Dragons

Monsters

by Catherine M. Petrini

Describes dragons, discussing behavior and characteristics, relating dragon tales from various cultures, and exploring their presence in popular culture.

48 pages, Hardcover

First published December 15, 2006

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written by a friend of mine several years before I met her. I found it an interesting overview of the concept of dragons, both as fictional creatures and as myths that pervade cultures around the world. (I never knew that the Cherokee Indians had a dragon in their mythology, or that there are mythological dragons among Arctic peoples. I had even forgotten to think of Grendel from Beowulf as a dragon.) This book covers the ideas of dragons as bad guys and good guys, as creator-gods and destroyers of worlds, as well as the concepts of science about the source of dragon-lore. And it has a nice analysis of the various popular stories involving dragons, from Harry Potter (which is not a surprise, because Cathy is a huge Potter fan), to my childhood friend Pete's Dragon.

[melydia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a charming little book! This nonfiction children's book was written by a friend of mine. It's the sort of book I would have enjoyed when I was little, and I even learned some new things as an adult.