Member Reviews

Wow! This book was a good informational book. I love anything Dragon related so that helped. The artwork was amazing! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes Dragons and yes, it is perfect for kids!

5 stars!
Thank you Net Galley and Quarto Publishing for an ARC of this book.

I posted a review on Goodreads and Barnes and Noble

Was this review helpful?

I’m Going to start with I didn’t finish this for a few reasons which I will delve into but I believe I have read enough to give a proper review on this book I made it up to just past 70% when I threw in the towel.

The book started off reasonably strong, I knew going in it was a children’s book, and honestly, I prefer children's books for subjects like culture, history and folklore.

And at the start, I likened it to books like Dragonology. This book has some interesting illustrations and I like how it is set out, I did like how the dragon names had Latin equivalents, however, some of these were a bit racist and not well translated but I was willing to look past this as its a children’s book and only a very minor part. I also had issues with the font in parts being hard to read. but the main problem that made me throw in the towel was on page 47 and I will quote ‘But also because its fiery deposits start bushfires. After the devastating Black Thursday fires of 1851," if it’s unclear, this book states a dragon started these bushfires and personally I find this disgusting.
If you are willing to look past these flaws this book is suitable for kids around the 10-12ish mark, who like made-up adventurous stories about dragons.

Was this review helpful?

This beautifully illustrated natural history book will be treasured by young readers who are fascinated by dragons -- whether it be their lore, anatomy, or the idea of attending a dragon-riding school. This will be a wonderful aid for imagined stories and will certainly be beloved by many.

Was this review helpful?

The concept was fantastic! I really adore the gorgeous and intricate artwork. It's an engaging and informative read about dragon origins. A wonderful choice for fantasy enthusiasts and lovers of dragons!

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children's Books for giving this e-arc.

Was this review helpful?

This is a beautifully illustrated book, jam packed full of lush dragon lore.

Perfect for dragon lovers young and old, a really great read. I loved the fact that the book reads like a children’s fact book yet the feel and style is more reminiscent of a ancient text, or a book you could imagine with pride of place on a coffee table. A valuable addition to any collection.

My children loved discovering the dragon facts, choosing their favourite dragon egg, and were excited to read each page.

I think this book would be perfect for children age 8 upwards or any fantasy enthusiast!

Thank you NetGalley for the free eARC.

Was this review helpful?

This is incredibly detailed from the informative writing style to the stunning illustrations. I appreciated the little notes, they made the book feel cohesive and made me feel like I was actually exploring the pages. Any fantasy lover would appreciate this book and the wealth of information inside.

Was this review helpful?

I read this book (as much as I could see with my eyes, which was not much, actually) to my 9-year-old nephew, Hasti, and we had a lot of fun looking at the colorful and amazing dragon pictures. The illustrations are beautiful and stunning. I highly recommend reading the physical book. It's kind of like a Wikipedia for dragons, which was quite fun!

Thank you Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books for providing the DRC via NetGalley, Hasti gave this a high five, and remember that the publishing date will be on 3 Sep.

Was this review helpful?

I must confess, as a long time fan of the illustrator, the imagery is what led me to this title but I am happy to report that Emily Hawkins has matched the talent of Jessica to create the most stunning and immersive experience!!

A Natural History of Dragons is simply stunning visually but the varied offerings in the text make it something incredibly special! Children will feel swept away with the unique mix of story and style. There's a level of immersion in the checklists and to do's that could keep a kiddo busy for days upon days.

This one is worthy of a home library or as a whimsical coffee table companion!

Was this review helpful?

A Natural History of Dragons - Dinosaurs?
Structured, represented and told like a true natural history book about real animals, this is an engaging and imaginative book with illustrations that make you feel like you are reading an ancient book.
I am sure that the print book will look awesome.

Was this review helpful?

A lovely book with beautiful illustrations. I loved the inclusion of the diary entries mixed in with the scientific descriptions of the life and biology of dragons. The inclusion of dragons from varied places and their history and mythologies added an extra layer to the book. The work and detail is immense, but never felt overwhelming, instead there were more and more details to come back to in later readings.


The collaborations of Emily Hawkins and Jessica Roux are my favorites, and I think every book is yet another favorite to treasure. I highly recommend this book (and it's in great company with their previous books as well). A book that young and old with a love of magic with enjoy.

Was this review helpful?

I absolutely love Jessica Roux's illustrations and have slowly been completing my collection of her books as well as ones illustrated by her. I've also explored Emily Hawkins' works before and have been meaning to pick up a few more - A Natural History of Dragons was already on my radar when I received the ARC so it was a really nice opportunity to explore this book and finalised my decision to also purchase this book when it hits the shelves.

It is unsurprisingly beautifully illustrated - both colourful and playful. It draws you in and goes wonderfully with the text and information provided by Emily Hawkins. It's insightful, imaginative and humorous - you'll easily believe the magic that is dragons and while this is primarily targeted at children, I firmly believe that any fantasy or dragon loving adult would love this book. If Emily Hawkins' other Natural History books are anything like this one, I am very much wanting to look into them too.

Was this review helpful?

This fictionalization of the history of dragons reads like an informational text and will draw in readers who love both fiction and nonfiction books. My daughter is a voracious reader of informational books on folklore, myth, and mythological creatures and she adored this one. We have two others in this series and just love the work of Emily Hawkins and the illustrator, Jessica Roux, their collaborations are something truly special. This is a book that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. I would highly recommend this to anyone wishing to learn more about dragons or who wound like to get lost in their magical history. This book is stunning.

Thank you to NetGalley & Quarto Publishing group for the free eARC copy in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This is definitely the best book on dragons I have read so far. All the information is well-organised and presented with stunning illustration. The amount of work that has gone into creating this book must have been tremendous. This is a must-have for all dragon fans.

Was this review helpful?

Fun little book. It reminded me of those informative history books for kids. Great for its target audience

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

A great children's book all about dragons. There's so much information about dragons and it's all very easy to follow. I loved the format of the book and the illustrations that go with it. The breakdown of the types of dragons, down to the types of wings they have, and everything was very fun to read. I think this is the perfect gift for dragon lovers, including adults lol.

Was this review helpful?

An absolutely stunning book on dragons, perfect for kids 7-11 and adults who adore these fascinating imaginary creatures. The artwork is gorgeous, and the design and info-rich text make it a delight to read. Recommended!

Was this review helpful?

Gorgeous and informative, this is a perfect addition to anyone's collection of books on dragons. This is intended for children, but as someone who used to translate the runes in my Dragonology books during recess - I think it's also a nice fit for any adult who still loves that whimsy in life. (And who never quite gave up that child who secretly thought dragons were real).

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for a copy of this book.

Was this review helpful?

A beautifully illustrated guide to dragons of the world.
For children. The children at the library will love it. Definitely the children.
OK it's me. It's me who really loves it.

Was this review helpful?

I don't usually review children's books, but my god this book is so cool! I, a 24 year old adult, had an absolute BLAST reading this. It is so fun and informative and it kept my attention the whole way through. The writing style and the artwork is gorgeous, I cant wait to have this book on my shelves. 10/10 and would absolutely recommend!

Was this review helpful?

Okay this was super cool!! I have three nephews and could easily see them loving all the facts about different dragons (10, 8, 7yrs old). I am actually very tempted to buy them a copy myself!

What I loved was the presentation of it being a “factual” textbook for aspiring scholars! I love immersive fiction like this.

The art was also spectacular and well crafted.

Definitely a fun book for lovers of dragons of all ages!! Though little ones who cant read much may only get to enjoy the pictures!

Was this review helpful?