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Dragonbreath #8
Nightmare of the Iguana
Danny Dragonbreath has seen a lot of weird things, but nothing quite like the inside of his best friend Wendell's brain. Wendell has been having terrible nightmares, and Danny and Wendell's totally-not-girlfriend Suki agree to venture into the iguana's mind to get rid of the thing causing the dreams--before Wendell goes permanently insane. There's more scary stuff in Wendell's strange and nerdy subconscious than Danny bargained for, and getting out of there is no easy feat, even for a ninja girl and an almost-fire-breathing dragon.
The eighth book in the smoking hot Dragonbreath series for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid , Bad Kitty , and Big Nate will make you laugh until smoke comes out your nose!
The eighth book in the smoking hot Dragonbreath series for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid , Bad Kitty , and Big Nate will make you laugh until smoke comes out your nose!
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 29, 2013
55 people are currently reading
407 people want to read
About the author
Ursula Vernon
75 books1,497 followersUrsula Vernon, aka T. Kingfisher, is an author and illustrator. She has written over fifteen books for children, at least a dozen novels for adults, an epic webcomic called “Digger” and various short stories and other odds and ends.
Ursula grew up in Oregon and Arizona, studied anthropology at Macalester College in Minnesota, and stayed there for ten years, until she finally learned to drive in deep snow and was obligated to leave the state.
Having moved across the country several times, she eventually settled in Pittsboro, North Carolina, where she works full-time as an artist and creator of oddities. She lives with her husband and his chickens.
Her work has been nominated for the Eisner, World Fantasy, and longlisted for the British Science Fiction Awards. It has garnered a number of Webcomics Choice Awards, the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story, the Mythopoeic Award for Children’s Literature, the Nebula for Best Short Story, the Sequoyah Award, and many others.
Ursula grew up in Oregon and Arizona, studied anthropology at Macalester College in Minnesota, and stayed there for ten years, until she finally learned to drive in deep snow and was obligated to leave the state.
Having moved across the country several times, she eventually settled in Pittsboro, North Carolina, where she works full-time as an artist and creator of oddities. She lives with her husband and his chickens.
Her work has been nominated for the Eisner, World Fantasy, and longlisted for the British Science Fiction Awards. It has garnered a number of Webcomics Choice Awards, the Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story, the Mythopoeic Award for Children’s Literature, the Nebula for Best Short Story, the Sequoyah Award, and many others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
July 25, 2021
I love this book.
Everything about it is fun and nerdy.
Everything about it is fun and nerdy.
February 19, 2013
It's nice to keep watching Danny get more mature and confident. He's always been a bit rash, but at least now he's thinking about consequences.
I think my favorite part of this book was the nerdy Star Trek joke, but there is a lot for an adult to get out of this in addition to the joy that the kiddos get from it.
Suki is a perpetual delight to me. And Wendell's dreams are so perfectly what he would have nightmares about. Bran waffles and pop quizzes!
Read if: You have liked other Dragonbreath books. You are a fan of kids getting agency AND help from trusted adults.
Skip if: Adorable cartoon reptiles are not your style.
Also read: The other books in the series.
I think my favorite part of this book was the nerdy Star Trek joke, but there is a lot for an adult to get out of this in addition to the joy that the kiddos get from it.
Suki is a perpetual delight to me. And Wendell's dreams are so perfectly what he would have nightmares about. Bran waffles and pop quizzes!
Read if: You have liked other Dragonbreath books. You are a fan of kids getting agency AND help from trusted adults.
Skip if: Adorable cartoon reptiles are not your style.
Also read: The other books in the series.
January 15, 2020
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Nightmare of the Iguana was, by far, the most exciting book in the entire Dragonbreath series! Starting with a rather unusual scenario, the book takes the reader inside the mind of our known nerd, Wendell. A further step to his characterization, the book depicts what can happen if certain nightmare monsters start overpowering your sleep.
A book with a rather unusual and exciting story, this one also features the return of Suki the Salamander (the reincarnation of the Ninja leader from book 2) and gives the readers a unique take on nightmares. What would happen if nightmares weren't caused by humans but by magical wasps? That's what you ought to find out when you read this book.
I like how Vernon went through Suki and Wendell's relationship in this one. She had been mentioned in the past (for example, the boys agreed Christina was okay because Suki had liked her back when she was in their state/country), but she wasn't given much of a "Suki"-time. This book rectified that. Although Christina and Suki didn't meet here (and we don't even know what the two think of each other apart from what Wendell says), this was still better than nothing.
Yet, I didn't quite like how Wendell and Suki's relationship was "thrown" at us. When they were together in book 2, there were hints of a possible relation, no doubt. However, that stopped when she moved back to Japan. It was as if she was gone. There was one or two bare mentions, that too in passing, and that was about it. If Wendell and Suki were still in touch via letters, weren't we supposed to know about them?
Keeping these two aside, it was nice to see Danny grow here. He grew more confident, more sharp, more mature. The way he fights those monsters to save Wendell was truly touching. No wonder these two are such good friends. I mean, who else would do something like this for someone else?
Nightmare of the Iguana was, by far, the most exciting book in the entire Dragonbreath series! Starting with a rather unusual scenario, the book takes the reader inside the mind of our known nerd, Wendell. A further step to his characterization, the book depicts what can happen if certain nightmare monsters start overpowering your sleep.
A book with a rather unusual and exciting story, this one also features the return of Suki the Salamander (the reincarnation of the Ninja leader from book 2) and gives the readers a unique take on nightmares. What would happen if nightmares weren't caused by humans but by magical wasps? That's what you ought to find out when you read this book.
I like how Vernon went through Suki and Wendell's relationship in this one. She had been mentioned in the past (for example, the boys agreed Christina was okay because Suki had liked her back when she was in their state/country), but she wasn't given much of a "Suki"-time. This book rectified that. Although Christina and Suki didn't meet here (and we don't even know what the two think of each other apart from what Wendell says), this was still better than nothing.
Yet, I didn't quite like how Wendell and Suki's relationship was "thrown" at us. When they were together in book 2, there were hints of a possible relation, no doubt. However, that stopped when she moved back to Japan. It was as if she was gone. There was one or two bare mentions, that too in passing, and that was about it. If Wendell and Suki were still in touch via letters, weren't we supposed to know about them?
Keeping these two aside, it was nice to see Danny grow here. He grew more confident, more sharp, more mature. The way he fights those monsters to save Wendell was truly touching. No wonder these two are such good friends. I mean, who else would do something like this for someone else?
May 22, 2020
A really fun book! It was cool to see the Dreamscape of Wendell all with the classic humor and oddness of Dragonbreath.
September 11, 2021
Silly and cute, just as I would expect from this series. This one sees the return of Suki, Wendell's not-quite-girlfriend.
November 9, 2018
Very cool adventure. Danny is funny and adventurous and Wendell is nerdy and cute. Suki joins Danny in trying to get rid of Wendell’s nightmares. The nightmare wasp wants to lay eggs in Wendell’s mind so hey get inside his mind and with the help of a dream eater (Baku) they defeat the evil creature.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2020
Another fun adventure with Danny, Wendall and friends. This one delves into Wendall's nightmares, of my! Who will comes to the rescue? Why are there bran waffles? So much mystery and fun to be had. Enjoyed this one quite a bit.
June 14, 2024
This was fine. It was readable and cute. But it also spends considerable time inside a dream. And the stakes are never as high in a dream as they are outside of a dream. It was good to see Suki but I missed Christiana. Still not bad.
December 23, 2024
I admit that this series is growing on me… there’s still some language choices I raise an eyebrow at but that’s probably part of what makes it feel so exciting for James to read.
James’s review: I really liked all the stuff they find in the dream land.
James’s review: I really liked all the stuff they find in the dream land.
December 30, 2024
the concept of this one was so cool. i really liked how the author imagined (and drew) the different nightmare elements (and the baku was so stinking cute). glad that wendell got a happy ending, even if danny will now tease him endlessly (as it should be). ;)
March 25, 2017
Just keep reading.
November 21, 2018
these books still aren't good, but Danny is less of a jerk and, let's be honest, either way I'm enjoying them
April 19, 2020
Vernon’s books are always a fun, family read. We enjoyed this one very much and look forward to the next.
December 8, 2020
Ursula Vernon (and Danny Dragonbreath) never disappoint.
August 20, 2021
Review by B.L. : "I find dreams really fascinating, so getting to read about exploring one while being lucid was very enjoyable. Also, extra points for having a library in there."
June 12, 2024
Best friends always come through when you need it the most. Another great Danny adventure
March 18, 2025
This was a fun plot idea. I enjoyed it. There were some laugh out loud moments for me, which is always fun. My 8 year old still loves this series.
May 27, 2013
Part-graphic novel, part chapter book, this is an entertaining and somewhat educational story about an adolescent anthropomorphic dragon, his iguana pal, and a girl salamander. It's the eighth book in the Dragonbreath series by Ursula Vernon.
This was a fun story featuring Danny, Wendell, and Suki and a cute creature called a baku. When Wendell keeps having terrifying nightmares, Danny's grandfather instructs Suki and Danny how to get a baku and save him. While there are humorous parts throughout, this story seems to have less silly humor and more drama than some of the earlier tales.
We borrowed this book from our local library. The story is a quick read and the graphic novel-like scenes are woven throughout the story in a seamless way. This would be a great book for an older child who likes graphic novels, but not chapter books, since you get a little bit of both here.
Our girls adored this book and read it independently while I was on a trip (they couldn't wait until I got home). It's a fast read and our oldest kept telling me about the different parts that she liked the best as I read it. I especially like that advanced vocabulary words are sprinkled throughout the tale, providing a little challenge without being too frustrating for younger readers.
We are looking forward to reading Dragonbeath: The Case of the Toxic Mutants when it is published later this year and we really hope the author writes more - our girls love these books!
This was a fun story featuring Danny, Wendell, and Suki and a cute creature called a baku. When Wendell keeps having terrifying nightmares, Danny's grandfather instructs Suki and Danny how to get a baku and save him. While there are humorous parts throughout, this story seems to have less silly humor and more drama than some of the earlier tales.
We borrowed this book from our local library. The story is a quick read and the graphic novel-like scenes are woven throughout the story in a seamless way. This would be a great book for an older child who likes graphic novels, but not chapter books, since you get a little bit of both here.
Our girls adored this book and read it independently while I was on a trip (they couldn't wait until I got home). It's a fast read and our oldest kept telling me about the different parts that she liked the best as I read it. I especially like that advanced vocabulary words are sprinkled throughout the tale, providing a little challenge without being too frustrating for younger readers.
We are looking forward to reading Dragonbeath: The Case of the Toxic Mutants when it is published later this year and we really hope the author writes more - our girls love these books!
October 17, 2015
Wendell is having epically horrible nightmares. The strain of it is really starting to show, so he goes to the only adult he trusts in such matters, Danny's Great-Granddad. The old dragon instructs Wendell to have Danny watch him sleep and look for signs of mythical creatures feeding off his nightmares. It turns out that not only does Wendell have Night Mares feeding off his dreams, he also has a Dream Wasp. Now that the cause of the nightmares has been narrowed down, they travel to visit great-granddad in Mythical Japan to figure out how to help get Wendell some good night's sleep again.
Wendell and Danny are as great a comic duo as ever. It was fun to see Suki again in this one. Since the plot is dream-based it can get a little weird at times, but not overly so, and this one isn't as scary as the cover may make it seem. Wendell's nightmares mostly consist of getting poor grades and the health food his mom makes him eat. I liked the introduction of further Asian mythological creatures in this one, it's not often you get bakus in stories. Definitely enjoyable.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There's a showdown between a dream beast and the baku in which one of them dies, but the fighting isn't depicted in the pictures and it isn't gory.
Wendell and Danny are as great a comic duo as ever. It was fun to see Suki again in this one. Since the plot is dream-based it can get a little weird at times, but not overly so, and this one isn't as scary as the cover may make it seem. Wendell's nightmares mostly consist of getting poor grades and the health food his mom makes him eat. I liked the introduction of further Asian mythological creatures in this one, it's not often you get bakus in stories. Definitely enjoyable.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There's a showdown between a dream beast and the baku in which one of them dies, but the fighting isn't depicted in the pictures and it isn't gory.
January 22, 2016
The title iguana is indeed Wendell. He's so desperate that he calls Danny's great-grandfather even at the cost of being called Wanda again. Armed with the knowledge, he gets Danny to watch him at night and see what the problem is. Then they take the bus to the great-grandfather's, and discover Suki's there. (Danny's great-grandfather had given her a bus pass, which lets her reach the mythological bus stops.) So all together, they deal with it. It involves going to a hot spring for an ally, finding the card catalog in a mental library, a long hallway of locked doors, jumping off a cliff, and more
February 25, 2023
Nightmare of the Iguana by Ursula Vernon (2013) is the eighth book in the Dragonbreath series. Danny's quest takes him someplace he's never been, inside Wendell's brain.
As it happened, I read this novel on the heels of finishing What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (Vernon's alter-ego). Although this series was written for children, there are elements as horrific as in her newer, adult horror novels.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2023/comm...
Scarecrow/Minotaur Utopia Maze 99FFCC
As it happened, I read this novel on the heels of finishing What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher (Vernon's alter-ego). Although this series was written for children, there are elements as horrific as in her newer, adult horror novels.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2023/comm...
Scarecrow/Minotaur Utopia Maze 99FFCC
February 23, 2013
Disclaimer: I love the Danny Dragonbreath books. Part chapter book, part graphic novel and all fun. The Dragonbreath series reminds me of The Muppet Show, in that there is humor for both kids and adults. In their latest adventure, Danny's best friend Wendell is being plagued by bad dreams (included in his nightmares are quizzes he hasn't studied for, health food he doesn't want to eat, and bullies he tries to avoid). So Danny and Suki (Wendell's "she's just my friend, not my girlfriend" friend) must go into Wendell's brain to try and free him from his bad dreams.
April 8, 2015
Another very fun story about Danny and his friends, although this time Danny must travel inside Wendell's mind to help him with the nightmares he keeps having. He does not go alone, though. He is joined by Suki the Salamander, and they discover a number of interesting things about Wendell and what his fears are as they navigate his dream world and try to rid him of the mythical creature that is causing his nightmares. I laughed at the fact that Wendell would have all of his 'memories' stored as books and recorded in an actual card catalog...very cute touch.
December 5, 2016
I absolutely love this series of books and have been a fan of Ursula Vernon for almost 15 years when she was barely a known artist.
In this installment Danny Dragonbreath has to save his best friend Wendell from horrible dreams and stop the fearful Dream Wasp from laying eggs in Wendell's subconscious and making his already odd friend insane.
The humor makes even adults laugh, the pictures are great and I am always recommending this series of books to people with kids.
In this installment Danny Dragonbreath has to save his best friend Wendell from horrible dreams and stop the fearful Dream Wasp from laying eggs in Wendell's subconscious and making his already odd friend insane.
The humor makes even adults laugh, the pictures are great and I am always recommending this series of books to people with kids.
June 12, 2013
Not my favorite Dragonbreath book, but still cute and amusing. And after I finished my two-and-a-half-year-old flipped through it making his own story up based on the pictures, which was adorable. And I love how graphic panels are effortlessly integrated into the mostly-text story. More books should do that.
August 9, 2013
This is a cute adventure with Danny the dragon and Wendell the iguana. Wendell is having a hard time with school. Heaven forbid he had an A- on his paper. At night, his sleep is restless because of all the nightmares he is having. They get help from Great-Grandfather Dragonbreath. Monsters, horses and wasps are all part of this adventure that you'll love.
September 21, 2013
I think this children's series is great! Danny is always getting on an adventure whether he is looking for one or not. And he's usually looking for one. He is joined by his friend, Wendell, and this one has Suki in it. They go on an adventure in Wendell's dream to fix it and have a great time! Thank you Ursula Vernon for a great series. My 11 year old girl loves them! The pictures are great too!
July 10, 2013
Malcolm says, "I like it because it has a lot of scary stuff and I like scary stuff. And I liked when the monster said, 'Do you want some Brewer's yeast?!" and I liked when the baku fell asleep so many times."
May 13, 2013
Funny and cute. The "Night Mare" bit was a fun play on words as well. :P Nerds will appreciate it.
June 28, 2016
HEEEEE! This book made me giggle. Lots. I love this series so, so, SO much!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews