Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon (4/5 stars)

This is a cute little graphic novel/book. It is definitely intended for younger children and does a good job of teaching while it tells a fun story. This would probably be a good book for any reluctant readers out there. It is aimed a bit more at boys than girls, but either should enjoy it.

Danny is a dragon who can't breathe fire and who has a bit of trouble getting his homework done. Danny and his pal Wendell, contact Danny's cousin Edward the sea serpent for some help on Danny's paper about the ocean. They then go on a fantastical journey through the sea while managing to still get the homework done on time.

There were a lot of things I liked about this book. It is very funny and the drawings are super cute. The graphic novel and novel parts flowed well as they switch back and forth. The writing it easy to read and kids will be able to easily relate to Danny and his family. My favorite thing about this book is how much science it teaches without being blatant about. Kids really will learn a lot about the ocean and ocean creatures when they read this.

I personally also liked the inclusion of fantasy creatures (dragons, sea monsters) with non-fantasy facts. Although I wondered if this meshing of make-believe and factual information might be a bit confusing for some kids...like they may not realize all the info about the ocean is actually real and not made up. I was also a little concerned that Danny got away with being so naughty and not doing his homework himself.

Overall though this was a fun and cute read; full of adventure and humor. I would recommend this to younger children, but even young adults and adults will think it is a quick, fun read. I will definitely be checking out more Dragonbreath books in the future.

This book goes towards:
- The 100+ Book Reading Challenge
- 1st in a Series Reading Challenge