We have grown up with traditional fairy tales, but now we have to pass them on to our children in a modern guise. The book is adorned with beautiful full-page colour illustrations and a wealth of exciting inter-textual graphics to keep young readers/listeners engaged. The drawings echo the motifs of medieval frescoes and codices. This modern tale, rooted in our past, has been put to paper by Zsoldos Prize-winning author Ágnes Gaura Gaura.

A new chapter in the Digital Legendary in history! After their live-action and animated cartoons, board games and other illustrations, they felt it was time to try a new form of storytelling. At the end of September, they published their first storybook, The Dragon's Quest. A long-held dream has come true with this project, because they believe that learning about our traditions can never start early enough, and a storybook that reinforces family values yet teaches is the best way to do that.

The author of the folktale-infused, magical Dragon Fire Quest is the 2024 Péter Zsoldos Prize-winning fantasy writer Ágnes Gaura Gaura, and the illustrations are by Gyöngyvér Nagy, a graphic designer at the Digital Legendarium.

What can a prince do when the empire needs dragon fire? He sighs, and though he prefers reading dragon books to fighting dragons, he rises to do what his country (or his parents' strictness) demands. But the journey to the dragonfire quest is an adventurous one, especially when fairies and witches shape the course of the quest - not to mention the army of dragons that turn up unexpectedly. The story by Ágnes Gaura and the illustrations by Gyöngyvér Nagy invite us into the world of the Dragon Fire Quest with magical power.

This special storybook is written in the magical style of classic folk tales, full of hidden historical references and magical creatures. Aimed at children aged 6-9, it is also an enjoyable read for adults as it tackles important issues of modern society - such as gender equality, parent-child relationships and environmental awareness - in an easy-to-understand way. Dragon's Quest aims not only to entertain children, but also to educate them, supporting their development and social awareness.

What type of storybook?

It is a 21st century fairy tale, with classic fairy tale elements, 12th-13th century inspired imagery in its form, and characters that are also classic fairy tale characters: dragons, horses with talismans, witches, fairies, princes, princesses, but in a slightly different way than we are used to. For example, the princess is not a passive "sufferer" of the story, but an active participant in the plot.

What is the message?

A key message of the storybook is that everyone should be treated with respect and empathy, and that others should be treated as equal partners - whether they are fellow human beings or other members of the living world. Part of this message is that understanding and reflecting on the situation of others helps us to make good choices; that conflicts are not resolved through violence; and that sharing our own happiness creates a world in which others are happier.

What is it about?

The youngest son of a cold queen rises to get dragon fire to heat the palace. On his journey, he encounters witches, fairy folk, and many captive dragons. We won't tell you the rest, don't shoot the joke. 🙂

What's different?

The book is more ornate and better illustrated than similar publications. It contains more than 50 full-page colour illustrations and even more line drawings between the texts. The large pictures are a delight to wander through, drawing readers into the world of the book.

The tale itself is a traditionally based, but very much a modern story, where girls and dragons are active characters in the adventure, not just the prince.

What is the graphic world like?

The starting point for the graphic world was the world of the Pictorial Chronicle, just as the text evokes Hungary in the 12th and 13th centuries at several points. This is complemented by folk art patterns and the personality and imagination of the illustrator.

How is the book designed?

A hardback, lavishly illustrated book with large, easy-to-read type and many expressive pictures to provide a talking point between parents and children. Among the characters with different temperaments in the dragon lexicon pages at the beginning of each chapter, every child will find one with whom they can identify. The design of the letters and the spacing of the lines make reading easy for children of all ages who are just learning to read.

About the writer and graphic designer:

Ágnes Gaura is a Zsoldos Prize-winning (2024) fantasy author who is particularly fond of the strange, magical creatures of Hungarian folklore. Her novel Túlontúl (2017, Delta Vision) is aimed at fairy-tale-loving adults, weaving together the Hungarian fairy and folktale tradition with the motif of the country's division into three parts.

Gyöngyvér Nagy is the illustrator of the Digital Legendarium, head of the department of cute magical creatures (his substitute is a handsome Miskakancsó.) He re-enchanted elements of nature and Hungarian folk art to create fairy-tale worlds and the fantastic characters living in them.

About Digital Legendary:

The Digital Legendary was founded in 2012 by a few enthusiastic friends, recognising the mass demand for digital knowledge and film in Central Europe. With filmed videos, 2D and 3D animations, AR and VR applications, traditional publications and other graphic content, they target the heightened stimulus threshold of today's man.

The team of the Digital Legendarium is made up of professionals with an interest in history, brought together by the mission to bring Hungarian and world history to young people and the general public using the digital technology of the present age.

In 2022, the Hungarian Prehistoric Research Group of the Humanities Research Centre and the Institute of Archaeology of the Hungarian University of Applied Sciences made a film about our adventurous ancestors, entitled On Horseback and in Saddleback - The Military Organization of the Hungarian Squatters.