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Waking Dragons

Illustrated by Derek Anderson
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About The Book

Wake up with a pair of sleepy dragons and the knight who must get them ready for school!

Dragons wake up,
Dragons rise,
Dragons open
Dragon eyes.
From tumbling out of their humongous blankets to devouring a breakfast of catapulted waffles, these characters and their loveable antics fill the pages with luminous color and dragon-size fun. A joyful collaboration between two bestselling talents, author Jane Yolen and illustrator Derek Anderson, this book will make any young reader fly out of bed.

About The Author

Photograph by Jason Stemple

Jane Yolen is an award-winning author who has written more than 380 books for children, including the bestseller How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? and the 1988 Caldecott Medal winner Owl Moon. She is known for her beautiful poetry, picture books, fairy tales, novels, and nonfiction, and has even been called “the Hans Christian Andersen of America” (Newsweek). She lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. Visit her at JaneYolen.com.

About The Illustrator

Derek Anderson is the bestselling artist and cocreator of the Little Quack series. He is also the talent behind Gladys Goes Out to Lunch and Over the River: A Turkey’s Tale. He and his wife Cheryl reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Visit him at DerekAnderson.net.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (October 23, 2012)
  • Length: 32 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781416990321
  • Ages: 4 - 8

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Raves and Reviews

"Yolen…keeps the energetic beat throughout. Anderson’s bright acrylic illustrations round out the spare text with many added details and guffaws. Morning-routine stories abound, but for the very young this one bounces with exuberance."

– Kirkus Reviews

"What a treat when Yolen employs her fantasy-writing talents for the younger set. Anderson’s familiar golden-washed cartoon paintings embellish the humor. Details like a fire extinguisher labeled 'In case of dragon breath,' as well as the dragons’ flying goggles, mean this story’s popularity will spread like fire."

– SLJ

"With cinematic framing, sculptural shapes, a strong sense of physical comedy, and a fittingly medieval palette of saturated jewel tones, Anderson (the Little Quack series) portrays his horned dragons as hulking slugabeds who morph into surprisingly nimble wingled beasts."

– Publishers Weekly

"Anderson’s charming, richly hued illustrations animatedly depict the armor-clad little knight and the cute, expressive dragons’ antics…Droll touches abound in the text, which highlights and celebrates responsibilities, from morning prep to providing transport. This delightful offering interweaves fun fantasy and familiar getting-ready routines in an entertaining, enjoyable read."

– Booklist

Awards and Honors

  • Minnesota Book Awards Finalist

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More books from this author: Jane Yolen

More books from this illustrator: Derek Anderson