Monday, 1 September 2014

Magic Galore In Childrens Book About Dragons

By Mattie MacDonald


Dragons, those huge, scary mythical beasts with wings and fire-lashing forked tongues that can devour anything in their path, are popular figures in children's books. These creatures with their magic powers are what fantasy is about . . . And who can relate better to fantasy than kids?

Children love dragon stories and all kids can relate to these mythical creatures that are so creatively portrayed in a childrens book about dragons. Huge, scary dragons appeal to the heroic instinct of boys who fantasize about slaying them. Girls dream about being rescued from these monsters by a handsome knight who wants to marry them.

What make these mystical creatures so special? What do they have that fascinates people from all over the world? And why are people, even today, so intrigued by stories and folklore about a species that only existed in man's imagination?

But then again, who said dragons are not real? There is no real proof that they never existed and may even still be around! Maybe, just maybe, they are among us, but can only be seen through the eyes of a child . . .

Dragons can have many forms and shapes. They can be good or evil. Big or small. Pretty or ugly, scary or loving. In the world of dragons anything is possible. It is a make-believe world into which one can escape and become whatever you want.

Most children have a favorite dragon friend whose character and traits appeal most to them. All dragons have fancy or meaningful names and kids can talk to them and play with them whenever they want. Popular dragons pop up like magic in a child's world. They are in books, on TV, in video games and some even attach themselves to the clothes or bedding of their favorite human friend to stay in close contact! If a child wants to communicate with a specific dragon, he or she can summon it by drawing or painting it's picture.

The illustrators of children's books have a ball portraying these huge creatures in various ways. Some dragons have long, thick tails with which they can sweep a whole city away. Some have horns and huge, sharp, pointed teeth. Their huge, claw-like feet can have 3,4 or 5 toes. There is no specific blueprint to indicate what a real dragon truly looks like, and thus children can give free rein to their fantasies when they draw, color or read about them. This lead to a wonderful, colorful variety of dragon caricatures featuring different personalities, trends and traits.

Kids will tell you that baby dragons come from huge eggs. When they are ready to be born, they crawl out of the egg and start walking or flying straight away. Good dragons always have to protect themselves and the universe from the cruel, fire-spitting monsters and in the world of dragons, the good always wins!

Grownups have always speculated about where dragons come from and whether they live in the sea or on land. In the Middle Ages people only knew about land-based dragons that looked like huge snakes, lizards or dinosaurs. The first sailors thought dragons only lived in the sea and therefore people were scared to cross the ocean.

Are dragons just a figment of human imagination, kept alive by embroidered myths about huge prehistoric animals such as dinosaurs? Or is it possible that they truly exist and only expose themselves to children? Who knows? As long as they capture the imagination and inspire imaginative stories, dragons will be with us!




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