Here Be Dragons

~ Jenny

So we were working on Wild Ride and Bob wrote a scene where Ethan gives Weaver, his soul-mate, a big stuffed dragon from Carl’s Whack-A-Mole booth. Since Bob had also created the Dragon roller coaster, I thought, “Huh, dragons,” and didn’t think any more about it. Until much later when I was writing a scene and dragons showed up again. That was three times. There’s a rule of three, folks, and when Bob’s Boys in the Basement and my Girls in the Basement both send up dragons, it’s time to pay attention.

So I had to go back to the dragon that Ethan gave Weaver, the dragon that Weaver named Behemoth. Because it was big. Beemer, as she came to be called, made several more appearances in the book, which meant that I had to stop thinking of her as a generic dragon toy. Which meant I had to find a real stuffed dragon. Because, that’s why.

So I started hunting for “stuffed dragons.” (When Google went down for an hour last week, I almost lost my mind.) There are a lot of really adorable stuffed dragons out there but they were mostly too small (Behemoth had to have some size on her) and too cute (I love cute, but this is serious stuffed dragon we’re talking here). Okay, I did fall for some stuffed cute, the Dupers
dupers

and the Jiggy
jiggy

but that was for my granddaughter. (Unless I can’t pry the Dupers out of Krissie’s hands, always a possibility.)

For the book, we needed serious dragon.

I narrowed it down to two. One was a shiny Blue Dragon that had a battery so that it walked and growled. Even better it walked and growled for three steps and then stopped (rule of three) so it wasn’t always grrrring in the background although it’s activated not just by touch but also by sharp sound so the dogs would set it off and then it would move and that would set the dogs off and . . . Still, it arrived and I love it, and I hope it doesn’t scare my still very young grandbaby into fits because it’s not Weaver’s dragon, it’s Callie’s.

bluedragon

And then, Reader, I found it. A 30″ olive and purple velvet dragon with glittery gold stuff on its chest, wings, ears, and nostrils. A beautiful not cute dragon. A dragon that could earn Ethan major points with Weaver.

Serious dragon.

Beemer.

beemer

You can get your own Beemer through Amazon or direct from Nancy’s Plush Toys and Gifts, but I’m warning you, Beemer does not come cheap. Ethan almost had heart failure when he found out how much he was going to have to give Carl Whack-a-Mole to replace her.

Wolfie is not sure she’s worth it.
beemerwolfie

I, however, am sold. Beemer rocks.

34 thoughts on “Here Be Dragons”

  1. I’ve had the Dupers dragon for years now and love it! I was so excited to see the picture of it!

  6. Beemer’s a great dragon.

    I had a Jiggy, but made the mistake of showing it to a toddler. She wouldn’t give it back.

  7. I agree. That is one gorgeous dragon, but from the angle Wolfie is seeing it, I can see why there might be reservations.

  8. I don’t see any reasons we have to choose one over the other, dragons and flamingos. I want them both. I want them all.

    Lots of kids like scary things, and Callie certainly comes from story-loving blood, so as long as you can spin her a yarn about princes and princesses who rescue them, I’m sure the dragon won’t scare her.

    And I know we can’t count on dogs to tell us whether these things are trustworthy. My 75-pound dog wouldn’t stop growling at a 10″-high driftwood clock that sort of looks like a dog.

  13. I have rather a thing for dragons myself. Writing an entire book about them–well, there are people in it too but dragons are central to the theme. And now I have to have one of each of these dragons because I have been looking for dragons also and haven’t found any that are exactly what I want. The cute cuddlies are for me just because–but Beemer…. Now THAT is a dragon! I can totally use Beemer–of course, the name will have to be changed to protect the innocent, but–yeah. Dragons. Gotta love ’em!

  16. Yep, Beemer is a winner. He looks like one smart dragon, not content to just breathe fire because he can, but uses it with deliberate purpose. He’s the dragon you want for your champion.

  17. Here’s our favourite dragon:

    http://www.nationalgallery.co.uk/shop/product_display.asp?ProductID=304701

    But the most beautiful dragon I ever saw was in a chichi children’s shop in Brussels retailing at €395 – he was bronze/russet coloured, about 3 foot long from fangs to tail-tip with a 2 foot wingspan. Minion number one lusted, but understood. I can’t find one like that on the internet at the moment, but will see if I can track him down.

  18. I think Beemer just shared her (mine, too) favorite fortune with Wolfie; “Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.”

  20. My Callie (who is 8 now) has loved the giant snake-like IKEA dragon since crib time. Never underestimate a Callie’s tolerance for cool!

  21. I can see why Wolfie might have some reservations. Maybe it’s the camera angle, but Beemer looks to be Wolfie’s size or larger.

  23. OMB I love dragons! I have dragons everywhere and I MUST HAVE THAT DRAGON. I want all of these, really, but Beemer most of all. Oooooo

  24. Nancy’s lists just one Beamer left in stock.

    Bob and Dragons – I can’t wait for this story.

  25. Ah. Dragons.
    And the one who chose you is obviously very powerful and beautiful! A perfect match no doubt. I like it.
    Dragons make excellent guards of the heart.

  28. My favorite dragon is my 20 year old daughter, born in a Chinese year-of-the…
    She is definitely not stuffed, though she is quite stunning.

    I also love books about dragons, such as: Tea with the Black Dragon (R.A. McAvoy), Dragonhaven (Robin McKinley)

  30. URGENT!! Argh people Jenny and Bob are up for best book of 2008 at the Long and Short of It Reviews. Go vote. I’ll post the link in the next comment so I don’t get Spammed. And if I do you can still see this notice.

    Hope you don’t mind Jenny.

  33. Thank you for the extra dragons. So much fun to see what’s out there. And thank you Melissa for that link. You’re the best!

  34. I have been on a dragon kick since Christmas time, when I came across two series of dragon-themed books that I really liked. (G.A. Aiken and Shana Abe wrote them.)

    When I was in Chicago, I bought a teeny tiny one inch dragon at the Field Museum and he sits directly underneath my monitor now. I love your big, cuddly dragons but I like my tiny guy, too.

    I think there must be some serious dragon mojo in the air these days.

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