Saint George and the Dragon

Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges. Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman.
Youth Non-fiction – Lower Level – J398.22 SAI

Here is an oldie but goodie that deserves to be remembered. Caldecott-award winning illustrator Trina Schart Hyman is one of my favorites of all time, and this book is a fine example of her work. These are glorious full-page pictures (watercolor and ink if I am not mistaken), with borders and marginalia around the facing page of text. It’s a long picture book for older readers and the text, telling the story of the Red Cross Knight’s epic battle with the dragon, is beautifully written. Every time that my son asks for it at bedtime on an already late night, I look for a way to abridge the text to make it a more manageable length. Every time I end up just reading the whole thing, because the words are just right, with strong metaphors and alliterations adding to the medieval feel of the book. For kids too old for little-kid picture books and not quite ready for all chapter books, this is a book detailed and exciting enough to capture.