Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #700111 in Books
• Published on: 2005-09-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 3
• Binding: Paperback
• 80 pages

Customer Reviews

An indispensible primer for a life of wonder and fascination
I bought the original "Dragonology" a while back, so I knew the style in which these books were presented: as convincing, "factual" books on dragons, created for children but equally appealing to adults, filled with knick-knacks and interactive elements and magnificent illustrations. "Working With Dragons", nevertheless - presented as a textbook and spiral-bound like my own textbooks were, and opening with a page that insists the reader take "The Dragonologist's Oath", swearing to "solemnly protect and conserve those dragons that still remain, and in no way to harm them, or reveal their secret hiding places to those who do not believe in them or would wish them anything other than good fortune" - infused me with such a potent sense of wonder that I was quite honestly giddy. To find such an enchantingly ornamented and participatory book, crammed with little "homework" exercises that can be undertaken in the real world and serve to cement the bond between dragons and reality in a child's mind, is a rarity; to find a book on dragons that presents them as benevolent and intelligent beings, deserving not of human hatred and fear but of respect, understanding and honouring as allies and friends in mutual learning, is equally so; to find the two combined in one inexpensive, potentially formative volume is a treasure beyond words. My only qualm with it regarding giving it to children is its instruction to "apply for an orphan dragon's egg", which gives a template for writing the letter but provides no address or actual scheme for applying for an "egg" in this world - which is sure to disappoint kids and breaks the fourth wall a little, though given the spiral-bound nature of the book, if you really were intent on convincing your kids as to its reality you could always tear out those pages and make the excuse that you've "had the textbook for a while". In fact, though its pages already come with faux inkstains and the like, this is one book you might want to batter about a bit before you give it to your kids, just to add that touch of authenticity.

Books like this make me want to have children solely to raise another human being with the kind of values, ethics and appreciation of the so-called mythical they teach. I'll unquestionably be buying the other Ernest Drake books, and I'll be handing this one down to my kids or, failing that, passing it onto those of friends or relatives. If there are any human children in your life, these books will be gifts of two invaluable commodities of which they should under no circumstances be deprived: inspiration and magic. If you lament the cynicism, worldweariness and xenophobia of the children you see around you today, don't miss this chance to instil your own with the sense of wonder, fascination and acceptance of the unusual they'll provide.

And if you don't have kids and don't know any, hey, buy them for yourself. :) They'll transport you back to a time when the world seemed more innocent, more magical, and maybe get you looking at it through those unblemished eyes again. Because it's not really the world that's changed, you know; it's just us.

so old
i dont atually own this book now but i am going to as i have just brought it. My freind brought it in one day and just looking at it i loved the pages they look so old, like parchment and the pictures, well the pictures is what sold it for me like they were drawn with ink and a quill yet they are so detailed and well drawn. i use to love dragons but went off them alot untill my freind brought the book in, i rembered how cool they look and how i loved that some people belived in them and some people didn't the mystery of them that will never be sovled its like god just alot cooler. even if you don't really like dragons and don't belive in them you shoud still buy this book as it so well written.

go on buy it you know you want to!!!!!!!

Dragons
This was a birthday gift for my daughter who is an avid artist. She loves dragons and this book has not left her side since she got it. She has copied the artwork and it has inspired her to create more dragon drawings. The whole family have all been informed how to look after dragons time and time again just in case one ever arrives at our abode!!!!