Draken med de Röda Ögonen

by Astrid Lindgren

"Jag minns min drake. Jag glömmer aldrig den där morgonen i april, då jag såg honom första gången."

Storasyster och lillebror går till lagården för att mata grisarna. Suggan har fått smågrisar. Tio grisar och EN DRAKE. Draken är grön med röda ögon.

Genres: Childrens, Picture Books, Fantasy, Fiction, Dragons, Swedish Literature, Classics

26 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Astrid Anna Emilia Lindgren, née Ericsson, (1907 - 2002) was a Swedish children's book author and screenwriter, whose many titles were translated into 85 languages and published in more than 100 countries. She has sold roughly 165 million copies worldwide. Today, she is most remembered for writing the Pippi Longstocking books, as well as the Karlsson-on-the-Roof book series.

Awards:
Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing (1958)

Reviews

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As so often is the case with Astrid Lindgren's stories, they come back and speak to me over and over again when I think I have put them safely into my childhood treasure chest.

This one fell into my hands when I was looking for another one, and it just swept all over me: the little dragon is back for a visit in my heart!

The dragon that was born into a regular family of pigs but really difficult to raise, even for children who loved it dearly. The little dragon who discovered his wings and flew off into freedom, leaving a child crying on the last page of a children's book. Is that politically correct, little dragon? Aren't we supposed to sugar-coat separations when we read to our children, rather than starting to cry ourselves at the loss of a literary dragon of questionable behaviour?

Well, well, well, as dragons are dragons, they probably have some kind of dragon code telling them to do what is expected of them, and that may well be to un-fulfil other people's expectations.

Either way, little dragon, I cried again when I met you in the depth of my bookcase, quick-reading your tale of dragony emancipation stante pede. Thank you for that! Crying for imaginary dragons is something pharmacies should hand out as a prescription to sad hearts!

I hope your quest to conquer your world after you left the reader in tears will be successful. Forever discovering your wings!

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although it probably does appear as though I am reviewing Astrid Lindgren's Der Drache mit den roten Augen (the German language translation of Draken med de Röda Ögonen) as a picture book, please do note that I am in fact NOT going to be posting any specific details whatsoever with regard to Ilon Wikland's accompanying illustrations, even though they would most likely be lovely, as almost ALL of Ilon Wikland's artwork has tended to be (since yes, I have only ever read Der Drache mit den roten Augen in an unillustrated collection of Astrid Lindgren short stories in German translation that does not seem to even exist in the GR database, and naturally and of course, I will therefore also ONLY concentrate on the narrative, on the remembered translated Astrid Lindgren text, as I cannot really and should not really make any comments with regard to pictures I have in fact never in fact viewed).

A lovely and tender anecdote of a young girl who early one dawn finds a tiny baby dragon when she is in the barn doing her chores, when she is feeding the family pigs (and I guess also featuring her little brother to an extent, but the main protagonist is indeed the older sister), Der Drache mit den roten Augen presents not only the importance of friendship, of taking care of one's fellow creatures even when, even if they might appear unusual and different (like the tiny green dragon with red eyes the girl discovers cowering next to a litter of newborn piglets), but also and importantly that one has to be able to let go when the time is right. For once the erstwhile baby dragon has grown strong and healthy and is no longer minutely small and vulnerable, but has morphed into an adult dragon with the need to spread its wings and fly, to soar, and yes to sing with freedom and gay abandon, the little girl, with a heavy but still joyous heart understands that it is now time for the now no longer infant and needy dragon she and her little brother had nourished and taken care of to leave the nest so to speak, to make its own way in the world, leaving a slightly bittersweet, but still immensely satisfying ending and the knowledge that the little girl will always remember her special dragon and vice versa (and while some readers might well want to consider Der Drache mit den roten Augen as a tale depicting the loss of childhood magic, I for one much much prefer seeing Astrid Lindgren's sweet little tale more as a celebration of childhood and that memories even if slightly bitter and sad will also help to retain nostalgia and foster that same sense of enchantment).

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, first of all, this little dragon, with his tininess, little bug eyes, mischievousness, and expressiveness reminds me of my little chihuahua dog. Furthermore, the little dragon is rather ostracized from his porcine family group, and he's got some measure of vunerability that the children in this story zero in on. Kids like and identify with tiny creatures that need someone to love them and care for them, and kids like cuteness and mischievousness. They empathize with vunerability. I think that it's for these reasons that my niece and nephew liked the little dragon in this story right away.

I liked this little dragon right away, too, but for me it was the wonderful illustrations that warmed me up to this book. A beautiful color palette, great, expressive drawings, and the way the illustrator captured the sweetness of the children and the personality of the dragon made this book enjoyable for me. Also, I'm not generally a big fan of bittersweet stories, but it really works for this one.

[Tanja Berg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in Swedish to the children in my kingergarten class, many times over. A tale about the loss of childhood magic.

[Denlillebogblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

3½-4 stars.

[JEDKEN · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suggan får drake. Drakar bits. Får ingen mjölk. Barn ger små krams(ex ljusstupar(som du vet). Drake surnar. Flyger iväg. Barn gråter. Slut.
Radom barn sånger i slutet. Gris, "så där på mitt egna lilla vis".

[Princess Consuela Bananahammock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Älskade den här som liten, vet inte riktigt vad det är jag tycker om men den tilltalar mig.

[The_Mad_Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Precis som med Skinn Skerping, hemskast av alla spöken i Småland , kan jag inte påminna mig att jag ens hört talas om Astrid Lindgrens Draken med de röda ögonen innan jag läste Helena Dahlgrens 100 hemskaste , där den omnämns i förbifarten (inte alls som hemsk, men som en av Lindgrens bästa) i samband med att Dahlgren diskuterar Skinn Skerping. Emedan den senare inte lämnade ett lika starkt intryck på mig, fann jag denna lilla anekdotiska barndomssaga mycket angenäm. Berättelsen är formulerad som ett barndomsminne som är både vardagligt och fullständigt fantastiskt, och Ilon Wiklands bilder ger som så ofta ytterligare en dimension i skildringen.

[Birgitte Bach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeg elsker Astrid Lindgrens fantasiunivers hvor alt er muligt og det hele er på børnenes præmisser.

[zack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Det finns få röster som är så mysiga som Astrids.

[Sannro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kommer ihåg den här från när jag var liten. Minns att jag tyckte väldigt mycket om den och det var roligt att läsa den igen som vuxen för mitt eget barn. Jättehärliga illustrationer!

En sak som jag reagerade på. Det pratades mycket mer om hunger, att smågrisar som grymtade av hunger. Barnet i boken berättar "Säkert skulle draken ha fått svälta ihjäl, om inte min bror och jag så enträget gått till svinhuset med vår lilla korg". Det var ju ingen annan som tog sig an den lilla draken. Det uppskattar jag, det har varit väldigt få böcker vad jag kan minnas som tar upp ett sådant problem. Det är en fin liten saga som vågar ta upp sådant som kan kännas svårt. Drakens mamma vill inte ju inte mata honom, vad händer då? Hade en jättefin diskussion med barnet mitt om vad som händer då.

Slutet är också en smula sorgligt men fint.

Varför tror du att draken flög iväg? Den ville vara med kompisar! Det var lite sorgligt men fint som sagt. Flera personer kan känna olika om en händelse, barnen saknar sin drake medans den är glad över att vara stor nog för att flyga iväg och hitta egna vänner. Fint. Tids nog så blir vi trots allt stora nog att lämna boet.

[Mikael Cerbing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jag har bara läst denna bok två-tre gånger med 3.5 åringen här hemma, men jag tror det räcker för att ge den en solid fyra i betyg. Möjligen den går upp ett steg till så småningom med fler genomläsningar, men det får vi se då.
Den unge kritikern tyckte att boken var helt ok. Han tycker om drakar och grisar så han var helt förnöjd när vi läste den. Jag kommer dock att plussa på en extra stjärna för sättet som Lindgren skriver. Många barnböcker skrivs för barn. Ofta känns det som om författarna gör sig till när de skriver (och ofta fungerar detta, så inget fel med det). Men Lindgren skriver till barn, och däri är det en skillnad. Man hör i hennes röst i boken att hon helt och fullt respekterar de barn som läser hennes bok. Hon gör sig inte till för dem. Hon berättar för dem. Det är svårt att sätta fingret på vad det är som hon gör med texten, men den känns ärlig på ett sätt som få barnböcker jag har läst har gjort. Hon var som en gåva till barnlitteraturen, gamle Lindgren.

[Elina Mäntylammi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Astrid Lindgrenin klassikot on luettu, mutta somen syövereistä putkahti esiin tällainen pieni, punasilmäinen lohikäärme.

Vaikka olen periaatteessa lopettanut ääneenlukemisurani, niin tämän luinme kuopuksen kanssa vielä yhdessä. Ja kyllähän taas syntyi keskustelua (olinko jo unohtanut, miten vaikuttavaa touhua ääneenlukeminen onkaan).

Tarina kertoo sisaruksista, jotka löytävät sikolätistä punasilmäisen lohikäärmeen, joka ei ole mikään söpö tapaus, mutta tunteikas kyllä. Tarina on melko yksinkertainen, ja sellaisena toimiva, ajattelin heti ensimmäiseltä sivulta lähtien ET:tä. Ilon Wiklandin kuvitus on elävää ja kaunista, värikuvina ihanaa ja rauhoittavaa katseltavaa.

Voisin kuvitella, että nykylapsille kirjan loppu on erityisen iso kokemus.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know about this title by Lindgren until I was perusing some books by Lindgren on Amazon. I couldn't resist and ordered it right away.

It is short, sweet, and perfect for any dragon lovers who enjoy picture books. Illustrated by Ilon Wikland it is a guaranteed winner.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jännittävä tarina punasilmäisestä lohikäärmeestä, joka löytyy eräänä aamuna sikolätistä. Emakko on poikinut, mutta se jää yllätykseksi miten hän on saanut lohikäärmeen poikueeseen! Emakko ei sitä viitsi imettää, joten lohikäärmeen hoito jää lapsien kontolle.

[Gretchen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, general interest for younger kids, especially those looking for more fairy tale or fantasy elements.

https://thatladywhoreadsalot.wordpres...

[Sanna lukee lapselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Löytyi kirjastosta itselleni tuntematon Lindgrenin kirja. Lapsi tunnisti kuvituksen heti - "onko tämä Melukylä-kirja". Tarina on kaunis ja vähän surumielinenkin, sitä jää aikuinenkin toviksi pohtimaan. Tämä tulee varmasti lainattua kirjastosta vielä uudemmankin kerran.

[Ange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh what as sweet and touching story this is. A little green dragon with popping red eyes mysteriously appears in the sty with a pig and her piglets. Two children, who remain nameless through the story, take care of the dragon until he leaves, fulfilling his dragon urges to take off into the sky.

[Marie D · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️

[Katarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

En fin och oväntad Astrid saga. Draken med de röda ögonen grep tag, gav något nytt.

[Mikaela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bra, men väldigt abrupt slut.

[Frans Kempe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Söt saga om två syskon som hittar en drake hos grisarna

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

The children discover the little green dragon with the big red eyes when they go to the barn to see the new piglets. They naturally believe that the old sow had ten piglets and a baby dragon and are quite surprised. The sow is surprised too. She acts the part of his mother, but soon refuses to nurse the biting little dragon. The children feed him candle-ends, string, and corks. These are all things a dragon likes to eat. The children love this little red-eyed dragon even though he is inclined to be naughty. He chases his piglet brothers and sisters. The boy fishes the dragon out of the pig trough when he falls in and discovers that he can swim. They scratch his back until his eyes glow bright red with pleasure. Somedays the little dragons sulks in a corner of the sty. When the children berate him for his glum attitude he cries bright tears. They quickly relent, feed him his favorite foods, and are rewarded with a bright, laughing smile and swishing tail. On the second of October the little green dragon flies away. The pigs and he are in the meadow that fine misty evening. The children are there watching them. Quite suddenly the little dragon lays his cold paw on the girls cheek, his red eyes full of tears. Then he just as suddenly flies away straight for the sunset. The children watch him until he is no more than a black speck against the sun. They hear him happily singing. That night the girl lies under her quilt and cries for her little green dragon with the red eyes.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Emma L.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of Astrid's best stories (but I'd gladly say that about every story she's written so who am I to judge). I had the book when I was young and adored it so much; the simple yet captivating story, the beautiful pages with their colourful paintings and the abrupt but beautiful ending.

It's a very short story, but a very sweet one. It tells just enough of a story to tug on your heartstrings and give me lots of inspiration every time I read it or listen to it. It makes me wonder what ever happened to the wonderful dragon with the red eyes...

[Betina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flere søde små historier, som jeg aldrig før har læst.
Meget store emner vendes for en lille pige som min på 4,5 år. Det er første gang hun har kunnet lige og lytte så intenst som under fx. Nisse Karlsson-Pusling.
Vi er vilde med hendes måde at skrive på, og den er nem at lave sjove stemmer til.

[Cws]

JE398.2-Lin

[Emma Thingsted · Rating 3 out of 5]

Verdens bedste Astrid ♥️