Danny the Dragon and Dreams Review

If you know me, you know that I'm a huge fan of children's literature. My master's degree is in reading and literacy, and I am constantly on the lookout for great books for my son. So when I was recently contacted by a publisher asking if I might be interested in reviewing a children's book, I jumped at the opportunity. I was sent a copy of Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy by Tina Turbin, which is the first book in what is sure to be a fun series. Along with the book, I also received an audio cd entitled Dreams, which is an audio recording of the book along with 10 classical tracks.

Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy begins when Jimmy, who is visiting the beach with his family, stumbles upon a beautiful green and white shell. When he picks up the shell, he discovers that it talks to him. When he returns to his home with the shell, a dragon (with bright red tennis shoes!) emerges from the shell. Jimmy and his family are impressed with the polite dragon, and invite him and his guide, Skipper to dinner. Jimmy desires to know more about Danny and Skipper. Danny tells him that when he gets out the shell, that he grows bigger as he dries out. To fit back in, he needs to be sprayed with water. After dinner, Danny joins Jimmy and his sister for a game of catch. The neighborhood kids joined them as well, and everyone had fun playing. Jimmy invited Danny and Skipper to spend the night, and sprayed him with water so he would fit back into the shell. Jimmy asked again to know more about Danny and Skipper, and Danny replies that he will tell him later, which hopefully means we will learn more in future books! The illustrations are colorful and vivid, which will surely help keep young readers' attention. The characters are polite and helpful, which serve as a great model to young readers.

The Dreams audiobook includes a great audio version of the story, complete with sound effects, enunciated dialogue, and chimes to let you know when to turn the page. After the book, there is 10 classical music tracks, all of which were written by up and coming composers. The music is beautiful, and would be great for listening to while falling asleep after the story. One of the best things about this audio CD, is that profits are generously donated to the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center, one of the many causes author Tina Turbin supports. For full author information, be sure to visit her website: http://TinaTurbin.com, as well as her other websites: http://www.glutenfreehelp.info/ and of course, the website for the book: http://DannyTheDragon.com

I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a good children's book. The characters are endearing, the illustrations are beautiful and vibrant. The audio version is a great accompaniment to the book. The classical tracks are a great addition, and are very soothing.