amusing details for observant eyes (the little dragon can be caught peeking inside the castle walls, and an "old wily prisoner" and his "pet rats five" can be spied planning and executing escape from the dungeon). A playful and comforting addition to storytimes.—Amy Rowland, Shelter Rock Elementary School, Manhasset, NY(c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.