Dragons

by John Hamilton

Examines the cultural, artistic, and literary treatment of dragons, and includes art from the works of Don Maitz and Janny Werts.

Genres: Dragons

32 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2004

About the author

John Hamilton is a best-selling novelist and author of more than 275 nonfiction books for young adults. An Active Member of the Western Writers of America and the Wild West History Association, his work has received critical acclaim from School Library Journal, Children's Literature, The Sioux City Journal, We Proceeded On (the official journal of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation), and many others.

John's young adult book "Battle of the Little Bighorn" earned 2015 Spur Award Finalist honors from the Western Writers of America. He is a two-time winner of the Golden Duck Award for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature, and his epic retelling of the Lewis & Clark expedition, "Lewis & Clark: Adventures West," was a Minnesota Book Award finalist for Young Adult Nonfiction. School Library Journal said "(Hamilton's) books present a remarkable amount of information and provide readers with a clear understanding of complicated issues."

John is also an award-winning photojournalist and landscape photographer. His rodeo photography won an Editor's Choice Award from the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.

John holds black belts in both Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. He loves target shooting, baking bread, and playing with Finn, his trusty schnauzer. He can be found most summers with his family either exploring the American West or hiking along Minnesota's rugged North Shore.

Connect with John at: www.johnchamilton.com

Reviews

[Kathleen McKim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this very brief intro to dragons in fantasy and folklore. Most interesting distinctions were drawn between classical dragons, serpent dragons, semi-dragons and Asian dragons. Possible explanations for humankind's belief in dragons are discussed, including large snakes, alligators, monitors, etc. The stories shared do not go back very far into mythology, but focus on St. George and the Dragon and Beowulf (classic Western texts). A strong case is made for Middle Eastern origins of the dragon, but the story of Chinese New Year is not explained. So, that was disappointing. Overall, more world-encompassing than the other fantasy and folklore books in this series. Dragons are just cool.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looks at dragon myths, types of dragons, and their probable origins. From Babylonian Tiamat to Tolkein's Smaug; from wyrms to imperial Chinese dragons; from boa constrictors to oarfish.

The text is nonfiction and clearly differentiates fact from fiction. The illustrations further support this, using reproductions of drawings and paintings rather than photorealism of the mythical creatures.

The only topic I felt was missed was the idea of dragon hoards. They are mentioned at the beginning and in reference to Beowolf and Smaug, but no guesses are made as to their origin or whether or not they are universal across types and cultures.

[Michael Lent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice little primer for small children.

[babyhippoface · Rating 2 out of 5]

The folklore of dragons is documented in this colorful book, including their mythological origins, cultural significance, literary presence, and more. Illustrations of dragons from a variety of artists appear on every page; most are dramatic full-color depictions that will have kids flipping the pages back and forth, picking out their favorites. Teachers may use this with curriculum units on folklore or Chinese culture, but once kids find it, word-of-mouth will make it hard for teachers to get their hands on it.