Review by Booklist Review
One day, as bored Paloma watches Nanny sleep, a dragon arrives at her house. Excited, she searches for him through all the unique rooms of the house and finds him in the attic. Inadvertently tickling him as she lovingly scratches his scales, the dragon erupts in laughter, spewing forth the sea and numerous creatures and transforming the house into an aquarium. Chastised, the dragon admits to just being sleepy. Gently, Paloma settles the dragon on the roof and returns to her post next to Nanny. Inspired by Spanish artist Antoni Gaudí's Casa Batlló, Alix and Sochard bring to life this amazing home. Elephant-shaped columns, undulating walls, and a spectacular roof covered with mosaic tiles resembling a dragon are but a few of its features highlighted in the story. Photographs of the house as well as a Q&A with the author and illustrator are included. With its rich, vibrant illustrations and oversize pages, this book provides readers with opportunities to find nuanced details time after time and offers a great introduction to a whimsical artist.--Esmeralda Majors Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--The Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852--1926) is best known for the Basílica de la Sagrada Família and the homes he designed for Barcelona's elite, characterized by undulating, asymmetrical spaces; stained glass; and fanciful roofs incorporating Art Nouveau, modernist, naturalistic, and sometimes fantastical forms. The design for his stunning Casa Batlló (the setting for this oversize European import), incorporates features of a dragon, from the interior carved handrails that represent its backbone to the vibrant iridescent tiles reminiscent of scales to the reptilian body draped over the building's rooftop facade. At home with her dozing, elderly nanny, Paloma, the young protagonist of this story, leaves her chair. A storm is brewing and the girl opens a window, letting in a frenzied bat. Soon, the two encounter a frightful dragon that unleashes an explosion of water and waves into the house, echoing the many marine forms integrated into Casa Batlló's design. Chaos ensues until the sleepy creature retreats to the roof. When unaware nanny awakes, something looks different, but she isn't quite sure what. It's a story readers have heard before, but here it's the setting and architectural details of the celebrated home that drive the action and dialogue, albeit somewhat awkwardly. Full-spread, cartoon-like illustrations in warm golds, greens, and ocean blues feature stiffly articulated characters. Author and illustrator notes offer context about Gaudí and the building, but may be of more interest to adults than children. VERDICT A slight story, probably best appreciated by those who have visited the site.--Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A quirky story of a girl and a dragon inspired by the equally quirky Casa Batll, designed by the celebrated architect Antoni Gaud.As her nanny sleeps, Paloma hears a sound at the window. Upon her opening it, a frightened bat flies in. It is fleeing something, and that something is now on the stairs. Unafraid, Paloma seeks it out. Eventually catching up to the creaturenow identified as a dragonPaloma tickles it between its scales, causing the dragon to explode in laughter and so "unleashing the sea and all its waves, tuna, crabs, cuttlefish and seaweed!" Having unwittingly swallowed all this during a previous yawn, the dragon is sorry to have caused a flood in her house and now just asks for a place to sleep. He curls himself up on the roof, "closes its eyes and falls asleep." Paloma returns to the room where her nanny is waking up, unaware there is a dragon on the roof. As the adventure takes place, the illustrations portray columns in the shape of bones, a staircase like a winding spine, and tile work resembling an oceanscape. Should children believe the house is the product of the illustrator's imagination, photographs of the real Casa Batll in Barcelona show that the house does exist and that a dragon sleeps on its roof.A whimsical introduction to one of the most unconventional architects of the 20th century. (further information, interview with author and illustrator) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
