There's No Such Thing as a Dragon

by Jack Kent (Illustrator)

A story for every kid who wants a pet dragon!

When Billy Bixbee finds a tiny dragon in his bedroom, his mom tells him, “There’s no such thing as a dragon!” This only makes the dragon get bigger. He grows, and grows, and grows, until he’s bigger than Billy’s house—and that’s just the beginning!

A funny, madcap story and playful illustrations by beloved author-illustrator Jack Kent pair in a book that will have children wondering if maybe friendly pet dragons do exist after all!

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

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

John Wellington "Jack" Kent (1920 – 1985) was an American cartoonist and prolific author-illustrator of children's books. He is perhaps best known as the creator of the comic strip King Aroo. In addition to his own books, he illustrated more than twenty books by other authors.

Reviews

[هدى يحيى · Rating 4 out of 5]

قصة أطفال في غاية الرقة والجمال
ولن تعاود النظر حولك بنفس الطريقة بعدها أبدا
أضمن هذا لك

[Khari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good book.

I actually only read it thanks to Jordan Peterson reading it to his classes and explaining it through the lens of mythology and psychology. You can find it at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REjUk...

First of all, the art is adorable. The little dragon is cute and approachable and huggable.

Second of all, since it's a children's book and must necessarily be short and use simple vocabulary, the lines have been pared down until everything extraneous is gone, like a cut jewel. The humor is succinct and deep and cutting. I don't mean that in a negative way, I mean it in the way that it cuts straight to your core and leaves you no excuses.

It's a brilliant book. If I ever have children, I'm buying it for them.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A personal favorite from my own childhood - and actually, one of the few picture books I remember with total clarity. It has stayed with me over the years. There's something so endearing about this story...the small dragon that befriends the little boy. And then in defiance of all who keep saying he can't possibly exist (despite what they see), he keeps getting bigger, and bigger, and bigger... It's not until they finally recognize that, indeed, a giant dragon is stuffed inside their house that the dragon shrinks back to his tiny form and the little boy notes, "he just wanted to be noticed." LOVE IT.

[Aaron W. Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best “children’s” book I’ve ever read, and I’ve read it to my two-year old son at least 40 times in the last few months alone. It doesn’t get old. It contains a valuable lesson and is brilliantly illustrated. Jack Kent rocks!

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this as a present. And I love it. Delightful. Always be careful about what thou deny. It may come back and ruin your tRump Tower.

[Narges Abdollahi · Rating 5 out of 5]

یه داستان کودکانه با پیامی عمیق برای یزرگترها

[Murat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jordan Peterson'ın Hayat İçin 12 Kural: Kaosa Panzehir kitabında bahsettiği bir hikaye bu. Alegorik olarak farklı okumaları yapılabilir. Genel anlamda Peterson'un kitabında halının altına süpürülen ve görmezden gelinen problemlerin büyümesi ve hayatı katlanılmaz kılmasına örnek olarak verilmiş. Kısa hikaye aşağıda.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkW5Q...

[Angela Knight · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is entertaining and teaches a lesson of the love of family, staying persistent in speaking truth and keeping an open mind. The main character is a child who is patient throughout the story when trying to communicate with his mother. But preconceived notions outweigh the obvious, even when life is altered by the dragon's presence. The story illustrates that sometimes consent to an error in judgement declines only when it is manageable. Although not verbal or written on the pages, this book teaches loving persistency can join a family together in harmony.

[Orestis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Αυτο το παιδικο βιβλιο των 23 σελιδων με εβαλε σε δυσανάλογα πολλες σκεψεις. Για το μεγεθος του το βρήκα πολύ βαθύ. Πρόκειται για ένα μικρό αγόρι, τον Billy Bixbee, που ξυπναει ένα πρωί και βλεπει έναν δράκο που κάθεται στο κρεβάτι του. Είναι περίπου στο μέγεθος μιας γάτας και ειναι πολύ φιλικός. Το λέει στη μητέρα του, αλλά εκείνη του λέει ότι δεν υπάρχουν δράκοι. Και αρχίζει να μεγαλώνει. Τρώει όλα τα pancakes του Μπίλι. Σε λίγο μεγαλώνει τόσο που δεν χωράει στο σπίτι. Η μαμά προσπαθεί να σκουπίσει, αλλά πρέπει να μπαινοβγαίνει στο σπίτι από τα παράθυρα, επειδή ο δράκος είναι παντού. Παρόλα αυτά επιμενει: δεν υπάρχει δράκος. Μετά, ο δράκος γινεται τοσο μεγάλος που τρέχει στους δρόμους με το σπίτι στην πλατη του. Ο μπαμπάς του Μπίλι έρχεται σπίτι και υπάρχει απλώς ένας άδειο οικοπεδο, γιατι το σπίτι εχει φυγει. Ο ταχυδρόμος του λέει πού πήγε το σπίτι. Το κυνηγάει, σκαρφαλώνει στο κεφάλι και το λαιμό του δράκου και ξαναβρίσκεται στη γυναίκα του και τον γιο του. Η μητέρα ακόμη και τωρα εξακολουθεί να επιμένει ότι ο δράκος δεν υπάρχει, αλλά ο Μπίλι, που λίγο πολύ το είχε μέχρι τώρα, επιμένει, «Υπάρχει δράκος, μαμά». Αμέσως, αρχίζει να συρρικνώνεται. Σύντομα, έχει και πάλι το μέγεθος της γάτας. Καταληγουν να συμφωνούν ότι δράκοι αυτού του μεγεθους, πρωτον, υπάρχουν και, δευτερον, είναι πολύ προτιμότεροι από τους γιγάντιους δράκους. Η μαμά, με μάτια που άνοιξαν απρόθυμα σε αυτό το σημείο, ρωτάει κάπως παραπονεμένα γιατί έπρεπε να γίνει τόσο μεγάλος ο δράκος. Ο Μπίλι απαντάει ήσυχα: "ίσως ήθελε να γίνει αντιληπτός".
Και εχει δικιο! Τα προβληματα αναδύονται σε ενα σπιτι, στις κοινωνίες, στα κράτοι, στις σχεσεις των ανθρώπων, μεσα μας, λίγο-λίγο μέχρι που γιγαντονονται. Η αμοιβαία δυστυχία και η αγανάκτηση συσσωρεύονται. Όλα σπρωχνονται κάτω από το χαλί, όπου ο δράκος θρέφεται απο τα ψίχουλα της αρνητικης σημειολογίας μας. Αλλά κανείς δεν λέει τίποτα, καθώς τα θεμελια του σπιτιού μας αποκαλύπτονται ως ανεπαρκή και αποσυντίθεται, μπροστά στο απροσδόκητο και στο απειλητικό. Αντί να αναγνωρισουμε και να αντιμετωπησουμε τα προβληματα, προσαρμοζομαστε στην δυσλειτουργικη επιμονη μας πως τα παντα ειναι στην θεση τους. Η λύση θα απαιτούσε την αντιμετώπιση τρομερών συναισθημάτων: μνησικακία, τρόμος, μοναξιά, απόγνωση, ζήλια, απογοήτευση, μίσος, πλήξη. Είναι πιο εύκολο να διατηρήσεις την ηρεμία. Αλλά στο μεταξύ, στο σπίτι του Μπίλι ο δράκος μεγαλώνει. Και αναπόφευκτα μια μέρα ξεσπά, με μια μορφή που κανείς δεν μπορεί να αγνοήσει πλέον. Σηκώνει το ίδια την βαση μας, το σπιτι μας, το εγω μας, την κοινωνία μας, την οικονομία μας από τα θεμέλια τους. Πέφτουμε πανω σε σημάδια που αγνοούμε, σε ενα άγριο βλέμα στον σύζηγο μας, μια εβδομάδα κρεπάλης με αλκοόλ, ένα "Τσοβόλα δώστα όλα". Και ο δράκος μεγαλωνει καποια και κάποια στιγμή σηκώνει το σπίτι άπο την βάση του. Και τα άγρια βλέμματα μετατρέπονται σε διαζύγιο, η κρεπαλη μετατρέπεται σε κλινική αποτοξίνωσης και 30 χρόνια δημοσιονομικής ασυδοσίας μετατρέπονται σε οικονομική κατάρευση. Είναι πολύ σημαντικό να σύζηταμε και να προσπαθούμε να λύσουμε τα προβλήματα μας. Το πρώτο βήμα πάντα είναι να είμαστε ειλικρινείς μεταξύ μας και πάνω από όλα με τους εαυτούς μας.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book I've had from my childhood multiple decades ago. My four year old was telling me about his pretend dinosaur being too big for our house this morning and I immediately thought of this book. I still enjoy it all these years later.

It has elements some might call dated (the mother making and serving breakfast, doing the cleaning up after, all the housework without help, the husband coming home for lunch) but I still like it and relate to the message of wanting to be noticed. I'm the middle child of a large family and relate to this dragon. It's more interesting than reading about a pet dog or cat and encourages make believe which I think is magical.

It can also be used to illustrate that ignoring a problem doesn't make it go away. That addressing the problem can make it smaller and more manageable.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the illustrations and the message. This book could simply be about a little dragon that gets bigger and bigger even though Billy's mom insists there's no such thing as dragons. But surely it's really a message book.

This book does a good job showing what can happen when others refuse to acknowledge or validate troubles. They can get bigger and become a real problem. Somehow, the simple act of addressing them can shrink them back to a manageable size.

I checked this out from the library because author Jordan Peterson says he read this to his Harvard students. It shows what happens when the dinosaur in the room is treated as insignificant.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favorite from my childhood. After purchasing this book to read to my own children, it didn't disappoint. It is amazing how years have gone by since I last read this book, yet I could still picture the images in the book before I even turned each page. Such a simple story, yet so much fun to read and imagine.

[Rennie James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my faves as a child along with the Poky Little Puppy and the Saggy Baggy Elephant! Since then, I have bought it for almost any child in my life because it is just that good in my opinion!

Guilty confession - I read it again myself each time I give the book to another child! There's just something magical about it that I still love!

Definitely a must read!

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming little parable on how an ignored issue can grow in magnitude. Jordan Peterson references it in 12 Rules for Life.

[Jessica Hagy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My counselor recommended this book to me and the very last line explained why. Very meaningful and impactful kids book that adults can read to understand where a child is coming from in certain situations.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some children's stories have the most profound messages in them.

[Shem Doupé · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best children's book you can buy.

https://youtu.be/U4L4Jxy_pr0

[Arrena Holyfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and funny book. Took “stick to your word” to a comedic level.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very cute story about the need to be seen, even if 'there's no such thing as a dragon'.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author knows children and what they would love. The dragon acts just like a cute little kiddo. This is a book that loves kids.

[Wes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learn how to deal with problems when they are small and don't ignore them.

[Toni Tassani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A children book with a funny story that can be read with profound meaning: watch out what you deny.

[gloriabluestocking · Rating 4 out of 5]

This deceptively simple story can be enjoyed by any age. It has layers of meaning, including the importance of paying attention to our own inner "dragons" as a means of keeping them in check. Denial doesn't help anyone.

[Tom Stickings · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon is a wonderful short story about a dragon who just wants to be noticed. When Billy Bixbee wakes up one morning and discovers a kitten-sized dragon in his room, he immediately goes to tell his mother what he has found. Billy’s mother, however, is adamant that there is no such thing as a dragon, despite the dragon eating all of Billy’s breakfast. Being a good boy, Billy follows his mother’s example and sets about ignoring his new friend. In an effort to be acknowledged, the dragon grows and grows until it is too big for Billy’s house. Finally, Billy’s mother is forced to recognise that the dragon is very real and he begins to shrink back to a more manageable size.

The message in There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon is clear, but the story is funny and enjoyable as well. The text is accessible throughout and simple yet humorous pictures compliment the prose perfectly. This book would be perfect for reading to a class in key stage 1 or lower key stage two, where it would also be suitable for individual reading. Furthermore, the moral of the story makes it perfect for a session focused on friendship and inclusion.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best children's books for adults, and I'd recommend that every adult set aside just five minutes to read it, or watch a narrated version on YouTube where you can follow along with a facsimile of the book. Then, take a moment to reflect on its allegory, as it's not immediately obvious.

Sometimes adults don't believe in things even when they're staring them right in the face, and they suffer dire consequences for ignoring the signs. Don't be a naive fool: confront your husband if you suspect he's having homosexual affairs or if you discover him wearing your fishnets; support your child if you think they're struggling with mental health issues; stand up for yourself in a toxic work environment; take charge of the direction of your dysfunctional household. Face those situations that may be making your life miserable.

[Lorelei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hebrew version of There's No Such Thing As A Dragon. Billy Bixby finds a dragon in his room, but when his mother tells him that dragons don't exist he ignores the dragon, which as a result grows bigger, and bigger, and bigger. I just absolutely love this book, and for some reason I find it even more delightful in Hebrew.

[Josiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Accompanied by charming illustrations, Jack Kent uses humorous parable to make the point that it's ridiculous to deny an obvious problem because one doesn't wish to acknowledge it. I can think of no better way to be introduced to this universal idea than through There's No Such Thing As a Dragon. Well done, Mr. Kent.

[Magila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this classic little book that sort of flips the "crying wolf" lesson on its head. A nice little story for kids that can open up great dialogue between parent and child about fact and fiction.

Nice, simple art.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good children's book with interesting illustrations and a straightforward story about a nonexistent dragon. The end message about how issues can become big issues if you insist on ignoring them is a good one, and I enjoyed reading this to my younger two more than once.

[Rahell Omer · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAUTIFUL!