Common Sense Media Review
Animals star in fun remake of "The Reluctant Dragon."
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In KENNY & THE DRAGON, book-loving rabbit Kenny meets a dragon named Grahame, who loves Shakespeare and crème brûlée. This gentle dragon and Kenny soon become friends. Kenny's only other friend is George, an elderly badger who runs the local bookstore. When the townscritters discover that there's a dragon living nearby, they turn to George, a former knight, to slay it. Now Kenny must figure out a way to keep his two friends from fighting.
Is It Any Good?
This remake of a children's classic subs animal characters for humans to tell a gentle, lighthearted story. Tony DiTerlizzi both wrote and illustrated Kenny & the Dragon, and he includes many references to "The Reluctant Dragon," on which it's based, including naming the main character Kenny, the dragon Grahame, and naming where they live, Shepard Hill, after the illustrator of "The Reluctant Dragon," E.H. Shepard. He even works in a direct mention of the original story.
Standing on its own, this story is pleasant and enjoyable. But the original is still in print, in case families would like to compare.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the idea of remakes, such as Kenny & the Dragon. Why would an author want to retell an older story?
Why are books about dragons so popular? What others have you read?
What makes this story like a fairy tale? What are some of your favorite fairy tales? Why do they still have power after hundreds of years?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Adventures , Fantasy ( Dragons , Magic )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster
- Publication date : August 1, 2008
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 151
- Last updated : March 6, 2026
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