The Dog and The Dragon: A Review with Discussion Questions and Activity Ideas
- MommaSaurus
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Looking for an inspiring fantasy picture book with dogs and dragons for your next bedtime read or storytime? The Dog and the Dragon by Brandon Sanderson should be on your shelf.
Quick Summary
Genre: Fantasy
Recommended Age: 4+
Possibly Concerning Content* (details below)
🤬 Profanity: None
❤️ Romance: None
🛡️Violence: None ‼️ Heads-Up: None
Our Review: An Adorable Book Filled with Teachable Moments
The smallest dog on the farm wants to prove himself to the other dogs to gain their respect. One day, he sees a dragon, and decides he needs to become on by accomplishing three tasks: have dragon scales, speak in the human tongue, and fly. We watched the Youtube video for this on Sanderson's Channel where he reads the book and shows some of the pictures. This is a standalone book. No knowledge of Sanderson's other work is needed. This was a very cute story with beautiful illustrations. The reason I think it's best for 4+ is because the vocabulary in this is very advanced. Sentences like, “Acknowledge his transformation,’ and ‘learning the mechanics,” or a ‘curious device.’ I think it’s a great book for 4 or 5 year olds because of the interesting word choices but might go over the head of some younger kids.
This was a part of a four book Backerkit called "Hoid’s Storybook Collection by Brandon Sanderson" and Dan Wells.
If you missed the Backerkit, the Dragonsteel website has confirmed that all four picture books will be available in the future (though no date is giving. I imagine sometime toward the end of the year 2026/beginning 2027 as backers will not receive their books until October).
Possible Teaching Moments:
Goal setting: The dog creates a goal: to become a dragon. He then identifies three tasks that will help him achieve his goal.
Activity: Ask your child to identify their own ‘goal’ (try to guide them toward something small and safe for their age, like making a pancake or doing a chore). Have them identify the steps they’ll need to accomplish to reach their goal. Depending on age, kids could either write a single word for each step or draw a picture for each step so that they can mark it off or scratch through it as each task is done.
Vocab Lesson: Because the vocabulary is so advanced, if your kiddo is up for it, this could be a great lesson on vocabulary as well as using context clues to figure out words that are new and unfamiliar.
Name calling: The dog is called stupid by the other dogs.
Discussion: This would be a great place to talk about why name calling is hurtful, especially since the dog had put so much time and effort into what he was doing. Brainstorm ways the other dogs could have been kinder while still telling him the truth.
Dogged Determination: Despite having failed each task, the dog does not give up. Instead he goes on to the next task.
Discussion: Have there been times when you want to give up? Why should we keep going? When is it okay to give up? When should we ask for help?
Water Safety: A baby falls into a well and is rescued by the dog.
Discussion: What should kids do if they see a younger kid fall into water? What should they do if they fall into water? Discuss water safety.
Possibly Concerning Content Guide*
There is name calling in this book. The other dogs call the main dog 'stupid' multiple times.
Unofficial Blurb
"The Dog and the Dragon is simultaneously a story about failure, acceptance, accomplishment, and potential. A dog cannot become a dragon. But this story was never really about what's possible. It was about what you become while chasing something that isn't." - from the Dragonsteel website
📍*Possibly Concerning Content Disclaimer: I try my best to include all relevant content notes, or possibly concerning content, but I may not catch everything and/or you may feel things are concerning that I do not. Please research individually if you’re sensitive to specific topics/subjects! 📍
Want to add some P.C.C. we may have missed? Let us know!
Don't forget to click on the tags below to find more books like this one!
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