Puff, the Magic Dragon

Arrived quickly, no cd included though - thank goodness for youtube!

This is a great book. It goes a little farther than the original song, which makes it a happier ending.

I grew up with "Puff", but I never quite left that world of wonder behind. I had heard Peter Yarrow never permitted the story to be told in a book til now and seeing this edition, I'm very glad he waited. Everything about the look and feel of the book speaks excellence and love of the work within. The illustrations are delightful, the poem with all its joys and sorrows is there for us to see. Plus, they've given us a 4-song CD, including "Puff the Magic Dragon" in both sung and instrumental versions, "Froggy Went a 'Courtin'" and "Blue Tail Fly." Since I have these songs on other recordings, I have not removed them from the book for fear of damaging the interior binding. "Puff the Magic Dragon" is a great book to introduce young children to the story and older fans who have grown up loving the song will enjoy the book as well.

Worth the wait...illustrations are fab! The story is known to all, but the visuals are what really draw you into this book...my 7 year old son has chosen it every night since it arrived as his bedtime story! I've sent it to several adults for their "inner child"...a must have for every library!

My son just received this book for his birthday and I have to admit I was a little more excited than him about the tale. He had never heard about Puff but once he started flipping through the pages so beautifully illustrated, he was excited to read it. I decided for his first reading we'd follow along with the song. When I was a child it was a favorite in my house, but it has been a while since I visited Honalee and I was anxious to do so. The music is wonderful and Peter and his daughter Bethany make a fabulous singing duet. I sang a long with the song and turned the pages while watching my son's face light up with the words and the pictures. It was fun to see him enjoy something so much that I did when I was his age. This book is already a favorite in our house. The only draw back for me was forgetting how the song ended. That part always made me cry when I was little and unfortunately I found out it still does. However, because the book continues where the song leaves off, giving Puff a happier ending, my son didn't shed the tears that I did. On the CD is another fun song and then the instrumental version of Puff the Magic Dragon. This is a classic tale given new life with wonderful paintings. I think it would make a wonderful gift for any child.

The quality of this book is incredible. The authors, illustrator, and publisher were obviously invested in making this a special book for children. The cover is thick and cloth-covered, the pages are made of high-quality sturdy paper, and the cd included at the end has beautiful versions of three folk songs (Puff, Froggie Went A-Courtin', Jimmy Crack Corn, and an instrumental version of Puff). No one cut corners in the making of this book or cd--every detail is beautifully done. Even the CD case (built INTO the back of the book) is well-done! There are several things I like about the story itself. One, the illustrations are beautiful. I will definitely be looking for more of Puybaret's work. The colors he uses, the way he adds touching (and funny!) detail to his simple landscapes, and most of all--the emotion he conveys by the way he draws Puff's eyes (!)...he is a very accomplished illustrator. Also, I like that the book ends happily. Though the original lyrics are preserved (and no lyrical information is given that Puff finds happiness again), the illustrations show otherwise. Puff's friends (the pirates, the trees and flowers) comfort him during his sadness, and in the end they bring him a little girl to play with. Also, it seems that on the last page an older boy (or man) is looking at Puff and the little girl with a smile--is that the grown Jackie Paper? In any case, I'm glad that the sad ending to the song is appropriately handled for very young children. As for the "drug" references--other than the words "Puff" and "Paper" and the fact that this is a fantasy book, I don't see any connections to drugs. This is a lovely illustrated song, and my children (5 and 1) adore this book. It is definitely a treasure in our collection.

This book is incredible, the music wonderful, and the story of friendship, and the bittersweet aspects of growing up is timeless. Buy for yourself, buy for your kids, grandkids, nieces & nephews, buy for your parents, grandparents and friends. This multi-generational tale will be an evergreen in your family library.