Hooray for the Underwear Dragon!
Tiny Sir Cole (newly knighted, of course) embarks on his latest adventure: to teach the Underwear Dragon how to read.
In need of an assistant, Sir Cole, who presents White, writes an open letter soliciting applicants. The missive inspires a long line of wannabe knights, from “jousting jugglers” to “twin candy hoarders.” Rather than deal with the whole assistant-hiring business, Sir Cole decides to go on a walk. The many “No Dragons Allowed” signs he sees cause him to realize that the Underwear Dragon might not know how to read. Sir Cole sets off. When the tiny knight knocks on the cave door, the Underwear Dragon (still reeling from his defeat in Attack of the Underwear Dragon, 2020) initially refuses to talk to Sir Cole. “That’s right. Underwear Dragons get embarrassed.” Donning a duck disguise, the Underwear Dragon accedes to Sir Cole’s request and begins the hard work of learning how to read. Eventually, frustrations take over, and the Underwear Dragon flies off on a rampage. Right when Sir Cole readies to give up, hope arrives in the form of Claire, a knight-in-waiting Black girl armed with an Outwit Dragon kit. Packed with similar strands of humor as its predecessor, although perhaps with a few more potty jokes thrown in, Rothman and Oswald’s delightful sequel rightly captures the thrills and vexations afflicting all new readers. Now it’s the Underwear Dragon’s turn in the spotlight, and shine he does. The stylized artwork, meanwhile, retains its ability to provoke laughs and sympathy in equal measure.
Hooray for the Underwear Dragon! (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 12, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11992-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
A Valentine’s tale that even the grumpiest readers won’t be able to resist.
A put-upon goblin learns to feel the love.
Gilbert, a bald, mint-green goblin, is far too busy for Valentine’s Day. From bird-watching to goat yoga, his schedule is full. Besides, “Valentine’s Day is all about love and flowers and all that other mushy malarkey”—Gilbert doesn’t need it! He isn’t interested in those heart-shaped boxes of candy with their gross coconut surprises, and he’s not a fan of the so-called stars of Valentine’s Day: cupids with their gorgeous hair and love arrows. But the cupid squad doesn’t give up on Gilbert and sends him zigging and zagging to avoid their arrows. Believing he’s been hit (in fact he unwittingly backed up into a cactus), Gilbert finds himself falling in love with love and eagerly accepting his friends’ valentines. Humor certain to please readers young and old is woven throughout Gilbert’s sassy narration and the candy-colored illustrations, which trace the goblin’s metamorphosis from sourpuss to lovebug. The reasons for Gilbert’s true change of heart—and why he was so loath to celebrate to begin with—are left unspoken, but readers may enjoy coming up with their own ideas. Front endpapers featuring candy hearts festooned with “meh” and “nope” capture the anti-Valentine vibe, while supportive cards from Gilbert’s friends can be found on the back endpapers.
A Valentine’s tale that even the grumpiest readers won’t be able to resist. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Dec. 23, 2025
ISBN: 9781665962612
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2025
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
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