LitPick Review
Have you ever heard of a dragon whose lifelong dream is to become a comedian? This idea is the unique storyline of the book Nickerbacher, by Terry John Barto.
Nickerbacher is a starry-eyed dragon whose primary job is to stand guard for Princess Gwendolyn in a tall tower. This position is not his dream. Instead, he has a simple dream of becoming the first dragon comedian, a dream that seems almost impossible to reach. Achieving his dream is complicated because his father is completely opposed to Nickerbacher becoming a comedian; he believes that dragons are not supposed to make people laugh.
When a prince arrives, thinking he needs to rescue Gwendolyn, the result is that the strong-willed princess and the dragon join together to stop his efforts. They devise a plan to get all three of them to La La Land, where Nickerbacher can audition to be a comedian on the Late Knight Show. Will they make it there successfully? Will Nickerbacher become the first dragon comedian? Will he prove to his father and the rest of the world that dragons really CAN make people laugh?
Opinion:
Nickerbacher is a funny book that is also very inspiring because it proves that as long as you believe in yourself, you can do things that seem impossible. It emphasizes the values of perseverance and confidence in a way that young children can understand.
Although Nickerbacher is more of a chapter book than a picture book, the illustrations are vivid and very detailed. I loved how the characters were described in a way that painted a picture in my head. The funny ways they interacted with each other kept me engrossed in their story.
I would recommend this book for children ages 5-9. Beginning chapter book readers who love fantasy will certainly enjoy Nickerbacher, and it would make a great read-aloud book for younger children.
