Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in order to provide an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Raven Howell to bring you this post.
Have you ever noticed that siblings can be very different from one another? They tend to have different likes and dislikes. It can be hard to decide what to do together and their differences can cause the sibling squabbling. Today we are sharing a fun picture book about dragon brothers who are having this problem. The book is A Day with the Dragons by Raven Howell and illustrated by Alexander Santos. After my review is a giveaway!
About the Book:
A Day with the Dragons Written by Raven Howell & Illustrated by Alexander SantosAges: 2-7 | 34 Pages | Publisher: AMInk Publishing (2026) | ISBN-13: 978-1958842706
Publisher's Book Summary: What do you do when you and your brother have different interests but still want to spend the day together? Dragons Blue and Green set off on a series of comical misadventures. After risky jellyfish encounters and allergic red spots from dandelions, will they begin to understand that love and respect for one another matters more?
Purchase Links
Amazon | Bookshop.org
About the Author
Raven Howell is the award-winning author and poet of over 30 children's books. She writes for magazines including Highlights, Cricket, and The School. She's a journalist for Story Monsters Ink magazine and a writer for children's educational publishers. Raven enjoys visiting students in schools and libraries, and most importantly, believes in magical dragons.
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About the Illustrator
Alexander Santos is a Brazilian illustrator with almost 30 years of experience. He has illustrated for several newspapers, dozens of children's, school, and literature books, and hundreds of children's magazines. He created and illustrated puzzles for the magazine Recreio (Brazil). He also designed children's games and taught drawing for 11 years. Alexander doesn't remember when he first encountered dragons, but he hasn't strayed far from them since discovering RPGs in the 80s.
Behance | Instagram | LinkedIn
From Me:
In this story Blue Dragon loves the water and prefers to play in the water rather than be on land. Green Dragon loves the land and doesn't really like the water. The two brothers want to spend the day together and they each manipulate the other into doing the thing they love but quickly end it when they notice their brother is miserable. The finally come to a compromise when their younger brother invites them to fly with him. (It is always the youngest who has great ideas--I'm the youngest of three girls!)
There are so many great things in this book. First, the dragon brothers love each other and want to spend the day having fun together. Second, each of the dragons want to share what they love with his brother. However, they each trick the other into doing what he wants them to do. They both also realize that the other is miserable after being tricked. They talk about it and apologize to one another. They each have the realization that they need to respect the boundaries of the other. Then they find something they both love and have a fun day together!
This book is perfect for siblings! It is also a fun read for any story time. Discussion can be had about respecting others' feelings and boundaries as well as not manipulating other people to what you want. Although the dragons are brothers the lessons also are true for friends!
Giveaway:
Readers who follow along on this virtual book tour will have the chance to win one of five signed hardcover copies of A Day with the Dragons. One lucky grand prize winner will receive a cozy A Day with the Dragons throw pillow plus 10 of Raven Howell's bestselling children's books, spanning preschool through early reader favorites. Good luck!
