No Dragons For Tea

April 1, 1999
PreS-Gr 2-When a young girl meets a dragon at the beach, she invites him to tea. While they are enjoying a scrumptious meal, the dragon sneezes a fiery sneeze, and flames shoot up from the tablecloth and curtains. The child's new friend panics and tries to hide, but she keeps her cool and helps to get him and her family out of the house safely. The rhyming text has an infectious cadence that should appeal to youngsters. The colored-pencil illustrations are bright and follow the story line well. Tips are appended for teachers and/or parents to use in helping children learn what to do in case of a fire in their homes. In addition, "The Dragon's Fire-Safety Rhyme" helps reinforce the primary rules. A unique way to introduce a very important subject.-Krista Grosick, Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH

February 1, 1999
Ages 3^-6. A girl finds herself in the middle of a fire when her new friend (who happens to be a dragon) sneezes: "Well . . . we all know what happens when dragons 'a-choo.'" The girl, who is obviously well schooled in fire safety, knows just what to do. The dragon, however, makes some mistakes. He hides under the rug, then, once he gets outside, he wants to go back for his stuffed bear. The girl sets him straight: "Don't ever go back--that just will not do. We can get a new bear, but we can't replace you." Humorous colored-pencil illustrations accompany the lively rhyming text, which ends with a catchy fire-safety poem that kids can easily memorize to help them remember basic fire-safety rules. An entertaining way to teach or reinforce fire-safety concepts, this will come in handy during fire-awareness week. ((Reviewed February 1, 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)

July 1, 1999
A young girl runs into a dragon and invites him to tea. With an innocent sneeze, he accidentally sets the house on fire. Luckily, the girl and her mother are well versed in fire safety, and everyone gets out safely. Humorous colored pencil illustrations suit the light tone of the text, but the awkward rhyming text is not particularly engaging. A fire safety checklist for adults is provided.

(Copyright 1999 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)