My daughters love dragons. In the movies, shows, and books they enjoy, dragons are powerful, imaginative creatures that are just as likely to help the hero as to threaten him. So when I came across Is God Bigger Than a Dragon? by Maria and David Henrie, I was curious to see how the book would use that fascination to introduce children to the greatness of God.

The book’s questions extend well beyond dragons, inviting young readers to consider whether God is bigger than an orca, a tree, New York City, Heaven, and many other aspects of creation. Through a series of conversations between a young boy and his father, the Henries explore God’s power and greatness while reminding readers that this same God desires not only to hear from us but also to speak to us in prayer. Their conversations unfold during ordinary family moments, from chopping vegetables to taking a bath, as the child’s imagination transforms these familiar settings into something extraordinary.

Beautiful to Behold

The book’s greatest strengths are its illustrations and its invitation to encounter Scripture. The artwork beautifully blends everyday life with the imaginative world of a child. When the boy wonders whether God is bigger than an orca while playing in the bathtub, a splash of water becomes a wave, and his toy whale gives way to a much larger creature in his imagination. These illustrations are a delight to linger over, adding visual richness to the book’s simple premise. Inviting children to describe what they notice on each page could also open the door to deeper conversations.

I was especially pleased to see Scripture citations on every page. Rather than leaving parents and children with a series of claims about God, the Henries encourage families to open the Bible and read the cited passages together. As a catechist, I appreciate this invitation. Our children need more than adults telling them what the faith teaches; they need opportunities to encounter the Word of God for themselves, with someone there to help them understand it. The Scripture references offer a natural starting point for that kind of conversation.

The book’s central message is a worthwhile one: God is the Creator and Designer of all things, immeasurably greater than anything we can imagine, yet He makes Himself accessible to us in prayer. He is not so far above us that He refuses to hear our small voices. He invites us into a relationship with Him.

A Good Lesson, A Wandering Story

At times, I found the book’s message difficult to appreciate amid the repeated comparisons. While the theology is sound, the storytelling sometimes feels more instructional than compelling. The questions accumulate, each offering another opportunity to affirm God’s greatness, but the repetition can overshadow the deeper truth the book ultimately wants to communicate. I would have welcomed more space to dwell on the wonder of God’s closeness to us, not just His superiority to everything else.

My own children struggled to stay engaged as we read. Even my eight-year-old, who enjoys exploring ideas, found the book less fascinating than we had hoped. That experience helped me recognize that parents may appreciate this book differently than their children do. Young readers who love detailed illustrations, imaginative imagery, and lingering over big questions may find much to enjoy, while children who prefer a lively, fast-paced story may be less captivated. In some ways, the book may appeal more to children who gravitate toward nonfiction than to those who prefer fiction. Children who enjoy absorbing information and exploring big ideas may appreciate it more than those looking for a compelling narrative.

A Book Best Read Together

I would recommend reading Is God Bigger Than a Dragon? together rather than handing it to a child to explore alone. Its Scripture references and imaginative illustrations offer opportunities for parents to pause, ask questions, and help children connect the book’s claims with the truths of the faith. It may be especially enjoyable for families who love turning a simple bedtime story into a longer conversation.

Homeschooling families, in particular, might use the book as the foundation for a unit study or Bible study, reading one of the cited passages each day and discussing how it reveals something about God. Parents might also invite children to think of their own questions about God’s greatness, using the world around them as a starting point. A towering tree, a favorite animal, or a faraway place could become an opportunity to wonder together about the God Who created it all.

Is God Bigger Than a Dragon? is a beautiful, Scripture-rich book whose greatest appeal may lie in what parents can draw from it with their children. Though the story itself did not capture my family’s attention as much as I had hoped, its underlying invitation is a good one: to look beyond the wonders of creation and turn our attention toward the God Who made them—and Who desires to be known by us.