Review: Dragonbreath by Ursula Vernon

Title: Dragonbreath

Author: Ursula Vernon

Publisher:  Dial
Publishing Date: June 11th 2009

Pages: 160
Genre:  Juvenile Humor/Fantasy

Series: Dragonbreath #1
Source: Hardcover

  

It's not easy for Danny Dragonbreath to be the sole mythical creature in a school for reptiles and amphibians?especially because he can't breathe fire like other dragons (as the school bully loves to remind him). But having a unique family comes in handy sometimes, like when his sea-serpent cousin takes Danny and his best iguana friend on a mindboggling underwater tour, complete with vomiting sea cucumbers and giant squid. It sure beats reading the encyclopedia to research his ocean report . . . Using a hybrid of comic-book panels and text, Ursula Vernon introduces an irresistible set of characters with a penchant for getting themselves into sticky situations. It's perfect for both the classroom and fans ofWimpy Kid and Bad Kitty.

This book has been on my TBR list for a very long time. I read bunches of great things about it just not wanting to read Juvenile books at the time. I finally grabbed from the book store and gave it a try. It was a very cute and humorous read. Tons of great graphics and the story was just fun. I liked the characters, the adventure, and the creativeness.  

Danny Dragonbreath is a dragon that lives among many other animals and attends school with many other animals. Danny has issues with being a dragon. The main one… he can’t breathe Fire. He has a hard time at school… staying focused… bothered by a bully…. He feels a bit down. With the help of his best friend, Danny takes an adventure under the sea, taking his mind of his problems and learning a bit about the ocean for a school report. He learns quite a bit and gets himself in a bit of trouble… but the adventure comes through in the end. 

I thought this book was ton of fun. I really enjoyed the story and I liked Danny. He was funny, a bit of a troublemaker, wild imagination, and seemed pretty normal for a kid his age… well except for being a dragon. The issues that Danny faces, aside from the unable to breathe fire issue, normal issues as a kid his age would. He needs help getting a grip on things when they become too big for him to handle alone, and he is okay asking for help. Danny was a great character to kid around with and there is plenty more to get to know about him in future books.

All the supporting characters were just awesome too. Danny's best friend, Wendell, is quite the opposite of Danny. He brings so much more to the story. He is nerdy, shy, and afraid of his own shadow. He and Danny made a great duo for the under sea adventure.  

Others that made an appearance, a pretty mean bully, very entertaining parents, a crazy sea monster cousin, and a teacher. Together they meshed perfectly for a complete story. 

I felt the story was simple but still entertaining. There wasn’t a whole lot of dept the story, great for 10-12 year boys. It was well paced and kept my mind satisfied with not only the adventure but the graphics. This was a great fast, light hearted, fun read. I think this is a great collection to have on your bookshelves to share with kids as they grow up. I will for sure be keeping this book and the other installments around to read to my grandson as he gets a bit bigger.

Quite the adventure, cute, amusing, and carefree. A wonderful new addition to  my home library.

Ursula Vernon is a freelance writer, artist and illustrator. She is best known for the webcomic Digger and the children's books Dragonbreath and Nurk: The Strange, Surprising Adventures of a (Somewhat) Brave Shrew. Ursula is also a prolific painter and the creator of the Biting Pear of Salamanca, a work which became an internet meme in the form of the "LOL WUT" pear.
Ursula's cover for Best in Show won the 2003 Ursa Major Award for Best Anthropomorphic Published Illustration. She was nominated for the 2006 Eisner Awards in the category Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition for her work on Digger. She was also a guest of honor at Midwest FurFest 2004 and 2009, and the Artist Guest of Honor at Further Confusion 2010.
The daughter of an artist, she attempted to rebel and become a scientist, but in the end couldn’t fight her destiny. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she writes, draws, and in her words, “creates weird thingies.”