Book Review: Fly High, Baby Dragon
Fly High, Baby Dragon
by David Klochko
Genre: Children’s Picture Book / Dragons
ISBN: 9798989991013
Print Length: 26 pages
Reviewed by Toni Woodruff
A brave baby dragon and an encouraging yet patient mother star in Fly High, Baby Dragon—an easy choice for all-the-time reading.
My toddler has taken a turn toward story. When she was a baby. I could read nonfiction books almost exclusively; now she’s in a story loop. Don’t get me wrong—I love this too. We’re getting more creative with our play, and we’re learning lessons along the way. But as story has taken over, so has the perpetual search for tales that not only entertain and keep her asking for it but also that match up with the kind of parenting and child-raising I believe in for my child. As she’s running around the library, I have to flip through the book and side-eye her antics simultaneously to find out if it’s a story I really want to teach her.
Luckily, Fly High, Baby Dragon checks all the boxes. It has a good story, good kids, good parenting, a good moral, great eye-popping illustrations, and, most importantly, it has actually captivated my little one. She wants to read it, and I’ll gladly open it again, knowing she’ll be learning about something relevant and encouraging while getting pulled in by the story.
A baby dragon emerges from his shell excited to learn that he will soon be able to fly. But not before a little practice and a lot of patience after flying doesn’t come easily. Baby Dragon jumps off a cliff and falls and kerplunks and splats. He’s frustrated—he wants to give up—but he’s got one cool mom on his side, cheering him on when he gets back up again and taking him away to give him space and distract him from the problem at hand. She’s wonderfully patient, dances with him, feeds him delicious, big-bellied breakfasts, and allows him to make the decision to get back out there. To keep trying.
Riding a bike. Steering a scooter. Jumping at the trampoline park. Climbing the rock wall at the playground. My kid experiences failure at first attempt all the time. All I’ve ever wanted to communicate with her is in this book. Yes, you’re going to fall. Yes, it hurts to get hurt. But also yes, it can be worth it if you keep trying. And yet at the same time, it’s not worth panicking over. If you’re not ready to conquer it, try something else. Dance, eat. But don’t be afraid to try again when you feel ready.
I absolutely loved the mom in this book, and I think you will too. She’s such a gentle, proud presence who helps at her kid’s pace. Parent readers will be pleased they’re looped in the same category with this loving mom, and kid readers will feel comforted now that they see, by her example, that it’s okay to fail at first, second, and third try.
The thing that matters most here: my kid loves this book! The illustrations are bright, their faces evocative, and the story is an actual good one, not just a vehicle to get across the lesson, and it’s got great, real characters. The lesson to not give up comes across loud and clear, and the issue is relevant and applicable to my kid’s 2-year-old life. The illustrations are a treat to look at too—my kid loves asking about the funny, sleeping dragons in the book’s early pages.
You can’t go wrong with Fly High, Baby Dragon. I know your little one is out there testing boundaries and trying new things, so with this book, communicate with them that you’re proud of them and that you will be cheering them on when they fall, get back up again, and finally learn to fly.
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