ARC Copy...cute and colourful (rendered in lush watercolour illustrations) sometimes just being your "dragon" self will make the world beautiful.

Ogni sera all'imbrunire i draghi si levano in volo, e sputando fumo offuscano il cielo e portano la notte.

Tutti meno Maud. Dolce, timorosa, dalle scaglie brillanti e colorate, non ha mai volato, né mai ha offuscato il cielo col suo fumo.

L'unico suo amico e un topolino, e proprio lui la incita a essere quello che è, e infischiarsene di chi la prende in giro: finché Maud spiega le ali, e scopre di poter fare molto, molto meglio che portare la notte col fumo. La porta spargendo colori.

Una piccola fiaba delicata dai disegni semplici, che insegna il valore dell'amicizia e della diversità.

I recently favorably reviewed this artist's book Tug of War. I had slightly mixed feelings about that, but this book is not so much an order of magnitude greater, as it is in a different universe. It's a pure pleasure to read.

For some reason, this book did not want to download from Net Galley, but I'm glad I persisted. After three attempts it finally came down - dragons are like that! - and it turned out to be one of the most gorgeously-illustrated children's books I've ever read.

The cover looks like it's lit with neon lights, and the interior is one breathtaking image after another. Maud is a rainbow joy especially when compared with the earth tones of the other dragons. I read this in my iPad, but out of curiosity I downloaded it to my iPhone too, and it still looked good on there although the text is too small to read without stretching the image on the screen, but the pictures are worth having in your pocket!

Maud is a very shy night dragon and while her four colleagues (they're not really friends) launch every evening to spew out soot and darken the sun for night time, Maud sits and dreams. Her only true friend is the mouse who urges her to fly, but Maud is shy.

One afternoon the other four dragons have a party - Maud isn't invited it needles to say - and afterwards the others are so sleepy that they fail to awaken to start the night. It's all up to Maud! It turns out that Maud really isn't like the other dragons after all. Instead of sooty, dark sunsets, she breathes out the most fiery orange, startling yellow, deep red, heliotrope, and gold sunsets you ever saw. She flies all around the world delivering this brilliant bounty of beauty, and finally comes into her own - as any artist will given sufficient encouragement and support!
I loved this book and I recommend it as a worthy read for children young and old.

I loved Howarth's Tug of War and this book doesn't disappoint either.

We follow the story of Maud, who is a big, emotionally depressed colourful dragon who thinks she can't fly. Maud watches her sibling dragons fly every day but she's scared to try and doesn't think she can manage to fly. Her friend mouse believes in her, and motivates her and so they manage to get Maud into the sky!

I really enjoyed this book. Howarth's style of illustration is ace. Highly recommended for kids 4-7.

I know you shouldn't judge a book on its cover, but, seriously, look at this one! It's such a beautiful illustration that I just had to read the book!

The Night Dragon is a gorgeous story that's perfect for people to read to young children, all about how we are all different and unique in our own ways, and how you don't have to be the same as everyone else. It also highlights the importance of trying and not giving up, and believing in yourself and others.

I really enjoyed reading The Night Dragon, especially for the illustrations which were so beautiful and colourful! The end of the story was so heartwarming and the illustrations complimented that perfectly.