Fans of How to Train Your Dragon will love this whimsical tale, the first in a series, by a Newbery Honor winner, featuring charming illustrations and pet “training tips” in each chapter. Crusty dragon Miss Drake has a new pet human, precocious Winnie. Oddly enough, Winnie seems to think Miss Drake is her pet—a ridiculous notion! Unknown to most of its inhabitants, the City by the Bay is home to many mysterious and fantastic creatures, hidden beneath the parks, among the clouds, and even in plain sight. And Winnie wants to draw every new creature she encounters: the good, the bad, and the ugly. But Winnie’s sketchbook is not what it seems. Somehow, her sketchlings have been set loose on the city streets! It will take Winnie and Miss Drake’s combined efforts to put an end to the mayhem . . . before it’s too late. This refreshing debut collaboration by Laurence Yep, a two-time Newbery Honor winner and a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award winner, and Joanne Ryder features illustrations by Mary GrandPré.

What Kind of Book is A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans

Topics

artists problem solving San Francisco dragons magic pets friendship mythical creatures self-discovery

Genres

funny and humorous fiction fantasy and magic

What Questions Should I Ask My Child

Winnie and Ms. Drake, the main characters, learn to work together as a team and understand each other’s differences. Consider talking with your reader about how teamwork and friendship can help allies accomplish common goals.

Reviews

B is for Bookworm

5.50

This humorous story of a dragon and her "pet" human takes you on an adventure with plenty of mayhem! It takes teamwork to fix the chaos Winnie accidentally created, but this story of adventure is so fun with all the humor weaved inside! You'll laugh with and love these characters.

Mom of Boys

5.75

The Goodfather

4.50

We read this aloud as a family and found it to be an entertaining read. It's an early chapter book, so the storyline and plot were fairly straightforward, but there was still enough creativity and imagination to hold the attention of children and parents alike. A favorite inclusion is Miss Drake's ability to cry pearls.

Book Lists That Include This Book

Books about artists

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear

Books about problem solving

Books about San Francisco

The Creatives Behind the Book

Author

Laurence Yep

Laurence Yep is a two-time Newbery Honor winner, a recipient of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and a nominee for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. He is the author of over sixty books, including the bestselling Isabelle American Girl of the Year titles. Joanne Ryder has published over seventy books and received numerous awards for her nature writing and poetry. This is her first book starring a dragon and her first collaboration with Laurence Yep, who has many dragon books to his credit.

Author

Joanne Ryder

Joanne Ryder is the award-winning author of numerous children’s books about the natural world, including Little Panda: The World Welcomes Hua Mei at the San Diego Zoo. Some of her other books include Bears Out There, Chipmunk Song, The Snail’s Spell, and White Bear, Ice Bear. Before becoming a full-time writer, Joanne worked as a children’s book editor in New York City. She lives in California.

Illustrator

Mary GrandPré