Roar-Choo!

by Charlotte Cheng, Dan Santat (Illustrator)

Overview

Patient, peaceful Phoenix tries to take care of rambunctious and cold-ridden Dragon, which leads to hilarious and sweet results (with vibrant illustrations by the Caldecott Medal-winning creator of Beekle).

Everyone knows that dragons are fierce, capable of taking on the world!

But this dragon can’t stop sneezing long enough to get a roar out. Even with friendly Phoenix insisting that Dragon get some rest, this powerful creature refuses to stop for any orange ginger tea or a drop of bone broth soup.

It's only when Dragon realizes Phoenix has caught the same cold that they are both able to take the break they so badly need. This tale of helping your friends and valuing differences is a sure-thing for story time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593531754
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/09/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	44,934
Product dimensions:	8.81(w) x 11.31(h) x 0.38(d)
Lexile:	AD470L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Charlotte Cheng’s writing credits include Night Market Rescue, Explore China: A Mulan Discovery Book and BoBo Loves Dumplings, and she has illustrated the picture books Silly McGilly and A Moment in Time. In the field of education, she has written and illustrated K-12 curriculum for a variety of companies such as LeapFrog, Disney, and Wonder Workshop. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.

Dan Santat is the author and/or illustrator of more than one hundred titles, including the Caldecott Medal winner The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend. He graduated with honors from the Art Center College of Design, and is the creator of the Disney animated hit The Replacements. Dan lives in Southern California with his wife, two kids, and various pets.

Editorial Reviews

02/26/2024

Two symbols of Chinese mythology go beak to snout in this collaboration from Cheng and Santat. Fierce and frightening, Dragon is ready to “take on the world/ with a mighty ROOOOOAAAR”—when its pronouncement becomes a giant sneeze. Kindly, peaceful Phoenix offers a cup of orange ginger tea, encouraging rest, but even as Dragon declines, the “ROOOOOOAAAARR... CHOO”s keep coming. Phoenix’s subsequent attempts to help (“Take this blanket”) and Dragon’s firm rebuttals (“Dragons never quit”) lead to hilarious results. When Dragon’s fiery sneezes finally cause trouble for Phoenix, who “can’t keep going without a little rest,” Dragon embraces a reframe that turns out better for both. Caldecott Medalist Santat’s signature-style art brings Cheng’s dynamic friendship to life in this rollicking readaloud about two folkloric friends learning their own limits—and each other’s. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Using a palette of greens, oranges, and golds, Santat depicts the two creatures as larger-than-life cartoons with humorously expressive features. Every page is packed with color and action. This simple but entertaining tale will be a pleasure to read aloud. A funny premise, executed with verve." —Kirkus Review

"Caldecott Medalist Santat’s signature-style art brings Cheng’s dynamic friendship to life in this rollicking read aloud about two folkloric friends learning their own limits—and each other’s." 
—Publishers Weekly

"[Santat's] design styling is especially suited for the grandeur of the mythical pals. The disruption of routine and general chaos that illness usually brings is easily relatable (especially in the wake of a global pandemic), and the sweet ending makes a useful reminder that sometimes acceptance, rest, and timeare the best prescriptions." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The text is simple and has solid messaging on the importance of empathy and self-care. The author’s strategic and intentional avoidance of pronouns to foster inclusion is a nice touch. Santat’s mixed-media pencil, watercolor, and digital artwork is sumptuous and gloriously recognizable in its rich, dragon-scaled detail and color saturation. His skillful mastery of dramaticangle and shadow make him the ideal illustrator to animate these centuries-old mythical creatures and elevate the friendship tale into a mini-adventure that soars through the Chineselandscape." —Booklist

★ "A unique and vibrant story sharing the yin and yang of Dragon and Phoenix. Santat provides vibrant, full-page drawings of Dragon and Phoenix that bring these two characters brilliantly to life. This picture book is a perfect model of text and illustrations coming together to produce a stunning final product for children. Highly recommended.." —School Library Journal, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 04/05/2024

PreS-Gr 2—A unique and vibrant story sharing the yin and yang of Dragon and Phoenix. Dragon boasts how dragons are fierce and frightening, how they soar and can summon thunder, but after each sentence, it is clear that Dragon has a terrible cold. Phoenix tries to encourage Dragon to sip some ginger tea, take a scarf, eat bone broth, and rest. But tables turn when suddenly Phoenix starts to feel unwell, too. This is a great bedtime story to encourage little ones to settle down. It also is a perfect read-aloud with young listeners calling out the "Choo!" each time. An author's note explains the centuries-old history of Phoenix and Dragon and how their opposing strengths and weaknesses complement one another. While the pair is traditionally compared to a husband and wife, Cheng chose to not use pronouns "in the hopes that more people can see themselves in this dynamic relationship." Santat provides vibrant, full-page drawings of Dragon and Phoenix that bring these two characters brilliantly to life. VERDICT This picture book is a perfect model of text and illustrations coming together to produce a stunning final product for children. Highly recommended.—Heidi Dechief

School Library Journal

2024-02-03
Being fierce is hard when you’re struggling with a cold.

A serpentine scaly green dragon with a flowing orange mane and big teeth and claws fills the page. Our hero explains to Phoenix how tough and terrifying dragons are. “We take on the world with a mighty ROOOOOAAAR…CHOO!” Dragon’s sneeze practically blows Phoenix out of the air. Phoenix tries to help by offering orange ginger tea, a blanket, a scarf, and bone broth soup, but Dragon is having none of it. Dragon’s attempts at roaring turn into big sneezes, however—until one fiery sneeze causes an inferno that Phoenix must douse. Phoenix, whose energy is now flagging, suggests taking a nap. One more sneeze later, and Phoenix is practically drooping with fatigue as the two friends switch roles. Using a palette of greens, oranges, and golds, Santat depicts the two creatures as larger-than-life cartoons with humorously expressive features. Every page is packed with color and action, but the text feels static in comparison, perhaps because of its small size and lack of variation (a missed opportunity for a typesetting design that matches the exuberance and personality of the two characters). Nevertheless, this simple but entertaining tale will be a pleasure to read aloud. An author’s note discusses the significance of the dragon and the phoenix in Chinese mythology.

A funny premise, executed with verve. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews