My dad is a dragon by Damon Young
Illus. by Peter Carnavas. UQP, 2019. ISBN: 9780702260490.
(Age: 4+) Recommended. Themes: Humour, Fathers, Dragons. With a
series of rhyming pairs of lines Young describes an overview of
various fathers and what they do in their families. From dads who
collect cars or stockpile sneakers, collect swords, scimitars and
sabres, my dad is a dragon who collects chocolate gold.
Then some dads have pencils to design bridges or trolleys for
fridges, or wear a special suit to collect honey, while my dad is a
dragon who loves to sing.
On again, to dads who shriek 'shiver' or 'yow' or why' my dad is a
dragon with blazing chilli breath.
Each set of rhyming lines introduces the reader to a range of what
dads do, ending with 'my dad is a dragon' raising the expectations
of the reader.
They will love reading of the variousness of fathers' roles within
the family, and have fun sharing what their fathers do. The repeated
lines will evoke a response as the children turn the page to read
for themselves: 'but my dad is a dragon . . . and laugh out loud at
the offered line.
The next set of lines refers to food, with some dads grabbing the
potatoes from a hotpot, or the pork bun form the table spinner, or
pinch the sprinkles from the top of a birthday cake, but my dad is a
dragon, with smoky charcoal steaks.
And on the tale goes until we find out why dad is a dragon, and all
is well as the dragon folds his wings around his offspring and they
fall asleep.
Carnavas' ink and watercolour illustrations are always a treat,
evoking laughs from the reading audience, and recognition from the
adults, reflecting the variety of fathers and the work they do in
the home. I always admire the expressions Carnavas gets on his
faces: a few lines and he has them happy, struggling, abashed, in
control (or not), sad, worried or glad.
This is the sixth book in the series from UQP, including My
Nanna is a Ninja, My
pop is a pirate, My mum is a magician, My
sister is a superhero and My
brother is a beast, written and illustrated by Young and
Carnavas. Teacher's
notes are available.
Fran Knight