Book About Dragons

Read Sample

Contrary to their reputation in European mythology as evil, fire breathing monsters, in Chinese culture, dragons symbolise power, strength, intelligence and well deserved good luck. The dragon is the animal chosen to represent the most auspicious year in the Chinese zodiac.

Young Australian author, Tommy Shen, a precocious nine years of age, draws on his mother Jessie’s Chinese heritage to bring you Book About Dragons (They are not bad). As the subtitle suggests, Tommy’s dragons are not at all bad. As the young author explains in the introduction: “Dragons are loving and kind! They love sharing their love and wisdom!”

Book About Dragons describes 88 different kinds of dragons, and the relationships between them. In doing so, it not only amuses and entertains by way of the unexpected quirks of many of the beasts, but subtly distils the pearls of wisdom that are “the heart of every dragon”.

Although Book About Dragons is steeped in Chinese mythology, its themes are universal. Tommy begins by asking readers, “Do you believe in or have you seen a dragon? Do you believe you are a powerful dragon born to become a superhero?” He then proclaims: “I have many, many stories about dragons to tell you. You just need to start to believe… We are the sisters and brothers from the same dragon family across the universe”.

As well as being a meditation on themes such as the magic of childhood and the love and connectedness shared by all humanity, Book about Dragons tells the story of a little boy’s love for his family, his search for understanding and his emerging belief in something bigger than all of us.

Book About Dragons is a children’s book that will captivate parents and children alike, filling them with the wonder of the world seen through the eyes of a very special little boy.

Tommy Shen

At just eight years of age, Tommy Shen has published his Book About Dragons as a pastime and attributed all the good traits of his 88 dragons to the ‘good life’ that his mum and dad have given him in Melbourne. With a Chinese mum and an Indonesian dad, Tommy’s fascination of dragons emerged when he was first born – in the Year of the Dragon, of course, which he feels has given him a great appreciation for these mythical beasts. According to Tommy, Dragons are very rare with different capabilities. Each and every Dragon is a favourite – they are all very special and Tommy hopes that you too will find this when you buy a book and flick through the colourful pages complete with text in English and Mandarin. Boss Dragon is perhaps Tommy’s most loved. According to the animated young boy, “Boss Dragon works on his own project, being his own boss, without any help from others – then one day he realises that ‘everyone is equal’ and decides to work together with his people accepting each other’s differences.” Dragons according to this young author, are loving and kind and they like sharing what they have learned. They also learn and develop at their own pace and ‘it is OK to be slow!’ Tommy’s first venture into publishing will see the profits from the book donated to the Lighthouse Foundation, for ‘all those children, according to Tommy, who are less fortunate and who need help’. So, why don’t you start believing, and see the pearls of wisdom on offer on each page which go to the heart of each dragon. It is Drag-On!!