Sasha and the Dragon (Ancient Faith Publishing)

Being a kid can be both scary and lonely at times. What makes those feelings even worse is when you are the new kid in town. That is exactly how Sasha felt in the latest children's book from Ancient Faith Publishing entitled Sasha and the Dragon. The book is written by Laura E. Wolfe and illustrated by Nicholas Malara.

On the outside, you would think that Sasha is a boy like any other. In reality, he is a Russian born immigrant in a strange, new country called America. The children in his neighborhood laugh at him and his accent; his grandmother, whom he loves, is dying, and there is a dragon under his bed. Yes you read that right...a DRAGON under his bed. Being an intelligent boy, he deduces that there are dragons in America, because this was a young country that didn't have a rich history of saints, signs, and prayers. One night laying in bed, the dragon appears, and Sasha (rightfully so) is afraid. He has a choice to make. Does he hide under the covers for another night, or muster up what little courage he has and face the dragon? Sasha chooses the latter, but knows he can't face the dragon alone. He implores the aid of St. Michael and the icon in his room comes to life! St. Michael slayed the dragon, and the next morning Sasha discovered a golden angel feather on his floor. The events and this feather gave the boy courage and hope to face this new land. He reached out to the neighborhood children to try and befriend them and also tried to be closer with his grandmother to provide her comfort and companionship as well.

Sasha and the Dragon is more than just a story of overcoming your fears. It is a lesson in faith in God, the power of prayer, and saintly intercession. Overall, I found the story to be very well-written with the only neutral point being that the resolution felt a little rushed. I felt it could have used one more page/night of turmoil before he got up his nerve to face the dragon. The illustration style was very vivid and popped off the page. I remember children's books from when I was a kid, and these illustrations were nothing like the books I read. I would call it high definition pictures as opposed to the old analog books I read when I was younger. The light and dark were captured wonderfully and complemented the story without overpowering it. Highly recommend this book for your young children.

This book was provided to me for free by Ancient Faith Publishing in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase this book directly from Ancient Faith Publishing or on Amazon.