Jane and the Dragon

I love this show. Stories that focus on building good character traits without being preachy. We had a stint a year or so ago where this was all the girls wanted to watch and read. They got burnt out, but we've begun to pick it up again.

There aren't real enemies. The closest they get to an enemy is the other knight in training who has a bad attitude. He's that fringe friend you were never quite sure if they were really your friend or not, but then they would come through in the end. Know what I mean? His father is considered a villain, but he's not in that many episodes and I would consider him more greedy than evil.

That's why I love this show, it's much more realistic... well... minus the dragon.... or letting a girl be a knight......but you know what I mean. Most shows have one main villain or the mean girl/guy and her/his lackeys and they are out to get the hero which is completely unrealistic in life.

Jane and the Dragon - Picture Book
Jane is the daughter of the young princess's nursemaid and the king's bookkeeper. She is being brought up to be a proper lady in waiting much to her disappointment. She wants to be a knight. Then a lonely dragon kidnaps the prince for a playmate. Jane gets her chance to prove her worthiness of squirehood. 

Jane and the Magician - Picture Book
This takes place after Jane has started her knights training. It is the girl's favorite of the two we own. The king wants to throw a party for the sick prince, but his magician is no where to be found. Jane sets out to find him and saves a small village in the process.

There is a third book that has never gone to reprint and was too expensive on amazon, so I never bought it. Now it isn't even listed on amazon and I can't remember the name of it.

Jane And The Dragon - TV
The show picks up with Jane already in the middle of her knight training. The episodes are usually built around problem situations, teasing, pranks, honesty, loyalty, teamwork, basic character building stuff.

I love this show. I wish there were more episodes. There was only one season. They never sold all the dvds coded for the US, so I don't have them all. It still airs on Qubo which, of course, I don't have. I'm kinda burnt out on the 10 episodes I own.....

A Dragon's Tail: Jane and the Dragon - Chapter Book
Tamarin just started reading this book to me last night. We're only a few pages in, but so far it is word for word what I remember from the episode. It's my favorite episode because it was the first one I ever saw. It's about Jane making peace with Gunther and learning to work together. They have to save Dragon who has contracted a mysterious illness. I don't think either of these chapter books were written that well. We haven't read this entire book yet, but I can tell it's not that great, but better than the other chapter book.

Three's a Crowd: Jane and the Dragon - Chapter Book
This is where I'm disappointed. I just finished reading Three's a Crowd to my five year old and it's, well, not awful, but certainly not good. It's a rehash of a tv episode, but it's got more toilet humor than I remember the tv episode having. Jane is jealous of Gunther sharing fart and poop jokes with Dragon, so she tries her hand at it and fails miserably. Then Gunther's father tells Gunther to make Dragon do work for him for free since they are becoming friends. Jane gets upset because Gunther is using Dragon and confronts him. I think my disappointment is due to the fact I expected a new story. I didn't want a rehash. I wanted another adventure.

The tv show and picture books are wonderful. I'd pass on the chapter books.