The Glitter Dragon

Iridescent foil overlay is all that glitters in this derivative picture book (The Rainbow Fish, anyone?), a sort of over-the-top rendition of ""The Frog Prince."" Geoffrey isn't like the other dragons: he doesn't pillage, he doesn't take advantage of maidens, and he blushes and stammers and tries hard to please. Mercilessly teased for his odd behavior, he runs away, narrowly escaping the clutches of a monster, a witch and a giant, only to be dangled from a cliff by yet another group of scornful peers. His gleaming scales save a storm-tossed ship and, after he plucks a princess from the briny deep, her grateful kiss turns him into--surprise!--a knight in shining (what else?) armor. Little ones, with their magpie instincts, will no doubt enjoy all the flash, but adults will likely find the story tiresome. Ages 3-5. (Feb.)