A Lonely Dragon swaps gold for friendship. A long time ago in a land far, far away there was a dragon named Gandor who lived in a cave, high up on a mountain. The dragon was extraordinarily rich, and owned lots of gold and precious jewellery. But the dragon was sad and lonely because he had no-one to share his precious gold and jewellery with. At the bottom of the mountain, there was a poor village, where the villagers were tired and had little to eat. A little boy named Olyn learns that the village was once a thriving community, but the mean dragon from the mountain cave stole all the villager’s gold and jewellery. Olyn decides to visit the dragon and climbs up to the top of the mountain. When Olyn sees the dragon, he panics, tries to escape, and trips over. The dragon hears him and confronts the little boy. But rather than run away, Olyn explains that the villagers are poor and hungry and asks the dragon to give back the gold and jewellery he stole. Gandor explains that the gold and jewellery no longer make him happy and agrees to give it back. Gandor makes new friends and builds a new home in the village, and the villagers are able to buy the food and clothes they need. The Lonely Dragon by James Lyon is a sweet and heartwarming illustrated picture book about a lonely dragon who swaps riches for happiness. Gandor discovers that the key to making friends lies not in hoarding treasure, but in sharing his riches with others. Lyon explores themes of greed, community, kindness, friendship and social justice, in a fun, fantasy tale. Young children love dragons, and they will enjoy this dragon-themed adventure with a moral twist. The moral of the story is that riches do not bring happiness, however, the lives of the villagers are miserable when the gold is stolen, and transformed when the dragon returns the gold. Review completed by Readers’ Choice Book Awards, April 2024

James C. Lyon grew up in Southern California and spent much of his youth exploring its many beaches, mountains, and deserts. As a young adult, this sense of adventure led him on travels to places such as Indonesia, New Zealand, and Australia among others. He currently resides near the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina and enjoys spending time outdoors and with his family.

Publisher: Archway Publishing
Author: James C. Lyon
Illustrator:
ISBN: 978-1665751339
Size (H x W): 8.5x11
Weight: 5.3 ounces
Cover Type: Softcover
Number of Pages: 40
Language: English
Date Published: 2023-11-21