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You Can Do it Desmond Dragon
A book for children about a Dragon with asthma who gets help from a friendly wizard. Printed in association with the Asthma society it was written for young children to explain asthma,inhalers and medication.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 17, 2012
I had a copy of this book when I was little, and I've missed it ever since. With my recent diagnosis of asthma (as if it wasn't obvious since I was a child) my parents tracked down a copy and bought it for me, to cheer me up. It's a very simple little story designed to teach kids about when and how to use their inhalers, and to encourage them with the idea that once asthma is controlled, you can live very normally as long as you remember to take your medication. The art is cute and colourful -- I don't have a very good visual memory, but it stuck with me all these years.
Definitely made me smile, and though I'm not that easily reassured, I still feel slightly better about my current struggle with breathing.
Definitely made me smile, and though I'm not that easily reassured, I still feel slightly better about my current struggle with breathing.
August 19, 2013
Desmond Dragon is not like other boy Dragons; he wants to run around, blow smoke and play with his friends but he is always out of breath and they think he ruins their fun – almost everyone is convinced that Desmond is a bad dragon.
One day, his parents take him to a wizard, Goodrum, who is the equivalent of a GP, and Desmond finally realises that he isn't a bad dragon at all; he just has asthma! He is given a reliever inhaler and it helps for a while but he becomes ill and returns to Goodrum for a preventative inhaler. Desmond is still convinced that he isn't as good as the other Dragons and thinks he won't be able to blow smoke at Smorganfest with them. Goodrum gives him a magic satchel and Desmond does really well at the festival before opening the bag and finding out it is a normal satchel and that he succeeded all by himself.
Although the book was published in 1987 the medical treatments have remained the same so it is still accurate and relevant. While asthmatic children are the key readers for the book I think it could help other children as well; it could be used in PSHE classes to explain the condition and to ask children who they think was nicer – the dragons who wouldn't play with Desmond because he was poorly or his friend who stayed with him. It also shows that, even if you face challenges in life, you can achieve your goals.
Some children may find the medical explanations rather dry, though they have been split up throughout the book and this helps keep the pace from slowing too much. There are lovely pictures that take up half or more of each page but the writing style is rather advanced and may not grab the attention of younger children. I would recommend an age range of 8+ for reading to a class and 9+ for reading by themselves. For asthmatic children I would give the book a five star rating but have lowered it to a four star as, though it is a very good book, non-asthmatic children may not find it as enjoyable.
One day, his parents take him to a wizard, Goodrum, who is the equivalent of a GP, and Desmond finally realises that he isn't a bad dragon at all; he just has asthma! He is given a reliever inhaler and it helps for a while but he becomes ill and returns to Goodrum for a preventative inhaler. Desmond is still convinced that he isn't as good as the other Dragons and thinks he won't be able to blow smoke at Smorganfest with them. Goodrum gives him a magic satchel and Desmond does really well at the festival before opening the bag and finding out it is a normal satchel and that he succeeded all by himself.
Although the book was published in 1987 the medical treatments have remained the same so it is still accurate and relevant. While asthmatic children are the key readers for the book I think it could help other children as well; it could be used in PSHE classes to explain the condition and to ask children who they think was nicer – the dragons who wouldn't play with Desmond because he was poorly or his friend who stayed with him. It also shows that, even if you face challenges in life, you can achieve your goals.
Some children may find the medical explanations rather dry, though they have been split up throughout the book and this helps keep the pace from slowing too much. There are lovely pictures that take up half or more of each page but the writing style is rather advanced and may not grab the attention of younger children. I would recommend an age range of 8+ for reading to a class and 9+ for reading by themselves. For asthmatic children I would give the book a five star rating but have lowered it to a four star as, though it is a very good book, non-asthmatic children may not find it as enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews