I am delighted that KENNY & THE DRAGON by Tony Diterlizzi happened to fall into my lap. Not in the habit of reading fantasy aimed at a younger market, there is certainly something in the cover illustration that catches the eye and the heart just a little bit. A definite childish glee inhabits the features of Kenny Rabbit and Grahame Dragon as they race along a country road. The illustrations that pepper the length of the book capture the characters comfortably living their lives and are more like etchings that give the book an elegant timeless quality. While aimed at children, there is a classical allusion to St. George & the dragon as well as Grahame dropping Elizabethan bon mots here and there encouraging children just a little to think beyond what they might be used to. The story involves the classic children’s story trope of the importance of friendship, but does so in a fresh way. Kenny is a bit of a loner and really only has two friends—both of whom he bonds with through reading. When during the course of events his two friends are forced to face each other on the field of battle, one friend being a dragon and the other a retired knight, Kenny uses his love of reading to imagine a way out of their predicament. It is a slight tale but one told with a warm and gentle touch.