Exploring Dragons (“rar!”)
A few weeks ago I let my daughter watch How to Train Your Dragon. She’s two. This movie has loud, fearful dragons. I was a bit worried that she’d be scared of the dragons, so I watched her nervously during the movie and listened during the night to see if she had nightmares. Instead of being afraid of the dragons, she fell in love with them. Absolutely in love. If I ask her what she wants to watch these days, she either says, “let it go” (aka Frozen) or “dragons.” She has since also seen How to Train Your Dragon 2.
Recommended Books about Dragons
I got my daughter a couple books about dragons to let her explore their mythical history and the wide variety from around the world.
The pop-up book Encyclopedia Mythologica: Dragons & Monsters is a wonderful, 5-star book. Get it! There are used copies available online for less than $10. There’s a large pop-up on each page and several smaller fold-outs with pop-ups on each page as well. Small sections explore the legend of the creature or its cultural history. Entertaining and educational.
The Book of Dragons & Other Mythical Beasts by Joe Nigg was a solid 4 stars. Each page has a brightly colored illustration and a page of information. I had never heard of some of the creatures in this book, so I learned a few things, too. These pages actually are a good length for reading just before bed if you need something short, but if you do that, be sure that your child really isn’t going to be scared. Nothing like reading about scary creatures just before bed for ensuring nightmares.
Keep Exploring
- Coloring Pages — print and color
- Flying Dragon
- Fire Dragon
- “My Dragon” (Poem) by Suzanne Werkema
Includes illustration, text, and audio recording. - In 2008 The Field Museum had an exhibit on mythic creatures. Their site maintains information about dragons and other fantastical creatures.
