Kenny & the Dragon
BY: Tony DiTerlizzi
My Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars
Best for: 10 and under

Each school year, our school district picks one book and gifts a copy to each district family for a community read-along. It’s my favorite program! Sometimes the books are duds, but they generally do a pretty good job with their selection. This year’s read was Kenny & the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi of Spiderwick Chronicles fame.

It’s a winner!

Kenny would rather read and hang out with his friend George, the librarian. The other kids don’t really get Kenny, Kenny doesn’t really get them, and so it goes…until a dragon moves into the pasture where Kenny’s dad keeps the family sheep.

When Kenny investigates, he finds this dragon is more interested in Creme Brulee than roasted sheep, and he’d rather read a book and put on a play than horde gold and terrorize maidens fair. His name is Grahame (like the cracker, but with an ‘e’), and suddenly Kenny discovers he’s found a kindred spirit and another best friend!

Unfortunately, the town’s people aren’t nearly as accepting of a dragon living near by. Even worse, Kenny’s friend, George the librarian–who was a dragon-killing knight in his younger years–is called upon by the king to rid their town of the vile beast!

Can Kenny keep his two best friends from meeting in a battle to the death? Can he find a way to show everyone that kindness and acceptance is better than assumptions and misunderstandings?

Of course he can!

The kids loved it, it was easy to read aloud, and even I was looking forward to the big showdown at the end.

This is a great read aloud, but is also accessible to the grade-school set who are comfortable with chapter books.

Happy Reading!