The Dragon Ark: Join the Quest to Save the Rarest Dragon on Earth, written by Curatoria Draconis, illustrated by Tomislav Tomić, 75 pp, RL 4

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The Dragon Ark: 
Join the Quest to Save the Rarest Dragon on Earth 
written by Curatoria Draconis & edited by Emma Roberts
illustrated by Tomislav Tomić
Review Copy from Magic Cat / Abrams Kids
THIS BOOK IS SO COOL!!! From the giant trim size to the intricate, breathtaking illustrations, you will pore over every page again and again. And, as if this wasn't enough, this book has an engaging mystery solved by characters that are almost all people of color and themes of conservation and environmental awareness woven throughout. 

Curatoria Draconis, also known as the Dragon Protector, addresses readers with a greeting at the start of the book that introduces them to her work and her vessel, the Dragon Ark. Known as "the mightiest vessel most people will never see," the Dragon Ark is a refuge to dragons impacted by the voracious human consumption of natural resources, as well as a first aid station and research center. Curatoria and her crew know the whereabouts of, "EVERY KNOWN SPECIES of dragon on EVERY CONTINENT of the globe. Except for one. The exquisite CELESTIAL DRAGON." The search has been going on for centuries and, if they don't find it soon, Curatoria warns that we risk the unthinkable - the extinction of the most mystical of all dragons. As the crew of the Dragon Ark travels the world, readers are treated to encyclopedic details about dragons from each region with a "terrain focus" that features specific locations, monuments, flora and fauna. All of the crew's observations on dragons - from size, dietary habits (including an awesome illustration of a North American dragon in the Rockies, a moose dangling from its jaws), personality traits and more - are included each step of the journey. These pockets of information add to the story, but also can be skipped and returned to later. As the journey unfolds, clues to the hiding spot of the Celestial Dragon send the Dragon Ark to China where they work against the clock. The final pages (spoiler: they find the Celestial Dragon) are glorious with the added gold leaf - definitely an image you will pore over!

A superb, oversized picture book with a visual story that will hook readers of all ages!









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