Once upon at time, there was a story about a story…
“It needs to be about a kid who is eaten by a dragon” insists the big blue monster.
But his little monster friend is not convinced that this is a good idea. "Dragon stories usually don't end well," he warns.
Dennis the dragon knows exactly how this story should go... And by the way, what day is it?
Watch out!
“A big blue monster and a little yellow monster try to drum up an entertaining dragon story for the audience... This recursive tale invites young readers right into the storytelling process to create their own, as well as to enjoy the efforts of the two monsters.”
— Kirkus Review
“The silly title of this book gives no clue to its true subject: how to write an interesting book. But treating this serious topic whimsically is just the way to get a child's attention. On the beginning end pages, a cute, childish blue monster begins a story; on the final pages, a more dramatic monster begins another. In between, we meet a full cast of potential characters: a hungry dragon, a damsel in distress, several kids, a cowardly knight, and, of course, a sidekick.
Like all good books, the story goes through several edits as it attempts to become more interesting and complex. The surprise conclusion is just the ticket for young readers, and it offers the potential for more. Bentley's illustrations, created by pencil and pen and colored with digital gouache and watercolor, are muted, with some surreal landscapes, giving the story a dreamlike focus and highlighting the world of the imagination.”
— Edie Ching, Booklist
Dragons Eat Noodles on Tuesdays.
By Jon Stahl. Illustrated by Tadgh Bentley
March 2019. 40p. Scholastic Books.
The Back Story
After years of rejection in writing children’s picture books—submitting the text only—Jon decided to sketch some rough illustrations to go along with the text of what would eventually come to be Dragons Eat Noodles on Tuesday. He filled up a sketch pad with pictures and words and showed the results to his first grade students.
They giggled.
Then they chuckled.
Then they laughed.
Success in front of a test audience!
The illustrations, rough as they were (and they were rough), allowed for Jon’s agent to see the book for what it could be, and he agreed to pitch it around to publishing houses. They brought on board Dragons’ eventual illustrator, Tadgh Bentley, who, with his immense talents, brought Jon’s words to life.
And the rest, as they say, is children’s literature.