Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Danny the Dragon "Meets Jimmy" by Tina Turbin

DDanny the Dragon Meets JimmyTake the children in your life on a magical journey where friends are made in unexpected ways.

Danny the Dragon "Meets Jimmy” by Tina Turbin is the perfect vehicle for whisking children into a story and feeling part of all that is inside. Whimsical and colorful illustrations paired with great writing make this book a  must- have on any parent, grandparent or classroom bookshelf.
We are introduced to Jimmy’s family enjoying a fun day at the beach when a discovery of a special shell with unlikely inhabitants leads them all into an adventure of special friendships.


Children are taught through Danny the Dragon and his sidekick Skipper, that friendships can be forged with those different than us. A bonus is that Danny is the most well-mannered dragon I’ve met in my readings! 

    I 'm an elementary school substitute teacher who recently had an opportunity to share this book with a classroom of enthusiastic Second Graders. Their verdict? All thumbs up!

Instead of reading the book, I played the "Danny the Dragon DREAMS" 
 CD which allowed me to roam the classroom showing the students the illustrations while they enjoyed the sound effects. Following the story, there is a selection of soothing instrumental songs. They begged me to play it again, and I obliged. We had a discussion about their favorite part of the story afterwards and their insights were keen:
• Pleasantly surprised that parents would be accepting of Jimmy’s unusual friends.
• Amazement that Danny and Skipper live in a sea shell.
•Curious  of what else is in that shell?  I told them let imagination be their guide!
• In awe of how Danny and Skipper fit in the shell.


The accompanying DVD enhances the book experience. Viewers are treated to vivid illustrations and the voiceover spoke in a clear tone at just the right pace. A big bonus is the words are “spoken” for the deaf via a sign language interpreter. This is a spectacular feature for hearing and deaf viewers, alike.


"Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy" book, "Danny the Dragon DREAMS"  CD and "Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy DVD are a permanent part of my substitute teaching tote bag, and I eagerly anticipate sharing Tina Turbin’s brilliant work with many more children. The key to knowing if a book is a success, is did the author leave the reader wanting more?   Congratulations, Tina, the children I read your book to want to know where Danny and Skipper are going to next!


Ms. Turbin is generously giving Chapter Two readers a chance to win their own autographed copy of Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy”.


Entry Instructions: Please leave a comment with your contact email , about a special friendship in your life for one entry. A second entry for becoming a Follower. A third entry will be given for tweeting about this giveaway. Three entries (comment/Follower/tweet) per household. Giveaway ends Wednesday, March 10 at 11:59 PST. The winner will be determined by random draw and notified by email. To learn more about Danny the Dragon and Tina Turbin’s journey as a mother, writer, researcher and humanitarian, visit http://dannythedragon.com/,   http://tinaturbin.com/ and http://glutenfreehelp.info/
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My pairing recommendations for this children's book is fun and frothy Flava Puff Cotton Candy and a tingle for tastebuds Martinelli Sparkling Apple Cherry Juice