Attack of the Ninja Frogs (Dragonbreath Series #2)

by Ursula Vernon

Overview

Danny Dragonbreath knew girls were trouble. But the new foreign exchange student, Suki the Salamander, is beyond trouble. Not only has she reduced his best friend, Wendell, to a blithering, lovesick tadpole, but she's apparently the object of an elaborate ninja frog kidnapping plot. Danny is never one to pass up an adventure (especially one involving ninja frogs), and so he and Wendell and Suki set out on a dangerous quest through the mythical Japanese bamboo forests to find out what these fearsome frogs want. Danny may not be able to breathe fire like a normal dragon, but he and Wendell have watched lots of kung fu movies and can totally take on a bunch of ninja frogs. Or, um, so he hopes . . .

Using her trademark hybrid style of comic-book panels and text, Ursula Vernon has packed this second book in the hilarious Dragonbreath series with lots of kung fu, a little bit of loooove, and plenty of everyday school drama. A perfect fit for fans of Wimpy Kid and Bad Kitty.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780803733657
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	02/04/2010
Series:	Dragonbreath Series , #2
Pages:	203
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.28(h) x 0.78(d)
Lexile:	700L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Ursula Vernon lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina.

Editorial Reviews

Danny the dragon adores kung fu movies and dreams of battling ninjas. His dreams unexpectedly come true when ninja frogs attempt to kidnap his classmate Suki the salamander, an exchange student from Japan. Danny and his friend Wendell the iguana come to her aid, and the three of them travel to Great-Grandfather Dragonbreath's home in mythical Japan to find out what the ninjas are up to. The ancient dragon looks into Suki's past lives and announces that she is the reincarnation of the great warrior Leaping Sword, who used to rule a clan of ninja frogs hundreds of years ago. The frogs want her to return and be their leader, but Suki does not want to be a ninja—she wants to be a veterinarian. The old dragon suggests they enlist the help of the ninjas' enemies, the Geckos of the Golden Chrysanthemum, so the three young creatures join forces with them. Suki is the bait they use to draw out the ninja frogs, who capture her, along with Danny and Wendell. The frogs threaten to drop Danny and Wendell into a live volcano if Suki does not return to lead them, but help arrives just in time from an unexpected source. The cheerfully offbeat sense of humor in this title, a sequel to Dragonbreath, is well matched by the cartoon strip-like illustrations, giving the book a graphic-novel quality that adds to its appeal. Fans will eagerly look forward to the next in the series, Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Wiener. Give this book to readers who enjoy Dan Pilkey and Jon Scieszka. Reviewer: Paula Rohrlick

Children's Literature - Paula Rohrlick

Gr 2–4—Danny Dragonbreath's love of ninja comic books and movies not only fills his imaginative play, but also assists him when he is confronted in real life with ninja frogs that attack his friend Suki, an exchange student from Japan. This attack causes Danny and his friend Wendell to take her on a bus ride to mythological Japan to seek out Danny's wise great-grandfather to assist with their situation. The spirited illustrations, done in green and black with touches of red, capture the humor of the characters' adventures. This delightful easy chapter book could tempt reluctant readers into turning another page.—Nancy D. Tolson, Mitchell College, New London, CT

School Library Journal