When the dragon family learns of an upcoming flying contest, it is eager to compete. Because little Drago can't fly yet, he enlists the help of a bird to give him lessons in secret. Each night, he sneaks away to practice, building his strength and practicing his figure-eight moves. Finally, contest day arrives. After watching his family members lose one competition after another, Drago astonishes them by rising into the sky and winning a prize for his specialty: the figure eight. The story unfolds in speech and thought balloons as well as text boxes. Created with pencil, ink, and Photoshop, the cartoon-style illustrations are at their dramatic best when unencumbered by too much setting and detail. The real fantasy here isn't the existence of dragons or flying contests; it's the idea that the novice beats the experts. That's a powerful notion for many young children, who will get involved in the story and savor the happy ending. Kroll, a prolific author of 96 books, died on March 15, 2011.--Phelan, Caroly. Copyright 2010 Booklist

K-Gr 1-When his family sees a sign for a Flying Contest, little Drago wants to compete, but his parents and older siblings remind him that he can't fly. Determined, the youngster finds a bird to give him lessons. The little dragon practices every night and becomes particularly adept at figure eights. On the day of the contest, it is expected that he will watch while others fly. However, when the final event, the Figure Eight Contest, is announced, Drago cannot keep his feet on the ground, proving that high aspirations and perseverance pay off. While the plot is simple and predictable, the superhero image is sure to draw children to it. The text is presented in word balloons or inset boxes. The sweeping strokes, bold curving lines, and bright colors of the artwork will appeal to fans of animation and graphic novels. Pair this book with Watty Piper's The Little Engine That Could (Platt & Munk, 1954) or Deloris Jordan's Salt in His Shoes (S & S, 2000), about young Michael Jordan, who was too short to be chosen to play basketball, for a storytime theme of working to achieve your goals.-Mary Hazelton, Elementary Schools in Warren & Waldoboro, ME (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Little dragon Drago wants to participate in a flying contest, but his family says he's too young to get airborne. Drago sneaks away to train with a bird; he then surprises everyone by winning the contest--and his family's respect. Bold comic-style illustrations, complete with speech-bubble dialogue, give this conflict-lite story some welcome loft. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.