There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight

by Penny Parker Klostermann, Ben Mantle (Illustrator)

We all know that “there was an old lady” who swallowed lots of things. Now meet the old dragon who swallows pretty much an entire kingdom! Will he ever learn a little moderation?! This rollicking rhyme is full to bursting with sight gags, silly characters, and plenty of burps! Parents and kids alike will delight in Ben Mantle’s precisely funny illustrations and in Penny Parker Klostermann’s wacky rhymes.

"Klostermann's debut is a rollicking and warped Medieval take on the well-worn cumulative rhyme. Prolific British animator and illustrator Mantle's expressive and bright cartoon illustrations of the red, horned dragon (and the contents of his stomach) are a perfect match. . . . No matter how many swallowed-fly titles you own, this one belongs on your shelf too." - Kirkus

Genres: Picture Books, Dragons, Childrens, Storytime, Fantasy, Humor, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published August 4, 2015

About the author

PENNY PARKER KLOSTERMANN is the author of Merry Christmas, Dear Mars, illustrated by Estrela Lourenço (Macmillan/Godwin Books), There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight and A Cooked-Up Fairy Tale, both illustrated by Ben Mantle (Random House Children’s Books), and coming May 6, 2025, Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid WWII Army, illustrated by Anne Lambelet (Astra/Calkins Creek).

Penny feels lucky to have spent her childhood in the beautiful Crystal River Valley near Redstone, Colorado. She now lives in Abilene, Texas, The Storybook Capital of America, where inspiration is all around.

Penny loves all kinds of books but especially loves very silly picture books that make her laugh, as well as inspiring nonfiction books that tweak her curiosity. She has been known to hug her favorite picture books and seriously hopes that her books will gain huggable status too.

Reviews

[Carrie Charley Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, that dragon! He has quite a BIG appetite in this fractured retelling of the familiar classic, I KNOW AN OLD LADY WHO SWALLOWED A FLY. With a dash of pepper and a HUGE dose of humor in both illustration and text, this version will leave kids begging for the retell. Children will likely read/retell this one on their own, as well. Rhyme and repetition provide for a great independent hold on reading. Don't be surprised to find yourself wanting to know if the steed is ever silenced and exactly who the dragon will victimize next. Be prepared for a slightly devious twist at the end of the story that will leave you chuckling.

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis- In a land, far far away, dragons do exist. And one kingdom has a horrible old dragon living in it. A HUNGRY horrible old dragon. And as a knight and his faithful steed go to face the dragon, they find out he’s not so polite either.

What I Thought- This is a great parody of the traditional “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly”. Ms. Klostermann has written a funny, well-rhymed story that makes sense. Kids learn a little about medieval life and they will enjoy a good story while learning. I like all of the little details in the illustrations, especially near the dragon’s den (signs: as the dragon is swooping down- “Beware Dragon” and a dragon crossing sign. -> after the knight is swallowed- “Too Late!”). The rhyme in the book is spot on and I found myself singing the “There Was an Old Lady” tune in my head but with the dragon lyrics. :) This is a great debut picture book. It would make an amazing bedtime story for kids!
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

The children put out a call for a story about dragons and knights. What better to seek out than this lovely story, There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight? And if you are 5,000 miles from home and it is late in the evening? How wonderful to be able to download the book from your library back home and have the children discover a fabulous new book!

The children, 6 and 3, loved the clever wordplay as well as the charming illustrations. It was "Again, again!" that I heard the next day and the next. I suspect this will be a family that finds a copy of their own when they return home from Paris. And I am happy to have led them to this marvelous book.

[Kirjapallo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know, I just didn't quite get all the parts... "He swallowed the castle to hold the lady (?), he swallowed the lady to rule the cook (?), he swallowed the cook to fatten the squire (?)" etc. Also, in one picture the dragon looks exactly like he's going to poop - or at least fart - even though he's "just" going to burp. ;) ...And the knight was the only one who didn't get out in the end... :'/

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to this book, my kids have added the word 'polite' to their vocabulary and use it constantly. They first thought that word sounded funny. After telling them what it meant, the continue to laugh using the word but they use it correctly in a sentence.

They rhymes flowed a little easier for me after the second read through the book. I enjoyed the pictures and thought the outcome was creative. I did not mind reading this book to the kids over ten times in the few weeks we had checked it out from the library.

[Rebecca Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids and I love this book! It's far more fun than the original rhyme it's based on, and the verse gallops along in perfect rhythm. The vivid and humorous illustrations are well-matched to the rollicking text and help add to the laughs. It's definitely a book that will keep the whole family amused!

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun take on the old story about the old woman who swallowed a fly. There are bright, colourful illustrations which are very eye catching and there is rhyme which provides a rhythm for reading aloud. There is also a lot of repetition which younger children would enjoy joining in with. It's not too long and I think it would be a great read aloud class story for FS and KS1 children.

[Robin Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warning: If you read this book be ready to giggle. A LOT! It's a super-fun twist on the tale of the old lady who swallowed the fly that's sure to be a winner with kids and adults. And who doesn't love reading about a super-rude dragon who's lost his manners?

[SarahEmily1990 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly clumsy rhymes in places, however I like the sections that recall the list of everything that the dragon has swallowed - could lends itself nicely to recall exercises for children

[Set · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun add-on rhyming story about a dragon that eats an entire kingdom with everyone in it, very medieval.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmmm... plump... googly-eyed... this fellow seems harmless enough. I'm quite fond of the polka-dotted neckerchief he's sporting. Shall we give him a chance? It's not like he can swallow an entire kingdom, right?

Think again!

This gorbellied, hook-nosed scoundrel is NOT to be trusted. Oh, he may look puppy-faced, but just like that old, witless woman who swallowed a fly, this cold-blooded hornbeast hath no clue about good manners. He gorges himself silly – bloatage maximus – until... well... you'll have to read the book to find out what happens next.

4-8 year olds are going to LOVE this picture book– especially budding squires and squiresses. The antics are hilarious, and British animator Ben Mantle's cartoon illustrations are the perfect match for Penny Parker Klostermann's rollicking rhymed verse– bright, expressive, and exuberant.

[Tyneisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway and it arrived today so I read it to my daughter immediately as she didn't want to wait until bedtime! The first thing that caught my attention was the attention to detail in the illustrations- it is a very nice book to look at; bright colors and strong print. We loved the little rhymes- some of the words were a bit advanced for a 3 year old (perchance? in kids book?) but I understand it had to rhyme. Overall my daughter loved it and understood it. If I had any criticism it would be that by the end we still wanted to know why the dragon swallowed the knight in the first place-- we agree it isn't polite! :) Very nice book, we plan on reading it again at bedtime.

[Juliana Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless tale of Dragons and Knights… and swallowing things! Following the same pattern as the classic, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, this dragon swallows one thing after another. As the reader is reminded at the end of each stanza, ‘it’s not polite’. But then the dragon does something even more impolite… he burps! Out comes everything except the knight. Apparently, he’s okay with swallowing a knight!
http://julianaleewriter.com/books-ali...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the same vein as "There was an old lady who swallowed..." this funny picture book written in rhyming text features a very hungry dragon. The dragon snatches up a knight, followed by his horse, and then just keeps on swallowing things. Who knows what might have happened had he not become too bloated by swallowing a moat? One good burp rids him of all that he's consumed, except the knight, which sets up the final lines in the book perfectly. This is great fun to read alone or to share with someone else.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Klostermann shines in her debut, a brilliant twist on the classic There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly - but this time with more Knights! Squires! And Dragons! Kids will gobble up this spunky tale of an impolite dragon who eats and eats. Coupled with Mantle's vibrant illustrations and dashes of humor (the napkin around dragon's neck, his picking his teeth with the knight's sword), this will be a sure-fire hit at story time. And there's nothing shady or impolite about that.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely loathe There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. (Because ew, flies?) To this day, I cannot bear listening to Judy Collins because she conjures up memories of her musical rendition of this oft-hailed childhood classic. That being said, some of the spin-off swallow books are humorous and clever. This dragon/knight one is decent but not a personal favorite. Would make for a good read-aloud and will likely be enjoyed by far less picky children than I.

[Ariel Cummins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cumulative rhymes are not my absolute favorite picture-book genre, but I thought this particular book was quite adorable.

The bright, colorful illustrations match the cheeky text perfectly, and the rhyme is fractured just the right amount. It's still recognizable as the traditional old-lady-who-swallowed-some-stuff frame, but it's got enough humor to make it seem fresh.

This would be a great addition to a fairy tale, dragon, or royal storytime for preschoolers!

[Wendy Kuzma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The format of this book is modeled after There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly. Rhythmical and repetitive text with humor as well would make this a great lit lunch read aloud for early to mid elementary-aged students.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun take on the old "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" song. This should appeal to those who love all things princessy or all things relating to dragons and knights. I'd better brush up on my singing for storytime!

[Mompop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoiler Alert:

Be prepared for a LOT of burping noises after sharing this book as a read-aloud.

make your own story puppets from Random House at http://www.randomhousekids.com/media/...

[Viviane Elbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have read several spin-offs of the "old lady who swallowed" story.
This one is pretty good.
We love dragons!
It's funny, and there are lots of big vocabulary words.
The illustrations are great - even "scary" things are not too scary in the bright, colorful illustrations.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun update on the classic song - exceptional fun and colorful illustrations.

[Laurie Arnez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this rendition! Great vocabulary and illustrations. This would make an excellent read aloud.

[Romelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this new spin on a classic. The medieval theme is so much fun.

[Melissa Flanagin · Rating 5 out of 5]

very cute version of There Was an Old Lady.... I thought it was so cute. I had caught myself speaking in an adorable British accent to the kids.

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. Much. Fun. I'm adding this to my "Old Lady Who Swallowed a..." collection. Can't wait to share with kids!

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun twist on an old favorite. Kids will really enjoy this- I can hear the giggles now! "It's not polite!" :)

[Linda Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What fun!

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun verse with suitably comic illustrations. A lively and distinct twist on the "swallowed the fly" rhyme.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Typical there was an old lady format but with a dragon-- fun for a fantasy themed storytime// dragon