A Gold Star for Zog Hardcover – Picture Book, July 1, 2012

Prepare to embark on a delightful adventure with "Zog," the lovable young dragon who dreams of winning a gold star in his dragon classes.In "Zog," we follow our determined dragon protagonist through his trials and tribulations in dragon school. Despite his best efforts, Zog's attempts at flying, roaring, and breathing fire often result in comical mishaps. Yet, through it all, there's one constant presence—a kind young girl who offers comfort and aid whenever Zog finds himself in trouble.Donaldson's clever rhymes and playful storytelling make this book a joy to read aloud. The integration of dragons, princesses, and a classroom setting adds a unique twist to the traditional fairy tale narrative, keeping readers engaged and entertained from start to finish.The book has an uplifting message about perseverance, friendship, and the importance of following one's dreams. As Zog learns that success comes in many forms, readers are reminded that true achievement lies not in conforming to expectations, but in embracing one's true passions and aspirations.The reveal of the princess character's true identity and her dreams of becoming a doctor adds depth and nuance to the story, offering a refreshing take on traditional fairy tale tropes. It's a testament to Donaldson's storytelling prowess that she seamlessly integrates these elements into the narrative, creating a tale that feels both familiar and fresh.

My 2yo son is obsessed with all things Julia Donaldson and this is no exception. We started with The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child, then quickly purchased just about every other book she's written. We have a system where we provide a new book each time one of the children tries a new food (win-win). We gave him this one for trying goat cheese and we spent the next hour on the couch reading and re-reading. This is special because he normally gets screen time after dinner. so essentially, he choose to read instead of watch TV! I think we read it every day for the next 2 weeks, and still read it at least twice per week for the past several months. It is a cute story with Donaldson's usual flawless rhyming scheme and patterned refrains. Great for all ages.

This is a great book! I bought it for my 3-year-old because she loves The Gruffalo, also by Julia Donaldson. The two Zog books are engaging, and have nice messages about what girls can do and helping others. I love Donaldson’s books - her rhymes are fun to read and accessible for kids but with lots of strong words to learn, and there are lots of moments for a child to interact while reading, make predictions, etc. Also, the illustrations are beautiful and my daughter loves talking about them. We are slowly collecting all of Donaldson’s books, and I can’t recommend them enough.

I have read many children's books as a child and as a Father, this story was great. I really enjoy this author - if you like this book also look up "Room On The Broom"Also, it was a pleasant surprise that a main character in this book is named Pearl, if your daughter shares this similarity like mine.

Gruffalo is a great book for its symmetry, cleverness of the writing and character (of the mouse) -- but those are qualities which will be largely lost on a three-year-old. Mine loves this book, a clear favorite, because, well, it's simply fun, colorful, stuff "happens", it rhymes, lots of interesting characters, you name it! Adults might like the slightly P.C. message that contravenes the old fashioned fairy tale morals. My kids' (3-4 y/o) favorite books include this, Gruffalo, and Uri Shulvitz's Snow and So Sleepy. All are gems in rheir own way.

As grandparents of four, all under 5 years old, we were delighted to be introduced to the work of Julia Donaldson through her book and animated production, available on Netflix, of 'Room On The Broom'. We immediately purchased the hardback book and each of our grandkids can recite it verbatim! Since then we have purchased the 'Room On The Broom' dolls (witch, cat, dog) and several of the other works by Ms. Donaldson. The illustrations are wonderful and each book is delightful and imaginative. The children love each and every one!

I've checked this book out of the library so many times (and the library copy's pages are ripped because of so many others checking it out as well). I will continue to check it out for my grandkids who live near me....however I bought this as a gift for my other grandchildren (age 4 & 6) especially because their father is a doctor and I liked how the story down-played being a princess AND a knight and made the doctors the stars! Donaldson's books are fun to read and the illustrations are always great - filled with details that make it fun to look for and/or count various items on each page.

reading it over and over . First in a series of 2.