Kenny & the Book of Beasts - (Kenny & the Dragon) by Tony Diterlizzi (Hardcover)

About the Book

Kenny Rabbit's jealousy leads to trouble after Dante the Manticore escapes from an evil witch's magical book and reunites with his old friend, Grahame the Dragon.

Book Synopsis

In this highly anticipated sequel to New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Honor-winning author Tony DiTerlizzi's Kenny and the Dragon, Kenny must cope with many changes in his life--including the fear that he's losing his best friend.

What can come between two best friends?

Time has passed since Kenny Rabbit's last adventure with his best friend, the legendary dragon Grahame, and a lot has changed in the sleepy village of Roundbrook.

For starters, Kenny has a whole litter of baby sisters. His friends are at different schools and Sir George is off adventuring.

At least Kenny still has his very best friend, Grahame. That's before Dante arrives. Dante is a legendary manticore and an old friend of Grahame's. Old friends spend a lot of time catching up. And that catching up does not involve Kenny.

But there's a Witch to defeat, a pal to rescue, and a mysterious book to unlock. And those are quests for best friends, not old friends. Right?

Review Quotes

"A long-eared young hero takes on a witch bent on trapping rare legendary creatures in a magical book.

Not so much a pastiche of E. Nesbit's short story "Book of Beasts" as an original novel with cribbed elements, this adventuresome outing regathers and expands the animal cast of DiTerlizzi's 2008 reworking of The Reluctant Dragon (titled Kenny & the Dragon) for a fresh challenge...this oblique homage to a now-creaky classic is lit by friendships, heroic feats, and exceptional art." - Kirkus Reviews

"This may be a cozy world filled with darling animals--DiTerlizzi's fabulous illustrations bring them adorably to life--but the stakes are high, and the lessons on friendship, acceptance, and the dangers of prejudice are meaningful. It's certainly worth the return to the remarkable Roundbrook and its residents." - Booklist

About the Author

#1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi has been creating children's books for over twenty years. From fanciful picture books like The Spider & the Fly to chapter book series like the Search for WondLa, DiTerlizzi imbues his stories with a rich imagination. With Holly Black, he created the middle grade series the Spiderwick Chronicles, which has sold 20 million copies, been adapted into a feature film, and been translated in over thirty countries. The Norman Rockwell Museum's exhibition "Never Abandon Imagination" featured artwork from the beginning of DiTerlizzi's career as a contributing artist for Dungeons & Dragons and broke attendance records. He has been featured in Time magazine and USA TODAY and on CNN, PBS, NPR, the BBC, and the Today show.