Droofus the dragon was separated from his family as a baby, and perhaps that’s just as well, because he is not quite an ordinary dragon. He would rather make friends with the animals of the forest than eat them, and this he does in solitary peace until he is fully grown. Then one day while out flying, Droofus is spotted by the king who decides he must have the head of a dragon for his great wall. Droofus manages to evade the king’s knights, but is discovered by a kindly farm boy who befriends and decides to hide the great dragon from the king and anyone who would turn the him over to have his head cut off. Droofus is of course eventually discovered and all seems lost when the king comes up with an innovative compromise that lets everyone live happily ever after. Bill Peet is a classic and much loved children’s book illustrator and author of such titles as The Caboose Who Got Loose, Buford the Little Bighorn and Chester the Worldly Pig, and his distinctly colorful and cheerful cartoon illustrations are just as vivid in this book. Droofus’s bright blue, scraggly exterior and crooked grin help to remind readers that appearances are not everything.
“Droofus is quite an extraordinary dragon. His sympathy for other animals turns him into a vegetarian and makes him quite safe to have around…Children will enjoy this amusing combination of fantasy and realism, and especially the cheerful illustrations of a likeable dragon.” – School Library Journal
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