I’m a bit late with this review.  But, you see, I was waiting for my kids to finish reading the book so they could help with my review, and they’re slow.  Or busy.  Sometimes it’s hard to tell at our house, as 90% of the time, we’re all running around like chickens with our heads cut off.

Meanwhile, I read this in three days.

According to the author’s website, Snort and Wobbles started as a joke.  I remember fondly its debut on authonomy and am quite pleased to see it finally in print.  But what’s it about?  Here, take a peek at the blurb:

Dragons are not real.  Everyone tells you that.  So what do you do when you are eight years old and meet a dragon living at the bottom of your garden?  You have the adventure of your life!

When Wobbles and her family move into their new home, she is delighted to find that a green dragon is living in secret at the bottom of the garden.  But Snort the dragon is not the only one: underground a gang of goblins have also made their home, and when they capture Wobbles’ big brother Jeremy, it is up to her and Snort to save him, before the goblins roast him on their barbecue.

Written for those children who are just becoming confident in reading for themselves, and for those parents who (like the author) are addicted to reading bedtime stories to their children and grandchildren, Snort and Wobbles is a thrilling, captivating adventure for 6-10 year olds.

The blurb’s not wrong – this book lives up to its billing as a thrilling, captivating adventure.  Of course, it did leave out one tiny detail: this book is also hilarious, and I don’t just mean for kids.  It reminded me a little bit of The Banned Underground books at times, but aimed at a younger audience.  And the rose bush is an awesome character. 😉

Sam Dogra’s cover is beautiful, and Sophie Tallis’s illustrations are superb.  It’s a treat of a book, and I plan to read it to Cricket and Thumper in a couple of years (you know, when they’ll sit still for something other than Goodnight Moon, which is currently Thumper’s favorite bedtime story).  And as soon as Miss Tadpole and Bubbles finish reading it for themselves, I’ll be sure to post their thoughts as well. 🙂

You can find Snort and Wobbles on Amazon, Amazon UK, and Smashwords, as well as on Facebook, and I highly recommend checking it out for the dragon lover in your life.  I think I’ll go read it again while I wait for the sequel, The Return of the Goblins* to be published.

UPDATE:  Miss Tadpole has finally given me her thoughts on the book, so here, in her own words, is my eleven-year-old:

I really liked it!  I liked how Wobbles kept her promise.  It was really funny, although I think the author could have been a little more descriptive on Snort’s house.  I liked the pictures; they were a great part of it.  I liked the rose bush – the rose bush was fun.

There was also much giggling while she was telling me all this.  I’d ask her if she liked a part and she’d start laughing as she recalled said bit of story.  And if Bubbles ever finishes reading it (he broke his tablet last week, hindering his progress), I’ll post his thoughts, too.

*Coming soon?  Please?  Anybody?  Hello?  *checks website*  But I don’t want to wait till summer! *sigh* **

**Hmm, seems Will’s rubbing off on me – I’ve suddenly developed a taste for footnotes.***

***Absolutely nothing wrong with them, of course – I even figured out how to use them properly in college.  Once.

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