School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-When Baby Dragon's mother must leave him alone overnight, she warms his face, tickles his tail, and tells him she will return in the morning. He must wait by the red fern near the river for her, and he does. He does not play with Frog or go away with Weasel, but he becomes sadder and sadder as he waits. When Crocodile offers to take Baby Dragon to his mother, he climbs on Crocodile's back. The wind sings to him in his mother's voice, and he escapes the reptile's trickery by jumping onto a log. Then step by weary step he follows the riverbank through moonlight and starlight back to the familiar red fern. His mother finds him there in the morning. As he curls up with her and warms her face with his breath, she assures him that she will always come back. Hillenbrand's illustrations, done with ink, colored pencil, finger paint, gouache, and collage, and digitally manipulated, bring to life Baby Dragon's misty tropical forest where water buffaloes wander and storks splash in the river. The crocodile's heavy-lidded, yellow eyes and large jaws contrast sharply with the gentle faces of the dragons. Young children-especially those who have been sad and lonely in their parents' absence-will find comfort in this lovely, reassuring tale.-Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Hillenbrand's (Counting Crocodiles) expressive artwork shines in this well-structured story about a baby dragon that grows restless while waiting for his mother to return from an overnight trip. More puppy than dragon, more endearing than fearsome, Baby Dragon waits semipatiently for hours ("He drew a picture in the dirt. He counted his claws. He took a nap") but as day turns to night, he accepts a shifty-looking crocodile's offer to take him upriver to find her. Ehrlich's (When I Was Your Age) plot climax is free of fear: when Baby Dragon realizes he's in danger, he bravely jumps to a convenient floating log while the villain doesn't even notice. The author emphasizes instead her protagonist's pint-size determination: he puts "one foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other" until he returns to the meeting spot designated by his mother. Hillenbrand uses a variety of media, then tweaks it all digitally to achieve layered, batiklike effects--despite the dense patterning, his compositions are light and harmonious. Winning. Ages 4-8. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
Mother Dragon instructs her baby to wait for her by the red fern while she visits his grandmother, telling him she'll be back by morning but neglecting to explain why he's being left behind. The friendly-looking dragons nuzzle each other, and off mother goes. Throughout his wait, Baby Dragon entertains himself by drawing, counting, napping and torching a mosquito. Frog and Weasel invite him to play, but Baby Dragon stays put according to mother's instructions. As night falls, the mood and story become darker, reflected in Will Hillenbrand's engaging mixed-media illustrations. When Crocodile glides by and offers Baby Dragon a ride to find his mother he just can't resist. He quickly discovers the threat Crocodile poses and makes a daring escape, returning to the fern. After his harrowing adventure, readers will wonder why he was left on his own in the first place. While the illustrations are appealing and colorful and the repetitive nature of the storytelling engaging in its predictability, this story may well frighten the young children it's aimed at. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.