Category Archives: Adam Rubin

Dragons Love Tacos: The Book That Launched 1,000 Tacos

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin is an amusing original story about taco loving dragons who cause from trouble (unintentionally!) when they encounter spicy salsa.

Quick Takes

  • Readability – Simple enough for a 5 year old
  • Reading time – ~5 minutes
  • Adventure Boyz Rating – 9/10
  • Perfect for – A wacky original before (or after) Taco night!

What Makes It A Favourite?

This is an original story, playful told and illustrated. The dragons are fun loving folk who just want to have a good time with boatloads of tacos. It’s a quick and easy read and you don’t need like dragons or tacos to enjoy it. It has just about all the ingredients of a great book.

Dad’s View

This is a go to book that has taken on legendary status in our household as it is just a great original story. I would put this in the same arena as Tabby McTat for a classic children’s book that is an enjoyable read and doesn’t try to preach too much (I don’t think there is a moral to the story here… unless it’s about reading the fine print on salsa labels).

I suppose it’s not unlike good taco. Tasty, easy to eat and decent nutritionally. Yes, a taco.

The Kids’ Take

Agent C discovered tacos after reading this book, circa aged 5. Tacos have been a regular on the menu ever since. His record is 9 tacos filled with meat, cheese, guacamole and a small piece of tomato or two.

Agent B likes the bit where the dragons shoot out fire and burn down the house (think spicy salsa).

Buy or Borrow It?

Buy. This is an all time favourite in our household. Buy it and schedule the readings to whet the appetite for the next taco night.

Hi-5 by Adam Rubin Review: A Slappin’ Good Time

High Five by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

Hi-5 by Adam Rubin is an interactive picture book that puts readers at the center of a high-five championship.

Quick Takes

  • Readability – Agent B (6 years old) could read it
  • Reading time – 12 minutes (allow time for the high fives!)… This could be a 20 minute book as well if you had multiple kids all Hi-5’ing
  • Adventure Boyz Rating – 7.5/10 (9/10 fun rating!)
  • Perfect for – a cheerful read without too much of a storyline. Would be a great read with a bunch of kids.

What Makes It A Favourite?

Confession first: we tossed up whether this made the cut of a favourite. It scraped through. It’s a hard act to follow Tabby McTat. To be fair, we have read this book at least four times now and tend to grab it anytime we see it sitting on the library shelf. It remains a fun, interactive book about for you, the protagonist, on a mission to win the Hi-5 championships.

You know what? I’m listening to Agent B re-reading it again whilst we write this review, and now convinced it actually belongs on this blog (as favourite)! It’s probably one of the best interactive books we have kept coming back to.

Spoiler alert – the last character is a octopus!

The final boss on Hi-5. The dreaded Octopus!

Dad’s View

Like Tabby McTat, this is rhythmically fun book to read, and it is an original story. The kids enjoy the heck out of slapping the pages. This would be a great book to read to bunch of kids around the ages of 6-7. It is bound to capture their attention, and in combination of a bunch of Hi-5’s, it would make for a compelling time.

The Kids’ Take

Agent C liked the hand-drawn, coloured penciled drawings and really, really enjoyed the opportunity to slap (or Hi-5) the book.

Agent B is liked being the winner and getting a trophy at the end. Being the protagonist, he was very pleased to be at the centre of attention.

Buy or Borrow It?

It’s a borrow for us, but a repeat borrow. I would happily buy this book as a gift.

Have you read Hi-5? Tell us what you thought in the comments!