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King Jack and the Dragon
An irresistible knights-and-dragons fantasy for the very young, in the tradition of Oxenbury's enduring classic We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Jack, Zack, and baby Caspar spend all day fighting dragons in their homemade fort. But when Sir Zack and Caspar are taken inside for bed, King Jack - alone on his throne - finds himself feeling a bit less brave . . . especially when he hears a thing approaching, a thing with four legs.
A rollicking read-aloud with a charming surprise ending and Helen Oxenbury's spare, expressive illustrations, this kid-pleaser is a classic in the making.
Jack, Zack, and baby Caspar spend all day fighting dragons in their homemade fort. But when Sir Zack and Caspar are taken inside for bed, King Jack - alone on his throne - finds himself feeling a bit less brave . . . especially when he hears a thing approaching, a thing with four legs.
A rollicking read-aloud with a charming surprise ending and Helen Oxenbury's spare, expressive illustrations, this kid-pleaser is a classic in the making.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2011
10 people are currently reading
557 people want to read
About the author
Peter Bently
165 books46 followersPeter Bently is married with two children, and lives in south England. He studied languages at Oxford University and has written over 40 titles, one of which led to him being awarded the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews
December 9, 2022
One of our top 5 board books with all 3 of our kids. Great rhythm, sweet illustrations. Lightbulb moment: overhearing our first kid, not even 2 years old, recite these lines to herself while she played alone. How naturally very young kids can memorize poetry! "Prepare to do battle, brave knights!"
February 10, 2012
In a word - ADORABLE. We must have read this library book half a dozen times and I certainly didn't tire of it one bit... too cute for words.
April 23, 2012
I'm a huge fan of Helen Oxenbury's illustrations and they are wonderfully suited to the story here as she does a great job with both the "real world" creations (the box-castle that Jack builds, the expressions of Jack and his friends) and the imaginary creatures Jack battles. Peter Bently's rhyming text is engaging and flows smoothly and I love the sense of imaginative play and also how skillfully he shows the change in little ones from being brave to needing Mommy and Daddy!
I guess I was just a little disappointed that all King Jack and his friends wanted to do was battle the dragons and other creatures. Maybe I'm just too out of touch with boys' play, but I would have liked it if perhaps they befriended a dragon instead of trying to battle them. Of course, I understand that sometimes it is very beneficial and necessary to create scary creatures in ones imagination to chase away--I guess I just like dragons too much, lol ;->
I guess I was just a little disappointed that all King Jack and his friends wanted to do was battle the dragons and other creatures. Maybe I'm just too out of touch with boys' play, but I would have liked it if perhaps they befriended a dragon instead of trying to battle them. Of course, I understand that sometimes it is very beneficial and necessary to create scary creatures in ones imagination to chase away--I guess I just like dragons too much, lol ;->
August 5, 2024
A staple in our bedtime library at home for years.
We must've read this a 100 times.
We must've read this a 100 times.
January 30, 2012
King Jack and the Dragon by Peter Bently, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury is a knights-and-dragons fantasy for the very young.
Young friends Jack, Zack and Caspar build a castle out of a carboard box, a sheet, a blanket, some sticks, broken bricks, trash bags, and odds & ends. They fantasize about fighting dragons and beasts all day. As it gets dark, one by one, the kids are taken away by giants until Jack is left all alone. There, in the dark, a scary monster with four legs approaches.
The text has a rhythm and rhyme that should make it a good read-aloud either for a group or one-on-one. A large font is used with some words emphasized in even larger, bolder fonts.
OXenbury's illustrations match the story wonderfully. The images vary from black and white to color. The beasts remind me a bit of the wild things in Where the Wild Things Are. Caspar pointing at the dragon's tale and pointing at the snake is just too cute. My favorite images include the cover illustrations, carrying building materials, fighting dragons, fighting beasts, dragons/beasts in retreat, Sir Jack goes home, Caspar to bed, Jack with flashlight, the Thing, and the final images.
Referring to the parents retreiving the children as giants is very funny. I'm pleased that this is on the 2012 Notables list. This should become a storytime classic for many young dragon and beast fighters. Highly recommended for school and public library collections. Could be used by beginning readers.
For ages 2.5 to 5, adventure, imagination, play, friendship, fantasy, knights, dragons, monsters, castle, emergent-reader, initial-reader, rhymes, read-aloud and fans of Peter Bently and Helen Oxenbury.
Young friends Jack, Zack and Caspar build a castle out of a carboard box, a sheet, a blanket, some sticks, broken bricks, trash bags, and odds & ends. They fantasize about fighting dragons and beasts all day. As it gets dark, one by one, the kids are taken away by giants until Jack is left all alone. There, in the dark, a scary monster with four legs approaches.
The text has a rhythm and rhyme that should make it a good read-aloud either for a group or one-on-one. A large font is used with some words emphasized in even larger, bolder fonts.
OXenbury's illustrations match the story wonderfully. The images vary from black and white to color. The beasts remind me a bit of the wild things in Where the Wild Things Are. Caspar pointing at the dragon's tale and pointing at the snake is just too cute. My favorite images include the cover illustrations, carrying building materials, fighting dragons, fighting beasts, dragons/beasts in retreat, Sir Jack goes home, Caspar to bed, Jack with flashlight, the Thing, and the final images.
Referring to the parents retreiving the children as giants is very funny. I'm pleased that this is on the 2012 Notables list. This should become a storytime classic for many young dragon and beast fighters. Highly recommended for school and public library collections. Could be used by beginning readers.
For ages 2.5 to 5, adventure, imagination, play, friendship, fantasy, knights, dragons, monsters, castle, emergent-reader, initial-reader, rhymes, read-aloud and fans of Peter Bently and Helen Oxenbury.
February 19, 2020
Story Time
Age: 3
Theme: Kings and the Letter K
This book was super cute. 3 friends build a fort. King Jack wants to fight dragons and beasts. One by one "giants" come to take away the friends until it's just King Jack left.
Age: 3
Theme: Kings and the Letter K
This book was super cute. 3 friends build a fort. King Jack wants to fight dragons and beasts. One by one "giants" come to take away the friends until it's just King Jack left.
June 8, 2020
"Really cool book," said Micah, "I like the pictures and the story." The book is about Jack, Zak, and Caspar, a bunch of friends fighting pretend dragons. The illustrator does a great job with the dragons. "The tongues and noses have red stuff coming out of them."
December 18, 2017
A story that brilliantly captures the colour of a child's imagination through its' beautiful illustrations.
May 15, 2018
King Jack is a coward at his core. That's the lesson in this book.
October 12, 2022
A perfect picture book :)
October 21, 2019
A story about three boys who play kings and fight dragons. Could inspire some writing about children's own games and imagination. Beautiful illustrations that could be used for discussions or recreating for their own stories.
September 1, 2011
Open this book and you are immersed in a wonderful world of make-believe that you will not want to leave. There is a timelessness to not only the story here, but the way it is told.
Jack, Zack and Caspar were making a fort for King Jack out of a large box, a sheet, a blanket, some sticks, broken bricks, some trash bags, and other odds and ends. Then they spent the entire day fighting dragons and beasts until they returned back to their fort for a celebratory feast. Unfortunately, after that a giant came and took Sir Zack home. Then another giant came and took Caspar off to bed. That left King Jack alone on his throne in his fort. As darkness fell, he tried to not feel frightened of the noises of wind and the scurrying of animals. He wasn’t really truly scared until he heard the four footed beast approaching in the dark.
Beautifully told by Bently, this book reads aloud with zest and style. The story moves from the building of the fort to the playing of pretend through to the end of the day when reality comes calling for each of the children. It is a story that speaks to the power of imagination, the ability of children to create worlds that they fall into, and the love of play. The entire text captures that sense of play, merrily creating tension towards the end of the book without any real fear.
Oxenbury’s illustrations help to strengthen the timelessness of the story. The sweetness of her illustrations is tempered by the ferocity of the dragons and beasts she depicts. Yet there is no real danger here, and her illustrations help underline that to the youngest of readers.
Have large boxes and plenty of “swords” ready after you share this book. It is sure to create some new knights out of any children who listen to it. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Jack, Zack and Caspar were making a fort for King Jack out of a large box, a sheet, a blanket, some sticks, broken bricks, some trash bags, and other odds and ends. Then they spent the entire day fighting dragons and beasts until they returned back to their fort for a celebratory feast. Unfortunately, after that a giant came and took Sir Zack home. Then another giant came and took Caspar off to bed. That left King Jack alone on his throne in his fort. As darkness fell, he tried to not feel frightened of the noises of wind and the scurrying of animals. He wasn’t really truly scared until he heard the four footed beast approaching in the dark.
Beautifully told by Bently, this book reads aloud with zest and style. The story moves from the building of the fort to the playing of pretend through to the end of the day when reality comes calling for each of the children. It is a story that speaks to the power of imagination, the ability of children to create worlds that they fall into, and the love of play. The entire text captures that sense of play, merrily creating tension towards the end of the book without any real fear.
Oxenbury’s illustrations help to strengthen the timelessness of the story. The sweetness of her illustrations is tempered by the ferocity of the dragons and beasts she depicts. Yet there is no real danger here, and her illustrations help underline that to the youngest of readers.
Have large boxes and plenty of “swords” ready after you share this book. It is sure to create some new knights out of any children who listen to it. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
September 14, 2018
I am okay with picture books that are actually for parents. We read them, right? Gotta get our culture in where we can, and picture books are a major leading cause of artist non-starvation. This picture book that is really for grownups is getting under my skin only because it is universally recommended for little children who want to read books about dragons. This is a book FOR parents ABOUT little children who want to read books about dragons. If you have a child who longs for beautiful danger, for adventure and chivalry, they will be right pissed at the ending of this book when the small boy's fear of the shadows around his "castle" is resolved by mommy and daddy tucking him in to bed.
April 2, 2012
This is a fun story that celebrates children's imaginations as well as their amazing sense of wonder and creativity. The children are so sweet and fun, with such big ideas. The illustrations are a mixture of black and white and softly colored picturs and they complement the story nicely. We enjoyed reading this story together.
November 22, 2011
This book caused my five-year-old son to build a "castle" in the living room and play there all afternoon. What more can I ask of a book?
This is the first rhyming picture book I've read in quite awhile that I actually liked. I thought it was well done. And the pictures are fantastic!
This is the first rhyming picture book I've read in quite awhile that I actually liked. I thought it was well done. And the pictures are fantastic!
October 7, 2011
Cute, I very much wish that I had had this book when Malachi was younger! (especially good for the dragon fighting 3-5 year old crowd)
December 19, 2016
Read at Preschool Story Time on 1/13/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
April 29, 2014
Booklist (September 1, 2011 (Vol. 108, No. 1))
Preschool-Kindergarten. Three boys in various stages of diaperdom build a cardboard castle in the back garden and fight dragons and beasts until suppertime in this picture-book adventure from award-winning British creators. With just a few words per page, the rhyming text is printed in typefaces that vary in size and boldness, underscoring the mounting drama, while Oxenbury’s alternating full-color watercolors and sepia sketches juxtapose the boys’ imaginings with their real-world context. Enormous dragons and fantastical creatures retreat when the boys attack with wooden swords and sticks, but the young heroes are no match for their “giant” parents, who come to retrieve them, one by one, at day’s end. The rhyming verse, large trim size, and detailed illustrations, filled with Oxenbury’s usually fine sense of young children’s body language and expressions, make this a suitable story for group sharing, while the sweet, intimate tone will make it a family favorite.
Horn Book (November/December, 2011)
Two preschoolers and a toddler build a cardboard-box fortress in the backyard and protect it from dragons and beasts until darkness falls and their parents come to take them home. From this simple premise of imaginative play, Bently and Oxenbury create a classically sweet picture book. Bently's unforced rhyming couplets swing along, and Oxenbury, in gentle watercolors and cross-hatched line drawings, showcases her distinctive gift for portraying the personalities and relationships of young children through their shapes and gestures. Jack the ringleader is a bit tentative and vulnerable. We see it in his skinny little ankles. Zack, second in command, is stu�dier. His strong fingers try to pry his father's hand away as he's taken home to bed. Casper, the bald and bottom-heavy baby, looks at the older boys with deep adoration. Even the dragons and beasts are particular characters -- the truculent green scaly one, the shy bucktoothed pink spotted one, and the tufted dog-nosed muddled one. This is a fine story for all sword-wielding, cupcake-eating kings-of-the-castle and their friends. sarah ellis
Horn Book starred (Spring 2012)
In this classically sweet picture book, two preschoolers and a toddler build a cardboard-box fortress and protect it from dragons until darkness falls and their parents take them home. Bently's unforced rhyming couplets swing along, and Oxenbury, in gentle watercolors and cross-hatched line drawings, showcases her gift for portraying the personalities and relationships of young children.
Kirkus Reviews (July 15, 2011)
A trio of children spends the day playing in their fort, defending it from dragons and beasts, before reality intrudes at nightfall. Gentle, unassuming rhyme tells the story of Zack, Caspar and King Jack, who make a glorious fort in Jack and Caspar's backyard out of a cardboard box and other tried-and-true materials. As she did so memorably inWe're Going on a Bear Hunt, Oxenbury alternates black-and-white vignettes of the "real" goings-on with gorgeous, full-bleed single- and double-page spreads of the fantasy action. Her palette and composition of these fantasy scenes (and the lumpy miens of the beasts) recall Max's sojourn among the wild things, but this is no retread of either classic. The children-preschooler Jack, his toddler brother Caspar and pal Zack-are happy playmates consciously indulging in make-believe. Reality and fantasy merge at the end of the day when "a giant came by and went home with Sir Zack" (a parental hand drags the protesting little boy off) and "another giant came and took Caspar to bed" (he is unceremoniously carried off in the crook of Mommy's arm). Does King Jack have the starch to defend the fort by himself? Who needs starch with a Mommy and Dad like Jack's? Sure to be read aloud again and again, this testament to imaginative play exudes warmth.(Picture book. 3-6)
Publishers Weekly (May 16, 2011)
Fort making is one of the great enterprises of childhood, but just in case the art has been lost to some, Bently (The Great Dog Bottom Swap) and Oxenbury (There's Going to Be a Baby) open their felicitous collaboration with what is essentially an illustrated instruction manual: "A big cardboard box,/ an old sheet and some sticks,/ a couple of trash bags,/ a few broken bricks,/ a fine royal throne/ from a ragged old quilt,/ a drawbridge, a flag-/ and the castle was built." Declaring himself king, Jack leads his friends Zack and Caspar in defending the fort against a menagerie of imaginary creatures. But when Jack's knights are carried off by giants (their parents), Jack finds that a solo defense of the fort is no picnic: "He wished he was anything else but a king." Bently's verse never misses a beat, and Oxenbury shifts between monochromatic, engraving-like drawings and pale watercolors; the images feel as if they were drawn from a classic fairy tale book and contemporary life simultaneously. It's an enchanting tribute to both full-throttle pretend play and the reassurance of a parent's embrace. Ages 3-5. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal (September 1, 2011)
PreS-K-"Jack, Zack, and Casper were making a den-a mighty great fort for King Jack and his men." So begins this delicious tale of three adventurous youngsters whose day is filled with constructing a castle (construction box, trash bags, and a ragged quilt) and battling dragons and beasts in an imaginary forest. When evening arrives, Zack and Casper are scooped up seemingly by giants (their parents) and taken home. Alone, Jack at first braves the quivering trees and sounds of scampering animals until a four-footed "SOMETHING" looms out of the night. But no, it is his parents, and Jack, riding home on his father's shoulders, claims, "I knew you weren't really a dragon." Soft colors and the fanciful expressions on the various creatures offset any scare youngsters might find in the story, and the children's beguiling faces are warm and friendly. A balance of brown-toned crosshatched drawings and full-color artwork adds to the easy flow of the action. A tale of make-believe that children will delight in hearing again and again.-Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
School Library Journal (January 1, 2013)
PreS-K-Three little boys play make-believe before bedtime in Bently's rhyming picture book (Dial, 2011). Jack plays the King and his friends Zack and Casper are his knights. They protect the castle by fighting dragons and beasts, until "giants" come to put each boy to bed. The muted colors in Helen Oxenbury's charming illustrations make this book perfect for quiet time or bedtime reading. The boys are adorable as they act out their imagined adventures. Andrew Watts narrates the story with a soothing voice that matches the tone of the book. Page-turn signals are optional. A great addition to libraries and classrooms serving young children.-Jenny Ventling, Dayton Metro Library, OH (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Preschool-Kindergarten. Three boys in various stages of diaperdom build a cardboard castle in the back garden and fight dragons and beasts until suppertime in this picture-book adventure from award-winning British creators. With just a few words per page, the rhyming text is printed in typefaces that vary in size and boldness, underscoring the mounting drama, while Oxenbury’s alternating full-color watercolors and sepia sketches juxtapose the boys’ imaginings with their real-world context. Enormous dragons and fantastical creatures retreat when the boys attack with wooden swords and sticks, but the young heroes are no match for their “giant” parents, who come to retrieve them, one by one, at day’s end. The rhyming verse, large trim size, and detailed illustrations, filled with Oxenbury’s usually fine sense of young children’s body language and expressions, make this a suitable story for group sharing, while the sweet, intimate tone will make it a family favorite.
Horn Book (November/December, 2011)
Two preschoolers and a toddler build a cardboard-box fortress in the backyard and protect it from dragons and beasts until darkness falls and their parents come to take them home. From this simple premise of imaginative play, Bently and Oxenbury create a classically sweet picture book. Bently's unforced rhyming couplets swing along, and Oxenbury, in gentle watercolors and cross-hatched line drawings, showcases her distinctive gift for portraying the personalities and relationships of young children through their shapes and gestures. Jack the ringleader is a bit tentative and vulnerable. We see it in his skinny little ankles. Zack, second in command, is stu�dier. His strong fingers try to pry his father's hand away as he's taken home to bed. Casper, the bald and bottom-heavy baby, looks at the older boys with deep adoration. Even the dragons and beasts are particular characters -- the truculent green scaly one, the shy bucktoothed pink spotted one, and the tufted dog-nosed muddled one. This is a fine story for all sword-wielding, cupcake-eating kings-of-the-castle and their friends. sarah ellis
Horn Book starred (Spring 2012)
In this classically sweet picture book, two preschoolers and a toddler build a cardboard-box fortress and protect it from dragons until darkness falls and their parents take them home. Bently's unforced rhyming couplets swing along, and Oxenbury, in gentle watercolors and cross-hatched line drawings, showcases her gift for portraying the personalities and relationships of young children.
Kirkus Reviews (July 15, 2011)
A trio of children spends the day playing in their fort, defending it from dragons and beasts, before reality intrudes at nightfall. Gentle, unassuming rhyme tells the story of Zack, Caspar and King Jack, who make a glorious fort in Jack and Caspar's backyard out of a cardboard box and other tried-and-true materials. As she did so memorably inWe're Going on a Bear Hunt, Oxenbury alternates black-and-white vignettes of the "real" goings-on with gorgeous, full-bleed single- and double-page spreads of the fantasy action. Her palette and composition of these fantasy scenes (and the lumpy miens of the beasts) recall Max's sojourn among the wild things, but this is no retread of either classic. The children-preschooler Jack, his toddler brother Caspar and pal Zack-are happy playmates consciously indulging in make-believe. Reality and fantasy merge at the end of the day when "a giant came by and went home with Sir Zack" (a parental hand drags the protesting little boy off) and "another giant came and took Caspar to bed" (he is unceremoniously carried off in the crook of Mommy's arm). Does King Jack have the starch to defend the fort by himself? Who needs starch with a Mommy and Dad like Jack's? Sure to be read aloud again and again, this testament to imaginative play exudes warmth.(Picture book. 3-6)
Publishers Weekly (May 16, 2011)
Fort making is one of the great enterprises of childhood, but just in case the art has been lost to some, Bently (The Great Dog Bottom Swap) and Oxenbury (There's Going to Be a Baby) open their felicitous collaboration with what is essentially an illustrated instruction manual: "A big cardboard box,/ an old sheet and some sticks,/ a couple of trash bags,/ a few broken bricks,/ a fine royal throne/ from a ragged old quilt,/ a drawbridge, a flag-/ and the castle was built." Declaring himself king, Jack leads his friends Zack and Caspar in defending the fort against a menagerie of imaginary creatures. But when Jack's knights are carried off by giants (their parents), Jack finds that a solo defense of the fort is no picnic: "He wished he was anything else but a king." Bently's verse never misses a beat, and Oxenbury shifts between monochromatic, engraving-like drawings and pale watercolors; the images feel as if they were drawn from a classic fairy tale book and contemporary life simultaneously. It's an enchanting tribute to both full-throttle pretend play and the reassurance of a parent's embrace. Ages 3-5. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal (September 1, 2011)
PreS-K-"Jack, Zack, and Casper were making a den-a mighty great fort for King Jack and his men." So begins this delicious tale of three adventurous youngsters whose day is filled with constructing a castle (construction box, trash bags, and a ragged quilt) and battling dragons and beasts in an imaginary forest. When evening arrives, Zack and Casper are scooped up seemingly by giants (their parents) and taken home. Alone, Jack at first braves the quivering trees and sounds of scampering animals until a four-footed "SOMETHING" looms out of the night. But no, it is his parents, and Jack, riding home on his father's shoulders, claims, "I knew you weren't really a dragon." Soft colors and the fanciful expressions on the various creatures offset any scare youngsters might find in the story, and the children's beguiling faces are warm and friendly. A balance of brown-toned crosshatched drawings and full-color artwork adds to the easy flow of the action. A tale of make-believe that children will delight in hearing again and again.-Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
School Library Journal (January 1, 2013)
PreS-K-Three little boys play make-believe before bedtime in Bently's rhyming picture book (Dial, 2011). Jack plays the King and his friends Zack and Casper are his knights. They protect the castle by fighting dragons and beasts, until "giants" come to put each boy to bed. The muted colors in Helen Oxenbury's charming illustrations make this book perfect for quiet time or bedtime reading. The boys are adorable as they act out their imagined adventures. Andrew Watts narrates the story with a soothing voice that matches the tone of the book. Page-turn signals are optional. A great addition to libraries and classrooms serving young children.-Jenny Ventling, Dayton Metro Library, OH (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2019
What a delight to read and to just look and gaze at the whimsical illustrations which are in both colour and black/white. Some are full page and a few are double page! What a delight to the eyes to behold such magic! A make-shift tent turns into a castle, cardboard becomes a drawbridge and sticks become swords. The story is short and the spellbinding illustrations makes improv so easy that all of your knights and kings will want to play along.
This make believe tale of a king, knights and dragons is pure magic even for the kid inside all of us.
Parental Note: I would recommend this book for children under 5. It’s not actually scary as the dragon and monsters are so darn cute. However, there is a bit of fear of being all alone and the imagination can run wild. I think the story would be a one or two time read unless there are younger children around.
This make believe tale of a king, knights and dragons is pure magic even for the kid inside all of us.
Parental Note: I would recommend this book for children under 5. It’s not actually scary as the dragon and monsters are so darn cute. However, there is a bit of fear of being all alone and the imagination can run wild. I think the story would be a one or two time read unless there are younger children around.
March 6, 2018
Jack, Zack and Caspar built a castle in the back yard with sticks and blankets and a cardboard box. Jack is the king and the other two are knights. The three play together all day fighting off dragons. They are prepared to spend the night in their castle, but then a giant comes along and takes Zack away. That leaves Jack and Caspar. They are prepared to spend the night by themselves, but then another giant comes along and takes Caspar to bed. That leaves Jack by himself. He is prepared to spend the night by himself until something with four feet comes for him. What is it? What is his fate?
The story is written in rhyme. The illustrations by Helen Oxenbury are somewhat reminiscent of those from WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.
The story is written in rhyme. The illustrations by Helen Oxenbury are somewhat reminiscent of those from WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.
September 27, 2020
A wonderful children's picture book that I have read to my child countless times. It's rhyming scheme making it easy and fun to read aloud and its pictures a wonderful mix of realism and make-believe. It is a short book filled with action, adventure, and humor! My son loves it and I love it! The wonderful moral of the story being that its okay to be afraid and that things are not always what they seem make it a story to be shared! One of the only books I have ever given 5 stars. I can't find a fault with the beautifully simplistic story line and wonderful art.
March 7, 2018
King Jack, Sir Zack, and Casper built a castle in the backyard and spent all day defending it from dragons and other beasts. But when Sir Zack and Casper get taken away by giants, King Jack is left alone to defend his castle. As night falls, he gets more afraid of being alone. He hears four giant feet approaching and calls out for his mommy and daddy. Luckily, the four feet belong to his mommy and daddy who have come to take him inside for bed.
January 10, 2020
This was super cute and I loved the illustrations. The mix of color and monochrome pages is great and helps give the story depth.
I liked the pace and the rhythm of the story, it makes it an easy read and great for a read aloud and to discuss rhyming words and poetry with kids.
The story was lovely and I really loved how the baby (Caspar) participated in the games. The ending was also great.
Over all it was a really lovely book.
I liked the pace and the rhythm of the story, it makes it an easy read and great for a read aloud and to discuss rhyming words and poetry with kids.
The story was lovely and I really loved how the baby (Caspar) participated in the games. The ending was also great.
Over all it was a really lovely book.
March 26, 2025
Jack and his friends have a fun day playing in a magical kingdom, building a castle, and fighting imaginary dragons and monsters. The illustrations just bring this book to life.
Kids will love how Jack's imagination turns a simple day into an epic adventure. It's a great book to read before bedtime or anytime you want to go on a fun journey! If your kiddo likes pretending and having fun, they'll definitely enjoy this story!
Kids will love how Jack's imagination turns a simple day into an epic adventure. It's a great book to read before bedtime or anytime you want to go on a fun journey! If your kiddo likes pretending and having fun, they'll definitely enjoy this story!
September 21, 2017
4.5 out of 5 .
A little something missing in this book. It is fun, well illustrated. The style is a little vintage but that is ok. The spirit is there.not sure if the taken home message should be the love of parents or just a book that makes people laugh. If that is the case, the illustration definitely should be refined a twisted more towards the funny side.
A little something missing in this book. It is fun, well illustrated. The style is a little vintage but that is ok. The spirit is there.not sure if the taken home message should be the love of parents or just a book that makes people laugh. If that is the case, the illustration definitely should be refined a twisted more towards the funny side.
March 6, 2018
Cute book about a boy who is playacting with friends in rhyme and with lots of illustrations in color and brown and white. These boys are very creative and reminds me of times when there was more play with tents, boxes, and make believe and not electronic gadgets. Lots of fun in the garden and rescued at the end from the dragons.
February 10, 2023
Not enough. Too predictable and twee for age 5 up, too long and also sorta confusing for the younger rug rats. Always nice to see more of Oxenbury's art, though. I just wish the dragon were actually a character.
Actually, after reading R.C.'s review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... I understand my dissatisfaction better and like the book less.
Actually, after reading R.C.'s review https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... I understand my dissatisfaction better and like the book less.
December 17, 2017
Five-star picture books, to me, are the ones that are not only entertaining and well-illustrated, but have this Other component--a sense of surprise and completeness, with not a word out of place. Whole.
January 23, 2018
I read a lot of children books. But this one was so good that I had to add it. I will also put the same comment on The Gruffalo and How the Grinch stole Christmas. All of them a pleasure to read out loud
January 7, 2019
Sweet story of a boy who plays pretend that he is a king with his friends as they build a castle and fight dragons and beasts. Visual design of pages is pleasant - fun illustrations and nice sized text. Story is told in rhyme.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 227 reviews