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Joan Procter, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles Hardcover – March 13, 2018

4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 415 ratings

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For fans of Ada Twist: Scientist comes a fascinating picture book biography of a pioneering female scientist--who loved reptiles!

Back in the days of long skirts and afternoon teas, young Joan Procter entertained the most unusual party guests: slithery and scaly ones, who turned over teacups and crawled past the crumpets.... While other girls played with dolls, Joan preferred the company of reptiles. She carried her favorite lizard with her everywhere--she even brought a crocodile to school!

When Joan grew older, she became the Curator of Reptiles at the British Museum. She went on to design the Reptile House at the London Zoo, including a home for the rumored-to-be-vicious komodo dragons. There, just like when she was a little girl, Joan hosted children's tea parties--with her komodo dragon as the guest of honor.

With a lively text and vibrant illustrations, scientist and writer Patricia Valdez and illustrator Felicita Sala bring to life Joan Procter's inspiring story of passion and determination.

A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year selection
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3—Joan Procter, the subject of this biographical picture book, was an internationally recognized herpetologist in the early 20th century and the curator of reptiles at the British Natural History Museum. This excellent biography presents an inspirational story of a smart, dedicated female scientist. It will be an important addition to the list of newer books for children featuring the work of women in STEM fields. The story adroitly communicates Procter's determination, curiosity, and complete fascination with reptiles. Throughout the text there are many opportunities for vocabulary building, especially in regards to reptiles. Sala's vibrant artwork perfectly complements the narrative. A variety of techniques in backgrounds, word placements, and the use of black silhouettes provide depth to the pages and present readers with a variety of viewpoints. The ever-present reptiles will be the star attraction for most children, but the colorful tropical plants add atmosphere and really evoke the Reptile House. Following the story, the author includes additional biographical information on Procter, scientific details on Komodo Dragons, and a bibliography with primary and secondary sources. VERDICT An inspirational biography with exciting depictions of a variety of reptiles, including a pet Komodo dragon, that will keep any child interested—whether reading on their own or with a group. A first purchase for most libraries.—Theresa Muraski, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Library

Review

"Whimsical artwork and an empowering story make this biography of a lesser-known woman scientist truly charming."—Booklist, starred review

"An inspirational biography with exciting depictions of a variety of reptiles, including a pet Komodo dragon, that will keep any child interested—whether reading on their own or with a group."—
School Library Journal, starred review

"Valdez paints a portrait of a unique woman whose love for reptiles developed into a gratifying career."—
Publishers Weekly, starred review

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf Books for Young Readers; Illustrated edition (March 13, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399557253
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399557255
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 13 years, from customers
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD800L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9 x 0.39 x 11.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.9 4.9 out of 5 stars 415 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars
415 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the author's writing style and illustrations. They find the book delightful, inspiring, and well-balanced with uplifting information. The illustrations are gorgeous, colorful, and fun. Readers describe the book as fun and a great read-aloud for animal lovers. They appreciate the feminist perspective and mention it breaks barriers for women. Overall, customers find the story engaging and well-written.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

13 customers mention "Author's style"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the author's style. They find the biography delightful and inspiring, with a good balance of uplifting information and challenges. The illustrations make the story come to life. Overall, readers describe it as an informative and well-written account of a young herpetologist.

"...My kindergarten students Loved Joan! Highly recommend for Biography, Women’s Study, Reptiles and/or Narrative Non-Fiction study." Read more

"...And the surgeries she performed on the lizards. Joan Proctor was a fascinating woman, and I'm excited for young readers to get to know her better!" Read more

"...The information about Joan Proctor was intriguing and the illustrations made the story come to life...." Read more

"This is a delightful picture book biography about a resilient, bright woman who followed her dreams at a time when women weren't usually allowed to..." Read more

13 customers mention "Illustrations"13 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the illustrations in the book. They find the pictures cute, colorful, and unique.

"...Look no further, stop here buy this book. The illustrations are delightful. The wordplay is clever...." Read more

"Well written and great pictures! My kindergarten students Loved Joan!..." Read more

"...In her short life, Joan became world renowned for her work. The pictures are wonderful--very colorful, unique, and fun...." Read more

"...about Joan Proctor was intriguing and the illustrations made the story come to life...." Read more

11 customers mention "Readability"11 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable to read with its engaging story and colorful illustrations. They say it's a good read-aloud for kids and worth buying.

"...The illustrations are delightful. The wordplay is clever. It is a joy to read and has become an absolute favorite for my animal-loving five-year-old...." Read more

"...The pictures are wonderful--very colorful, unique, and fun...." Read more

"...It's a great read-aloud and one that kids will want to flip through on their own to revisit the colorful portraits of the reptiles...." Read more

"...book was difficult to get a hold of for my school library, but it was worth it...." Read more

10 customers mention "Animal study"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They say it's a great book for animal lovers, featuring a biography of Joan Procter, a young herpetologist at the London Zoo. The book is perfect for reptile-loving kids and girls. Readers mention the author has extensive zoo and museum experience.

"...Highly recommend for Biography, Women’s Study, Reptiles and/or Narrative Non-Fiction study." Read more

"My granddaughter has a spotted gecko and loves dragon lizards and dragons in general so this book was a no-brainer for her best Christmas present..." Read more

"A nice feminist story that features reptiles and some pleasant illustrations. A pretty good combination, I think." Read more

"...story of a girl who went against the grain her whole life, led the way in reptile study, and broke several barriers for women." Read more

7 customers mention "Gender"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a good biography about a woman who broke barriers for women in reptile study. They appreciate the nice illustrations and find it a great book for future female scientists.

"...Highly recommend for Biography, Women’s Study, Reptiles and/or Narrative Non-Fiction study." Read more

"...Her perseverance and success as the first woman to head the reptile exhibit at the London Zoo proved that smart ambitious women can achieve..." Read more

"A nice feminist story that features reptiles and some pleasant illustrations. A pretty good combination, I think." Read more

"...grain her whole life, led the way in reptile study, and broke several barriers for women." Read more

7 customers mention "Story quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story and illustrations. They find it fun to read and informative about a girl who went against the grain throughout her life. The book is described as an excellent children's narrative non-fiction.

"...This is a great story of a girl who went against the grain her whole life, led the way in reptile study, and broke several barriers for women." Read more

"...for a school bio project and she loved reading it, she loved the story and illustrations. Very cute book." Read more

"...This book is a lovely story about a woman who turns her "peculiar" interests into a thriving and rewarding career." Read more

"Very good story. Fun to read. Informative. Cute pictures." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing engaging and well-written. They appreciate the beautiful illustrations and informative backmatter. The wordplay is clever.

"...The illustrations are delightful. The wordplay is clever. It is a joy to read and has become an absolute favorite for my animal-loving five-year-old...." Read more

"Well written and great pictures! My kindergarten students Loved Joan!..." Read more

"...are so many elements that would appeal to children, all written in such an engaging way: The tea parties with lizards (that deserves two mentions)!..." Read more

"...the illustrations are gorgeous and well suited to the text and the author handles well the balance of uplifting information with the challenges..." Read more

This is a fabulously fun and engaging story about Joan Proctor young readers will love!
5 out of 5 stars
This is a fabulously fun and engaging story about Joan Proctor young readers will love!
Joan Proctor was not quite the little princess that she was expected to be at the afternoon tea. No, not at all because instead of reading “stories about dragons and princesses, Joan read books about lizards and crocodiles.” She was not the girly girl that everyone expected her to be. No, not at all because she had a pet lizard ... and it slithered around on the table during tea time! After school Joan could be found in her room reading, drawing, and feeding that lizard. Was it what other girls did? No, not at all because in that room was also a couple of snakes (make that three, no four) and some other lizards.When Joan got older, she “received a most curious gift—a baby crocodile!” A young boy’s eyes grew wide as he looked out the window and saw Joan walking her croc down the street. Imagine that ... if you can. What do you think happened when Joan took him to school? If you thought that visit didn’t go over very well, you’d be correct. Then, instead of doing what teenage girls do, Joan “sought out the curator of reptiles and fish at the Natural History Museum.” Now that was a place where Joan and her crocodile fit right in.Not long after she arrived, soldiers began to march off to war and “women took up jobs left behind by men.” The curator of the Natural History Museum knew that Joan would be the perfect assistant ... and she was! The soldiers continued to march and as time went on that curator retired and Joan took over his job. With her newfound job as a scientist, “she surveyed the museum’s vast collections and published research papers on pit viper and pancake tortoises.” Then one day a Komodo dragon arrived at the museum. Do you think Joan was afraid of this “fierce man-eating lizard?” You’ll just have to read this book to find out!This is a fabulously fun and engaging story about Joan Proctor young readers will love. The picture book format is a perfect one to get youngsters interested in biography and, in this case the sciences. Joan of, course, was a girl who was interested in mathematics and science, a most unusual thing in her day. This book is a great way to introduce STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) subjects in the classroom. Felicita Sala’s artwork pops and most certainly complements the story. In the back of the book is a mini biography of Joan Beauchamp Procter (1897 to 1931), more information about Komodo dragons, and a bibliography with book and website resources to explore.Age Range: 4 - 8 yearsGrade Level: Preschool - 3(Library book).
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2024
    Do you want to inspire the next generation of herpetologists and zoologists? Do you want to help desensitize your child to creepy crawlies? Would you like your child to read stories of inspiring women scientists in times past? Look no further, stop here buy this book. The illustrations are delightful. The wordplay is clever. It is a joy to read and has become an absolute favorite for my animal-loving five-year-old. Honestly, I can’t wait for the movie or the Amazon prime series about this amazing woman.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2022
    Well written and great pictures! My kindergarten students Loved Joan! Highly recommend for Biography, Women’s Study, Reptiles and/or Narrative Non-Fiction study.
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2018
    I've been reading many picture book biographies lately, and this one definitely stands out. Joan Proctor loved reptiles as a child--studying them, caring for them, watching them, even having tea parties with them! As an adult, she became the first female curator at the Reptile House of the London Zoo. She did a lot of work with Komodo dragons. They were highly misunderstood at the time, and she introduced them to the world as the gentle creatures they are. In her short life, Joan became world renowned for her work. The pictures are wonderful--very colorful, unique, and fun. And there are so many elements that would appeal to children, all written in such an engaging way: The tea parties with lizards (that deserves two mentions)! The "fearsome" Komodo dragons. Her pet crocodile when she was just 16. And the surgeries she performed on the lizards. Joan Proctor was a fascinating woman, and I'm excited for young readers to get to know her better!
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2018
    My granddaughter has a spotted gecko and loves dragon lizards and dragons in general so this book was a no-brainer for her best Christmas present ever. The information about Joan Proctor was intriguing and the illustrations made the story come to life. Her perseverance and success as the first woman to head the reptile exhibit at the London Zoo proved that smart ambitious women can achieve milestones in their career. Great book for animal lovers.
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2018
    This is a delightful picture book biography about a resilient, bright woman who followed her dreams at a time when women weren't usually allowed to do that. Joan Procter became a scientist against all kinds of odds, following her passion for reptiles and in particular the Komodo dragon. . .the illustrations are gorgeous and well suited to the text and the author handles well the balance of uplifting information with the challenges (Joan's chronic illness and premature death). It's a great read-aloud and one that kids will want to flip through on their own to revisit the colorful portraits of the reptiles. I highly recommend this book.
    2 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2024
    I read this to several classes in the library at my school. They loved it. They were captured.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2020
    A nice feminist story that features reptiles and some pleasant illustrations. A pretty good combination, I think.
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2019
    This book was difficult to get a hold of for my school library, but it was worth it. This is a great story of a girl who went against the grain her whole life, led the way in reptile study, and broke several barriers for women.
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Susana Lizarraga
    5.0 out of 5 stars Muy interesante!
    Reviewed in Mexico on July 13, 2022
    El libro vino un poco maltradado.

    La historia es muy interesante porque es acerca de la vida y trabajo de Joan Procter. No la conocía y el libro cuenta de una manera clara y detallada parte de su vida y el trabajo que realizó con los repriles
    Las ilustraciones bellísimas de Felicita Sala!
    Report
  • Julie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book for my dear dragon lover
    Reviewed in Canada on April 15, 2022
    My kiddo and I love this book! Highly recommend!
  • Red Bus Book and Theatre Lover
    5.0 out of 5 stars Joan Proctor deserves to be better known - read before visiting London Zoo
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2019
    I have to admit that I had never heard of Joan Proctor, I just found the cover and the title appealing. Imagine my surprise to find that not only is she pretty famous but most of her work was at London zoo. The reptile house mentioned is one I have visited many times and I have never seen any signs about Joan Proctor's role in it. I will have to look more closely next time!

    There is a well-known lack of picture books about women in STEM (confirmed recently in a 2018 Journal of Science & Popular Culture article) so it is refreshing to read one about a woman from long ago working in a field that is easy for children to understand. Making it even better for London based children, it would be possible to read this book in advance of a London zoo trip and then follow in Joan Proctor's footsteps.

    The book is colourful and easy to read. Joan Proctor's health and early death are mentioned but not dwelled on and there is useful further information at the back.
  • Jigs
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book
    Reviewed in India on September 9, 2018
    The illustrations are lovely. Its very inspirational. Often parents transfer their fear of bugs or animals or just fears to their kids.. Books like these at a young age, will help the kids develop compassion and wonder. Since the main character is a girl, the kids will also learn to respect both genders. It is not written in a feminist style, like a lot of books these days.. Boys will also love the book as much as girls.. LOVELY BOOK! Do not listen to any negative reviews.
  • E. Rolison
    5.0 out of 5 stars A story about a real person that captivated the 6yr old.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 24, 2025
    A great story, and helped by the fact we happened to see Pancake Tortoises that are mentioned at the Wildlife Park the day before we read it. Can't help but feel it could have done with illustrations of other animals mentioned but the six year old loved being read this entertaining true story, and they were commenting and asking questions throughout. They've asked if I could buy a copy for their school library so they could share their enjoyment.