Far too soon, we've come to the end of the Third Annual Bugs and Bunnies Literary Appreciation of Dragons Series. Anyone needing some backstory, or a refresher, can click on the link in the first sentence and get caught up quite nicely. But don't forget to come back here to catch this last literary dragon post for the 2015 series.
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| Drawing courtesy of Chez Wheedleton's resident Dragon Expert: Lovely Girl | | |
So far, we've read our way through three Fridays of dragon book fun:
and
And for today's post, we've got something really fun:Drawing Dragons
That's right! We here at Bugs and Bunnies were delighted to find this little collection of books, so we could learn how to draw the dragons we love to read about! We hope you enjoy them, too:
1-2-3 Draw: Knights, Castles, and Dragons: A step by step guideBy Freddie LevinAges 5 - 10
This one is great for the beginner level artists out there. It starts with a list of very basic tools you will need - all things you probably already have around the house. The book is separated into several sections, starting with drawing basic shapes. As you move through the book, these basic shapes are used to guide you through drawing a variety of medieval-type things, starting with a basic person, and moving through to specific ones (king, queen, prince, princess). There are sections for drawing castles, heraldry, knights, and of course dragons. And there are other sections, too, each related to knights, castles, and dragons, plus an index.How to Draw Dragons (Drawing Fantasy Art)By Jim Hansen and John BurnsAges 9 and up
This one is great for those who want to both learn a little about dragons as well as draw them. The Introduction section explains the equipment you may want to have on hand before you begin. (Some of the supplies listed are more advanced equipment, but you will still be able to use this book with just the basics - pencil, paper, eraser.) Then there's a short lesson on Perspective. And then there's the instruction, separated into types: Western Dragon, Eastern Dragon, and North American Dragon. The book also contains a glossary of art-related terms, as well as a section on suggestions for further reading. The instructions start basic and work up to the details fairly quickly, so this book will be most helpful to those who already have a good base of drawing skills. Draw! Medieval Fantasies: A Step by Step GuideBy Damon J. ReinagleAges 8 - 14
This one starts with a list of basic drawing tools, and a few "Common Sense Drawing Rules" to get you started. It is for those who are a little more advanced in drawing skill, yet still starts with Basic Shapes, then moves on to sections showing you steps for how to draw Rods and Joints, Dragons, Castles, and Heroes and Villains. Then there is a section on adding Textures and Patterns to your drawings, and finally, one on Putting It All Together.Ralph Masiello's Dragon Drawing Book: Become an artist step-by-stepBy Ralph MasielloAges 8 - 12As with the others, this one also starts with a section on the drawing tools you may want to use. It is also for those who know a little about drawing already. There are step-by-step instructions for drawing eleven different types of dragons, from all over the world. For each dragon, you'll be shown one detailed step at a time, using just the drawings to guide you - no text instructions. You can easily tell which is the new line to add for each step, because it is shown in red.Once you've been guided in drawing the dragon, the next page for each one shows what the fully-complete drawing could look like, with all color and pattern added, as well as some information about the type of dragon you just drew, and hints for how to create the patterns you see in the finished drawing example. At the end, you'll find a section on Resources for you to learn even more about dragons, as well as a Pronunciation Guide, so you'll know how to pronounce the names of the dragons you've just learned how to draw.
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Another Friday in January, another post in the Third Annual Bugs and Bunnies Literary Appreciation of Dragons series. (Not sure what this is? Click on the link in the previous sentence, and that will get you up to speed quite nicely. Then come back here to continue the book-ish dragon fun.)
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| Drawing courtesy of Chez Wheedleton's resident Dragon Expert: Lovely Girl |
Back now? Great! Let's get to it: If you've been here for the last two posts, you'll recall that we've added a new component to this year's festivities: Themes! And if you're new to Bugs and Bunnies? Well, now you know. The theme thing is new.
So far, we've had fun with two themes:
Dragon Fact, Dragon Fable – with dragon books that are informational in nature
and
Chinese Dragon Tales – with dragon books rooted in Chinese culture, with Chinese dragons
For this week, we present:Other Dragon Tales
These dragon stories involve a variety of world cultures - Egyptian, Viking, English, and one that's unspecified but seems American. Enjoy!The Dragon and the ThiefWritten by Gillian BradshawAges 9 and upPrahotep was born backward, with his eyes wide open. The people of his small Egyptian village took that to mean he was frowned upon by the gods. And it seemed to be so, for this son of a fisherman was no good at fishing. When one day a crocodile attacks Prahotep's father, his dying wish is for Prahotep to leave his small village near the Nile river, and try to find something he is good at. So Prahotep travels to Thebes. But his attempts at learning new trades there goes no better, and he finds himself labeled with a new name: Bad Luck. Finally, there is only one trade left for him to attempt – theft. When even that doesn't go well, he begins to think the gods really do frown on him. And then, Prahotep stumbles into the cave of Hathor, the last of what was believed to be an extinct line of dragons. Her discovery by others will mean her death. Could this be the destiny Prahotep has sought for so long? Could he be the one who can save the last Egyptian dragon?
Dragon StewWritten by Steve SmallmanIllustrations by Lee WildishAges 5 and up
Five bored Vikings are looking for an adventure. But they don't want to do the same old things. Battle? Nothing new. Shark fishing? Nope. Wresting a bear...in their underwear? Been there, done that!
And then, Loggi Longsocks comes up with one last idea: Catch a dragon, and make a dragon stew! To that, the other Vikings say, "Now, that's something new!" And the adventure begins...
The Reluctant DragonWritten by Kenneth GrahameIllustrated by Ernest H. ShepardAges 7 - and upLong ago, there lived a shepherd, his wife, and their small son. One day, the father came across a dragon living in a cave outside the village, and he was beside himself with fear. But the boy, who read lots and lots of books and knew about these things, was less upset. "It's all right, father. Don't you worry. It's only a dragon."And then, the boy befriended the dragon, and soon convinced his parents the situation was not as dire as all that. The dragon was rather cultured and quite mild-mannered. But when word spread, as word is wont to do, the villagers were not so serene. And they sent for St. George, slayer of dragons. The boy sees only one way to save his friend. And it involves convincing the whole town – and a dragon slayer – to not slay a dragon. But, how?The Best Pet of AllWritten by David LaRochelleIllustrated by Hanako WakiyamaAges 3 - 5
This is the story of a boy who wants a dog for a pet. But each time he asks his mom for a dog, she refuses. Then one day, the boy decides to ask for something new. He asks for a dragon for a pet. And this time, his mom says, "If you can find a dragon, you can keep it for a pet."
So he finds a dragon. But a dragon does not make a good pet. And when the boy's mom tells the dragon to leave, it refuses.
The boy has an idea how to get the dragon out of the house, though. And it involves a dog...
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Here we are, with the second of four posts for the Third Annual Bugs and Bunnies Literary Appreciation of Dragons!
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| Drawing courtesy of Chez Wheedleton's resident Dragon Expert: Lovely Girl |
Regular readers – or at least those who follow this particular series here on Bugs and Bunnies – already know what's what. For those who are new: click on the link up there in the very first sentence of this post, and you'll find all kinds of information that will catch you up quite nicely. Then come on back here to continue the dragon-y fun.Last week, our theme was Dragon Fact, Dragon Fable. This week's theme is:Chinese Dragon Tales
It's a little round-up of four picture books focused on stories rooted in Chinese culture, with Chinese dragons:The Paper Dragon, by Marguerite W. DavolIllustrated by Robert SabudaAges 5 - 8* Summary courtesy of Chez Wheedleton's own Lovely Girl
Humble artist Mi Fei spends most of his time painting scenes of the glorious past on paper scrolls. The people of his village love to admire his epic portraits of gods, festivals, heroes, and great deeds. When news arrives one day that Sui Jen, the great dragon of Lung Mountain, has woken from his hundred years' sleep and is rampaging through the country, the villagers are sure that Mi Fei has enough knowledge of ancient heroes to save the day. But Mi Fei is just a simple artist! Can he live up to his village's expectations and convince the mighty dragon to sleep once more?The Boy Who Painted DragonsWritten and Illustrated by DemiAges 7 - 10* Summary courtesy of Chez Wheedleton's own Lovely Girl Ping paints dragons everywhere - on the walls, columns, doors, windows, tables, and chairs, and all over the ceiling and floors. All of the other children are in awe of his skill, but none of them know Ping's secret: he is terrified of dragons. No matter how many he paints, he still is unable to get over his fear. When the mighty Heavenly Dragon catches a glimpse of his art and decides to pay Ping a visit, the boy artist is in for a big shock...
ChopsticksWritten and Illustrated by Jon BerkeleyAges 4 - 8
Chopsticks is a small gray mouse, living on a floating restaurant in a busy harbor on the island of Hong Kong. The restaurant's entrance is flanked by two huge pillars, each of which has coiled around it a magnificent carved wooden dragon. One night – New Year's night, Chopsticks is going about his usual business of foraging for crumbs, when one of the dragons of the pillars speaks to him, and asks him for help with something very important. But how can one small mouse help a dragon made of wood and lacquer to realize his most cherished dream: to be free, so he can fly?
Dragon DancingWritten by Carole Lexa SchaeferIllustrated by Pierr MorganAges 3 and up
A class of students listen to their teacher read a book about dragons. And then, during art class, when it's time to decorate for Mei Lin's birthday, the sparkly paper and ribbons give the kids a great idea. And very soon, a sparkle-headed Birthday Dragon is off exploring imaginary lands, far, far away...at least until they hear their teacher calling.* * *
We're getting a bit of a late start for the Third Annual Bugs and Bunnies Literary Appreciation of Dragons, but let's not let that dampen our fun, shall we? Counting today, there are still four Fridays left for us to fill with fabulous books full of fantastic dragon stories of one sort or another.
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| Drawing courtesy of Chez Wheedleton's resident Dragon Expert: Lovely Girl |
A Bit of Explanation, for those new to Bugs and Bunnies, or new to this series:A Literary Appreciation of Dragons is a series where we feature books with some sort of dragon connection, with posts appearing each Friday in January. It began here at Bugs and Bunnies as part of our 2012 observance of Appreciate a Dragon Day - a holiday celebrated annually on January 16th. The day officially came into being ten years ago, courtesy of author Donita K. Paul, to celebrate the release of her novel, DragonSpell (Waterbrook Press, 2004). Want more details? Click on any of the links above for all kinds of dragony fun. When you've had your fill, come on back here, and we'll get started with this year's bookish dragon festivities.And now, on to the literary dragon fun:New for this year: Themes! (Not planned, but the books did seem to just fall into categories of their own accord. Weird, how that happens sometimes, isn't it?) This week's theme:
Dragon Fact, Dragon Fable
All of today's books are informational in nature. All but one contain brief descriptions of various myths, legends or stories specific to various world cultures and histories. And that one that doesn't? Well, we'll save it for last. It's kind of in a category all its own:
Dragons (Monsters and Mythical Creatures)
By Carla Mooney
Ages 13 and up
Dragons is a well-researched, informative book presenting a wide variety of information, images and illustrations on everything to do with dragons. Five chapters cover the general similarities and differences dragons have across different cultures and mythologies, content specific to Western dragons and Eastern dragons, animals that may have inspired dragon myths, and dragon depiction within pop culture. There are also useful sections at the end, detailing the author's sources, a list of various media to consult for further exploration, a content index, and picture credits.
Dragons (Mythologies)
By John Malam
Ages 8 - 10
This beautifully illustrated Dragons book focuses on dragon myths and stories within various cultures. It covers information, myths and legends about dragons of Europe, the Middle East, China and Japan, and India. For each of these areas of the world, general information is presented about how dragons were depicted and described, as well as brief retellings of one or two myths or stories from those cultures. A helpful glossary and index are included at the end.
A Time of Golden Dragons
Written by Song Nan Zhang and Hao Yu Zhang
Illustrated by Song Nan Zhang
Ages 9 - 12
A Time of Golden Dragons traces the history and significance of dragons in Chinese culture, from their earliest beginnings up through today. The authors weave together history, culture, myth, art and storytelling to give the reader a clear, easy-to-understand narrative of the ways dragons are used, referred to, and depicted by the Chinese people.
There are sections on Where Dragons Come From, the difference between Eastern and Western dragons, dragons as a symbol of imperial power, Where Dragons Live, dragon references and their meanings within the Chinese language, the significance of dragons in Chinese festivals, dragon references and use in modern Chinese culture, and the dragon's part in the Chinese time measurement system. Each page is accompanied by colorful and detailed illustration to enhance understanding of the text.
The Complete Book of Dragons: A Guide to Dragon Species (How to Train Your Dragon)
Written and Illustrated by Cressida Cowell
Ages 8 - 12
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, reluctant hero of the How to Train Your Dragon series, against the wishes of his Viking Barbarian father, Stoick the Vast, Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe, presents to the reader: The Complete Book of Dragons: A Guide to Dragon Species, which contains everything Hiccup has learned about dragons.
He includes sections on Dragon Anatomy, Nesting Sites, Dragon Eggs, Training Your Hunting or Lap Dragon, Dragon Riding, The Wilder Species, The Mighty Monsters, The Future of Dragons, and Know Your Dragons. Each section contains drawings, illustrations, typed information, and handwritten notes – some whole-page and some margin, and even a handy reference chart of dragon types and their respective characteristics. There is also a fold-out Map of the Barbaric Archipelago – the lands where Hiccup and the Hairy Hooligan Tribe and the dragons live and travel.
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And so, that's that for this week. We hope you haven't yet had your dragon fill, though. Come on back next week for Part 2 of 5, when we delve into books with dragon lore from one particular corner of the world...
The Third Annual Literary Appreciation of Dragon Series is most definitely on its way. Bit of a late start, as the first Friday in January has already whooshed past – dragonless. But there are still four Fridays left, and we here at Bugs and Bunnies have four Fridays' worth of deliciously dragon-y books we're excited to share with you!
If you're a regular reader here, you already know what's what. If you're new, clicking on the link up there in the first sentence of this post will take you to the main series page, where you can explore everything we've presented about dragon books so far, to your heart's content. And of course, regular readers are welcome to click, too, and reminisce.Then, be sure to come back this Friday, January 9, 2105, for the first of four new posts full of fabulous dragon books. Until then, we'll leave you with this:"We men dream dreams, we work magic, we do good, we do evil. The dragons do not dream. They are dreams. They do not work magic; it is their substance, their being. They do not do; they are."
– Ursula K. Le Guin, The Farthest Shore
Today marks the last day of the First-Ever Bugs and Bunnies Literary Appreciation of Dragons. Time sure flies when you're celebrating dragons.Confused? Check out the three bulleted links below, and they will bring you up to speed. Then come on back here to join us for the final festivities of Chez Wheedleton's 2013 celebration of Appreciate a Dragon Day:All caught up? Alrighty then. Off we go:Even More Dragon Book Revelry!
Since this is our last celebratory post, we've filled this list with four books that are completely full of dragons, dragons, dragons. Enjoy:Seraphina
Written by Rachel Hartman
Ages 12 and up
In the kingdom of Goredd, distrust between dragonkind and humans runs high, despite a forty year peace. Tensions have been stretched as the anniversary of the treaty approaches. And upon discovery of the suspiciously dragon-like murder of the beloved Prince Rufus, relations are even more strained.It is in this atmosphere that sixteen-year-old Seraphina Dombegh comes to live at court. Seraphina's new position highlights the unusual musical talents that her father has desperately tried all of her life to keep hidden, and that Seraphina has stubbornly pushed all of her life to be free to share. But despite her stubbornness where her musical talents are concerned, she does all she can to conceal another secret part of herself - a part that, if ever discovered, would mean her end.
Despite great risk of exposure, Seraphina helps Prince Lucian Kiggs - captain of the Queen's Guard, heir to the throne, and Glisselda's intended - to investigate Prince Rufus' murder. Glisselda becomes involved, as well, as the three of them uncover what they fear is a secret plot to destroy the peace. All the while, Seraphina struggles to keep her own personal secret. Yet the more she tries to protect herself, the more she stumbles upon new and confusing parts of herself - parts which may hold the key to foiling the plot and preserving the peace. Unless Seraphina can find a way to understand and control these new self-discoveries, she cannot hope to be able to use them. Should she fail, the tenuous peace between dragonkind and humans is doomed to shatter, and the awful fate her father has fought all of her life to prevent is doomed to come true.
Ages 12 and upWhen fifteen-year-old Eragon comes upon a polished blue stone deep in the forest of a mystical mountain range known as The Spine, he is wary. It is not like any polished stone he has ever seen before. Was it meant for him, or had he found something he shouldn't have?He eventually decides it would make a good trade for enough meat for the winter. When he is unable to make a trade, he takes it home. And then one day the "stone" cracks, and soon a beautiful, sapphire-blue creature emerges from within - a dragon he comes to name Saphira. Eragon is astonished - the race of dragons were believed to have become extinct long ago, at the hands of the evil King Galbatorix.
Eragon keeps Saphira hidden in the forest, where he cares for her in secret, and the two soon form an inseparable bond. With the help of an old storyteller named Brom, Eragon discovers the responsibility he now bears - he is the last Dragon Rider. Together with Saphira, they are the only hope of the Varden, dwarves, and elves, who have joined forces in the coming war against the evil King Galbatorix, to try and unseat the king and take back the Empire.
Written and illustrated by Graeme Base (a.k.a. Rowland W. Greasebeam, B.Sc.)
Ages 8 and up
From the "notably undistinguished Victorian scientist," Rowland W. Greasebeam, B.Sc. (Serpentology) F.R.Aud., comes this beautifully fully illustrated collection of rare historical documents which the good scientist asserts prove not only the discovery of dragons, but also the existence of the dragons' discoverers themselves.Said discoverers, who are three in number, include: Bjorn of Bromme - Viking pillager of 9th century Europe; Soong Mei Ying - youngest daughter of a Chinese silk trader, and traveler on the Silk Road in the 13th century; and mid-nineteenth-century Prussian cartographer Dr. E. F. Liebermann - whose letters were typed on the world's very first typewriter from within the confines of the African jungle.These letters Mr. Greasebeam has collected - some hand-written, some typed, all presented alongside wonderfully detailed sketches, drawings and paintings - chronicle the writers' fabulous adventures and heart-pounding encounters with dragons they came upon in their respective travels. A must-read for any true dragon enthusiast! But, are these tales fact? Or fantasy? Ah, well, that we must leave up to the discretion of the reader, mustn't we?
Edited by Dugald A. Steer, B.A. (Brist), S.A.S.D.
Illustrated by Wayne Anderson, Douglas Carrel and Helen Ward
Ages 8 and up
Dugald A. Steer, B.A. (Brist), S.A.S.D., presents a collection of the long-lost dragon research of nineteenth century dragonologist Dr. Ernest Drake. But, are these presentations legend, or fact, or a mixture of both? Whatever the answer, there is an abundance of information for one to sift through in order to make one's own determination: drawings, sketches, paintings, maps, scale samples, scientific name designations, and page after page of written material.Dr. Drake discusses differences between dragon species, examines dragon legends, and lists characteristics of various dragon types as well as possible related creatures. He details the life cycle of a dragon, dragon behavior, and how to track and find dragons. And once you've found them, Dr. Drake provides suggestions on how a dragon might be tamed. He even includes a set of three quite interesting appendices at the end, one of which contains "Useful Spells & Charms."
Entertaining? Undoubtedly.
Interesting? Most assuredly.
A fascinating tome that even the most discriminating of dragon enthusiasts will treasure? Incontrovertibly.
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