Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons

The Dragonology series was one of my first exposures to these kinds of playful 'guidebooks' and they are instant classics. They were such powerful souvenirs of nostalgia, I had to have my own copies after I graduated HS. These books are definitely marketed for younger audiences- including items within the pages like pull out tabs, maps, 'dragon skin' or 'dragon dust' (nothing but embossed paper with a scale pattern and a sealed bag of glitter) and even the author's report card (You know, to prove his authenticity and expertise in his dragon school). It definitely does the job of getting a kid's imagination stoked the right way. The book acts as both a guide and a workbook, for you to fill in your own answers from your own studies of show more dragons. It's very engaging and a nice source of entertainment. I know plenty of adults who enjoy these books too- my school librarians were such people. They always supported the idea that you are never too old to grow out of a love of fantasy and be in touch with your inner child from time to time because it is okay to be young at heart. They used this book as a sort of 'coffee table' book for the reading room, and it definitely received plenty of amused eyes on it- from adult to teen. I can't say enough nice things about this book and the Dragonology series. Please give it the love it deserves and check out a copy for yourself.

This is the larger, more ornate version of the Dragonology books. The print quality is both outstanding and appealing- complete with a metallic ink dragon surrounding 3 green 'gems' that appears to be inset on the cover of a mystical tome.

I have generally the same thing to say about the smaller, more compact version of this book:
https://www.librarything.com/work/73016/reviews/228346416 show less

#63, 2004

This is a GORGEOUS book which I picked up serendipitously at Borders (or B&N, can't remember which). It's a facsimile of a book originally published in 1895; a guide for the dragonologist. It's a natural history of dragons, including information on different types of dragons, how to work with and study them, famous dragon slayers and dragonologists - there is tons of great stuff in here. I spent an afternoon diligently translating riddles from the ancient runic dragon language, and yes, my face is reflected in the "dragon eye," which means I have the "innate wisdom and affinities with dragons" to become a true dragonmistress.

And, okay, so I know it doesn't really belong in the "nonfiction" section, but it's just beautiful. show more Lovely illustrations, "dragon scales" and things embedded into the pages, little envelopes with "handwritten" notes inside. What a lot of fun. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who loves dragons. It's one of the more beautiful books in my library. show less

Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons is a richly illustrated “nonfiction” guide presented as though dragons are real creatures studied by Victorian dragonologist Dr. Ernest Drake. The book explores different dragon species, their habitats, anatomy, behavior, history, and interactions with humans. It contains detailed diagrams, maps, lift-the-flap features, textured elements, letters, and notes that create an immersive, museum-style reading experience. Rather than a narrative, the book functions as a fantastical field guide filled with lore and pseudo-scientific detail.

For anyone interested in writing about or drawing dragons, it proves invaluable, with it's wealth of high-quality artwork and descriptions on the creatures. For fleshing out your idea of dragons for your fantasy art or novels, it's perfect, and anyone with artistic sense will adorable the effort put into the illustrations.

For those looking for some absorbing fiction, though, it will only disappoint - as much as it pretends to be serious, it falls flat on it's face with cheap props - shiny paper and glitter make up most of the 'proof' of dragons existing.

What makes it worse is that "Dragonology" still stands as one of the higher-quality and more convincing of the 'Ologies'.

So if you're looking for something thought-provoking, or, for the show more odder among you - 'proof' - then it will sorely disappoint.

But if you're willing to let go of the resentment at that, or if you just read it for the fun of it, it's great. An interesting, interactive book that young children would adore.

A job well done, really. show less

A whimsical book for sure, the textures and little pop out details are gorgeous. The thick binding grabs your eyes with "Dragon" on the side followed by "ology", any kid who doesn't know the second half of the word, is already pulled in by the first. It's lively within the pretty cover, with many illustrations that leave you reading tiny print details and fiddling with paper flaps that hide secrets. Definitely recommend for kids, it's a keeper!

Dragonology written by Dr. Ernest Drake is a wonderfully illustrated book with amazing pictures depicting the supernatural creatures known as dragons. The book reads like a science book in that it is divided into chapters that include the “Biology and Psychology of Dragons” and in that it includes detailed illustrations and explanations of dragons and their origins all over the world. Data such as dates and descriptions add to the “validity” of the information. I loved that the pictures are beautifully colored and that it is a large book where the reader may enjoy all the illustrations. The book includes fold outs that allowed the publishers to include extra information beyond the regular page. The pages also have scrapbook show more appeal as it includes items such as samples of “dragon specimens” that the reader may feel with his fingers but may not easily remove from the book since they are imbedded into the heavy paper that includes two layers. The author not only includes scientific information about dragons, but also adds depth to the dragon my developing many characteristics of dragons. For example, in Chapter IV the book has a creative pop out book of “Riddles and Puzzles” that may be used to distract a dragon in case of an emergency. The author states that, “Dragons are great lovers of riddles, and see them as intellectual and linguistic challenges”. This is a creative element since it defines the dragon not so much as a senseless killing fire breathing “monster”, but as an intellectual creature with great reasoning capabilities and physical strength. I thought it was an inspiring book for a child with a vivid imagination.
Ages 7 and up show less

The true magic of this book is that it really appeals to all ages. Though aimed at elementary school children, it holds appeal to younger and older audiences. Plenty of beautifully sketched, black-and-white illustrations make it easy to read, yet the text is presented in such a way as to appeal to older children as well as younger. In addition, there are so many flaps, riddles, and other material to make this an extremely entertaining read for all. It can even be used as a learning tool—tales about dragon encounters could be used to teach children history and literature and the possible explanations for fiery dragon’s breath could be used in a science classroom. Matter-of-fact yet fanciful descriptions of dragons make it possible show more for the suspension of disbelief even after the book is finished—and make it a book to read over and over again. Though fictional, the sheer extent of information based on actual literature will appeal to even nonfiction lovers. show less