July 1, 1998
Gr. 1^-2. In this cheerful fantasy from the Step into Reading Plus Math series, a dragon takes over the bridge that leads to a town's beloved berry fields. A clever girl challenges the beast to a test of wits using balancing scales. Answering questions such as "Which weighs more, one apple or two peas?" and "Which weighs more, a little bag of gold or a big bag of cotton?" the child wins the contest. She promises to share the berries, and the creature becomes the town "watchdragon." Weaving mathematical ideas into the story, this book will challenge beginning readers in two directions at once, while allowing them to feel superior to the not-so-villainous dragon. Lively, colorful, and sometimes comical, the artwork gives the book an appealing look. ((Reviewed July 1998))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1998, American Library Association.)