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Summary
Summary
When a little boy hears "no" from his mother one time too many, he feels his anger rising. It burns and builds, finally turning him into a giant dragon that destroys everything in its path. Nothing is safe: not toys or stuffed animals--not even Mom and Dad. But fortunately, a dragon's fire doesn't last forever. The simple, bold illustrations give shape to the power that emotions have to overwhelm and transform us, and vividly bring to life the angry dragon thatlurks inside us all.
Author Notes
Thierry Robberecht and Philippe Goossens have created 15 books together, including three other books about Sam, and their work has been published in 13 countries. They both live in Brussels.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-After his mother tells him "NO," a young boy becomes so angry that he feels as though he is a stone: "I feel trapped inside that stone. I just can't stop myself." His rage grows until he turns into a fiery dragon that destroys everything in its path. When the fury recedes-as it always does-the dragon feels shame and sadness. As tears put out the flames, the creature disappears and the child is back in his parents' loving embrace. The authenticity of the boy's emotions is clearly conveyed in both the text and the artwork. In the faux-naïve oil paintings, Goossens uses the texture of the canvas to create additional depth. The characters are drawn with clean lines in muted colors to keep the focus on each interestingly composed page. Use this offering along with Molly Bang'sWhen Sophie Gets Angry, Really Really Angry (Blue Sky, 1999), Rachel Vail's Sometimes I'm Bombaloo (Scholastic, 2002), and Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are (HarperCollins, 1988).-Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
(Preschool, Primary) For some children, a tantrum is but a tool for manipulation; for others, it's an altogether darker experience, featuring overwhelming anger and a frightening loss of control. A small boy with spiky red hair narrates the progression of a true meltdown. First there's the ""No!"" from his mom, then a stony retreat into himself, then a rising anger that turns him into a dragon ""that destroys everything in its path"" and is ""very, very dangerous,"" then shame and sadness at his own destructive behavior, and finally a return to being a boy who can once again feel his parents' touch and ""hear their soothing words."" This deconstruction of a serious tantrum is simple, clear, nonjudgmental, and authentic, as empowering for its audience as, say, Emberley's Go Away, Big Green Monster! is for those with nighttime fears. Goossens's oil paintings zero in on the boy's emotions, with dark backgrounds and thick brushstrokes representing his anger and brighter patches signaling its ebb. Kids who struggle with destructive tempers will appreciate the authenticity of the boy's experience, while those on the outside looking (helplessly) on will gain new insight into their little dragons' worlds. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
This Belgian import may help some children articulate their anger but isn't likely to inspire requests for repeat readings. Robberecht keeps the story simple. The unnamed narrator resents his mother's negative response to an unspecified request. He describes the way anger makes him feel: first hard like stone, then fiery and destructive like a dragon. Goossens's oil paintings, somewhat reminiscent of Lane Smith's work, show the narrator's transition from frowning, flame-haired child to raging, fire-breathing dragon. After striking out at his parents, the dragon-child feels ashamed and begins to sob. His tears wash away his anger, allowing him to reconnect with his parents. While some of Robberecht's characterizations ring true (what child hasn't accused his parents of always saying no?), other statements seem overly adult in their phrasing. The inconsistent voice is mirrored by the use of three typefaces and varying font sizes in every sentence. Occasionally this works to convey the narrator's volatile feelings, more often it distracts from the story. Evocative but uneven. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
PreS-Gr. 2. A child's rage is given respectful acknowledgment in this Belgian import, in which the frustrating word no 0 triggers a little boy's tantrum. Robberecht charts the familiar sequence of emotions in a frank, natural first-person voice, beginning with angry withdrawal ("Mom says I'm like a stone. I feel trapped inside that stone"). Rampaging fury ensues, during which the narrator visualizes himself as a "giant dragon that destroys everything in his path"--a phase that will appeal to children for its T. rex-0 like depictions of the transformed boy. Goossens' distinctly European, stylized artwork visually reproduces the intense emotions through dramatic shading and a palette flushed with ochres and oranges. Though this shares a therapeutic application with Molly Bang's award-winning When Sophie Gets Angry . . . Really, Really Angry 0 (1999), Robberecht's approach simply reflects and legitimizes kids' feelings, while Bang's emphasizes forming a personal strategy for controlling outbursts. The books will benefit from being read side by side; both will open an avenue for discussing anger and its potentially self-destructive effects. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2005 Booklist