REVIEW and GIVEAWAY
Dragons are Real
by Valarie Budayr
Dragons are Real is a children's picture book written by Valarie Budayr and illustrated by Michael Welply. This book tour is brought to you by BeachBoundBooks and stops here today for my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
What if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG? What if I told you that Dragons are indeed REAL and that they are different than you've ever imagined? Did you know that Dragons are the master of disguises? Did you know that they love sugar and sweets (at unacceptable levels) and will do anything for treats?
Award winning author Valarie Budayr brings us this fairly true story based on her childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon.
Excerpt
Praise for the Book
"I cannot praise this book more highly and I feel really privileged to have read it. I wish it could be animated, so as to enjoy these amazing dragons and the beautiful details even more. Congratulations to the author and illustrator for a work of art. I spent time on each page and I’d encourage parents to do the same when reading this with their kids. An excellent message, besides all the lovely ones about the good and noble qualities of dragons, is that reading is something to bring enjoyment; it’s a doorway to a magical world, as this stunning book amply proves." ~ Fiona Ingram
"Dragons Are Real is full of detailed, beautiful dragons. The pictures are so real, life like and the illustrations absolutely remarkable! Michael is super talented!! It is a delight to read and to just see the pictures which help us understand the book and enjoy it. A must have this summer for a wonderful addition to our library. An outstanding book indeed." ~ Indywrites
"I think children of all ages will love to read this book the pictures of the dragons are not scary at all but it is just a well done book." ~ Autumn Fallen Over Book Reviews
"Who wouldn't want to believe they are real? The illustrator did a scrumptious job with color and glorious detail portraying each dragon's personality. It's a gorgeous book with a playful storyline. The dragons ARE out there ... just waiting to be your next very best friend. I believe." ~ CLMurphy
" ... it's a book as great as it looks. The pictures and text are simple enough for young listeners to grasp, but complex enough to have them coming back time and again. Even parents (who happen to be dragon lovers) will get a kick out of reading it out loud." ~ Tonja Drecker
My Review
By Lynda Dickson
The author and illustrator take us on a journey to discover just what real dragons are really like. And it's not what you may have heard before. Dragons are actually very sophisticated creatures who love poetry and reading, but especially sweets! So watch out next time you're sucking on a lollipop while reading your book. A dragon may just want to become your new best friend!
This is an absolutely delightful book, with a whimsical old storybook look and feel. The illustrations by Michael Welply are captivating, colorful, and full of rich detail. This is a book to be explored over and over again and it's sure to become a favorite of both children and their adult reading friends alike.
About the Author
Award Winning and Bestselling author, Valarie Budayr inspires children and adults alike to experience their books through play, discovery, and adventure via engaging extension activities on her popular website, Jump into a Book.
Valarie is co-founder of Multicultural Children's Book Day, #ReadYourWorld, a celebration of diverse and cultural kid-lit shared with over 98 million people on 27 January each year. Her foundation puts hundreds of books into the hands of children in rural and intercity areas.
Valarie's other best-selling and award winning titles are: The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden, The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and A Year in the Secret Garden (read my blog post).
About the Illustrator
Michael Welply was born in London in 1948. The family moved to Winnipeg, Canada, in 1950. He studied art in Winnipeg and then in Paris, but his idea of living from the sales of his paintings is somewhat compromised by the lack of buyers. He started his career as an illustrator in 1977 in London. In 1981 he returned to live in France with his American wife and their two children. Since then he has worked for publishers in both Europe and North America. To date he has illustrated over 80 books and more than 100 covers, in a wide range of subjects extending from detailed non-fiction to juvenile and adult fiction in the realms of fantasy, mythology, science fiction and fairy tales.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash.
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