Me and My Dragon: Scared of Halloween
David Biedrzycki has been creating illustrations for book publishers, advertising agencies, magazines, and design firms since 1980. His art has graced the cover of KidSoft magazine, New England Aquarium billboards and children's software packaging, such as "The Amazon Trail" and "Odell Down Under." His clients include Celestial Seasonings®, After the Fall Juices(tm), IBM, and Newsweek.
Read more about David Biedrzycki.
- Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year
- Wanda Gág Read Aloud Book Award Honor Book
The Horn Book Magazine
A boy and his dragon (Hameer and Sparky from Me and My Dragon) "enjoy the same stuff--except for trick-or-treating." The boy loves Halloween, but the dragon is downright terrified. In an attempt to get his dragon ready for the holiday, the boy creates a number of costumes, hoping the creature can overcome his fear. But when the dragon is scared of his own zombie reflection and lights his tutu on fire, things start looking bad. Biedrzycki's text and illustrations are balanced with sneaky jokes hidden throughout. His illustrations are colorful and vibrant, and his dragon is so expressive, you can't help but laugh out loud.
School Library Journal
In Me and My Dragon (Charlesbridge, 2011), a boy discusses the ins and outs of having a dragon for a pet. In this follow-up story, the boy and his dragon are having a great time. The two have everything in common--except a love for Halloween. While the boy is excited to trick-or-treat, the fire-breathing beast is petrified of the werewolves, zombies, and mummies they will encounter. After a comical montage of dressing the dragon in a series of costumes that simply will not work, the boy gets a great idea: he can be a knight and the dragon can trick-or-treat as himself. And because no one will know he is a real dragon, he can even pick out his own candy. The charm of this book is in the details. While the text is straightforward, the facial expressions and information delivered by the rich and bold Adobe Photoshop images demand a second and third reading.
Publishers Weekly
In this companion to Me and My Dragon (2011), the boy from the first book tries to assuage his red dragon’s fears about Halloween and its attendant creatures. "Poor dragon," the boy sighs. "I explained to him that mummies, zombies, and werewolves aren’t real." The boy is sure that the perfect costume is just the cure that’s needed, and the book is largely a canvas for Biedrzycki to show off an array of Halloween costumes that don’t work for one reason or another (often fire-related). The author’s deadpan narration remains a highlight, though the resolution won’t come as a surprise to readers of the first book, which featured a similar Halloween scene.
Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-658-0
Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-58089-659-7
E-book
ISBN: 978-1-60734-608-1 PDF
Ages: 4-8
Page count: 32
8 1/2 x 11