Sunday, November 12, 2023

Bean: The Stretchy Dragon by Ari Stocrate - OPTIONAL

Bean: The Stretchy Dragon
by Ari Stocrate
PICTURE BOOK Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2023. $12. 9781524881016 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

It's an ordinary day for Bean, a dragon who lives with Sally, a witch with blue skin. Bean wakes up, eats her favorite food (beans, of course), and goes for a walk in the forest. There she encounters magical creatures (each of which have their own fact page) like a jackalope, a fur-bearing trout, and a swamp monster. In the evening, Sally gives Bean a bath and makes them dinner. Then, it's time for bed. 

I wanted to love this graphic novel style picture book. The illustrations are adorable, but for me, the writing fell flat. There was no discernable story, and Sally was not introduced until the middle of the book. It could be a French to English translation error, but the wording was awkward at times. (For example, the jackalope's antlers "behold powerful magic" rather than hold powerful magic, and when Bean jumps on the mushrooms, "the mushrooms are bouncing" rather than bouncy.) Maybe as a companion to the original webcomic, it would be more enjoyable. 

Rachel, Elementary School Librarian 

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