The Dragon Hunters (2017, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, Picture Book)

From the publisher:

Away across the oceans,
where few have dared to roam,
upon a wondrous island,
a family made its home.

Living on an island means life is full of adventure for brothers Flynn and Paddy. So when a dragon swoops out of the sky and nabs their beloved dog, Coco, Flynn and Paddy know it’s up to them to bring her home. That night, they pack their bags, make some terrible sandwiches, and set off on an epic adventure…

See the map in this book come alive! Includes BONUS Dragon Brothers map in 3D for your phone or tablet! Download the free AR Reads app on your Android—or iOS—compatible smartphone or tablet to see and hear dragons fly, geysers gush, and get a glimpse of your favorite characters in action!

Review:

The Dragon Hunters, written by James Russell and illustrated by Link Choi, is a tale of two brothers told in rhyme. Dragon stories are always popular with children and this story is sure to be a hit. The rhyme is well done, and the illustrations are fantastic. The book moves along quickly and will keep even the shortest of attention spans engaged. The two brothers use teamwork and ingenuity to retrieve their dog from the fire-breathing dragon, and parents will love to see a story where siblings get along and work together.

While I reviewed an e-book version and did not get to test it out, the book has interactive features which can be unlocked by using the appropriate app. This could be a fun feature for slightly older children and add to the story-telling experience.

This story will engage children in the upper range of picture books as the style feels more like a chapter book than a lower-level picture book.

If your young readers love this book, there are more to come! The Dragon Hunters is the first in a brand new series, The Dragon Brothers, with two more books scheduled for release in the coming months.

Highly recommended for children ages 5 to 8.

5 burning stars to fight a flaming dragon

Thank you to Net Galley and Sourcebooks Jabberwocky for a reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.