Good Books

"Those Lazy, Dragon-Hot Days of Summer"

Ivy F. DeShield, contributing editor

As a child, some of my favorite reads were discovered over the lazy, hazy days of summer break. And now, as a full-fledged grown-up, I find that summer reads — brief with a light sprinkling or heavy dose of humor or quirkiness — are still my absolute favorites. And during the hottest season of the year when vacation and relaxation are foremost in our thoughts, a bit of lop-sided hilarity is the necessary ingredient for an entertaining recipe to pass away the leisurely moments.

And this summer, the absurdly funny; mouth-watering; can’t-put-it-down; knock-your-socks-off dish of the season is smack dab between the covers of a phenomenal, New York Times best-selling children’s picture book, “Dragons Love Tacos”, created by the award-winning duo: author, Adam Rubin and illustrator, Daniel Salmieri.

I absolutely adored the read from start to finish (and not just because tacos happen to be one of my favorite summer meals, but it is a nice bonus), because Rubin and Salmieri have magically fashioned a little piece of wonderful without rhyme or reason; I think they just wanted their readers to know how much dragons love tacos, which (I admit) I never knew. It’s as simple and unpretentious as things come; if you’re looking for anything more, e.g. tear-jerkers, sensible life lessons, or teachable moments to aid youth development, this is not the book for you. But if you are interested in equipping yourself with the proper items needed for a stupendous “taco party” for dragons (warnings and all included), you have come to the right place!

Personally, I think you’ll be doing your child and yourself a HUGE favor by reading this delightful work of literature very, very carefully. After all, you never know when you may be tasked with planning a house party for about 30-40 of your child’s favorite dragons. And if you’re not aware of their favorite food yet (umm...tacos; that’s right), then you may run into serious problems. But knowing how much they love tacos is not going to save you completely unless you know how much they HATE one particular ingredient. Not knowing this may leave you without house or home, but the choice is yours. I already know the secret, so I’ll let you and your little one have the pleasure of making this amusing discovery together.

To add to this work’s scrumptious toppings, Salmieri’s colorful array of playful and silly dragons sporting everything from lampshades to bikinis and having the time of their lives partying; dancing; playing charades; and, of course, eating boat loads of tacos is enough to drive even the dullest insane with laughter.

After enjoying this read, I guarantee that you will become an instant fan of Rubin and Salmieri’s quirky genius; therefore, I recommend that you also try some more generous helpings of their fantastic literary recipes for children and/or the young at heart to include “Those Darn Squirrels!” and “Those Darn Squirrels and the Cat Next Door”. As always, enjoy the read!