My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon has been comforting thousands of young hearts since its original release in July of 2019. It has an average of 5 stars on Amazon, with 115 ratings and reviews.

More than 7,000 copies have been sold to families, libraries, and schools. But it's currently out of stock, and by ordering your copy of this special edition, you'll help make sure it remains available for grieving families and children for years to come.

The special edition will feature updated colors on the endpapers to set it apart from previous versions, plus a special "In Memory Of" page that allows backers to have a loved one's name published in every copy of this limited-edition print run (see below).

Hi, I'm Angie Lucas, the author of My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon, pictured here with my daughter, Keira.

This book is deeply meaningful to me, and to many others. I wrote it shortly after losing a desperately wanted baby girl during pregnancy—after a 10-year battle with infertility. The editor, Jennifer Adams, was drawn to its message after the death of her mother. And the illustrator, Birgitta Sif, was mourning a very dear friend.

We all poured our hearts and our hopes into this book, and it turned out more magical and more meaningful than I ever could have imagined. The way it resonates with readers brings all of us so much comfort and connection as we continue to remember and grieve our loved ones.

The book's publisher, Sounds True, produced a video that shows the entire book, start to finish, being read by an adorable 7-year-old boy. It has over 12,000 views.

As you can see from the video, the story is full of heart and touches of humor that lighten the heaviness of the topic. It helps grieving children feel less alone. It helps them discover their new superpower: to truly see and understand others who are bearing up under the weight of an invisible dragon that the rest of the world can't see or understand.

This isn't the kind of book that sees huge spikes in sales at Christmas or for back-to-school. It sells steadily and surely, as new readers have experiences that cause them to seek out the book's message.

I've heard from so many readers who purchase it again and again, as their go-to gift when someone in their life suffers a loss. And now that the book is out of stock, I get regular emails from folks who are searching for a copy, usually right after a child has suffered a tragedy. I have a small stash of personal copies that I can send out one-by-one, but supplies are running low.

When back stock of the book started to dwindle in 2024, the publisher, Sounds True, was all set to order another print run. They had just sponsored my attendance at a conference for school counselors, children's therapists, juvenile justice professionals, and others who work with children who have suffered trauma and loss. My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon resonated deeply with this audience, and I sold every copy I had with me.

A few weeks later, when the production estimates came back, print costs had almost double what had been budgeted for. Combined with a challenging publishing market, it didn't make financial sense to invest in a reprint.

But my publisher believes in this title and said that if I could demonstrate continued demand or secure a minimum number of orders, they'd love to continue supporting the title. So here we are!

Even for those who already own a copy or don't feel like they personally need a book about grief, My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon is excellent to have on hand, in case you need a gift for someone on short notice.

Children who have experienced the death of a parent or sibling, who have an incarcerated parent, who have experienced divorce, and who struggle with depression have all found comfort in this story.

It's also great for kids who are trying to support a friend through a loss. Not only will it help them empathize with their friend's experience, they'll also learn from the main character's best friend, Ollie, what it looks like to be a good friend to someone experiencing grief.

Order a copy of the book through this Crowdfundr, or two copies, or five, or ten. Think of it like a pre-order. A vote of confidence for my publisher to see that there’s still plenty of demand for this book.

All of the proceeds will go toward financing this special-edition print run. How big that print run is will depend on how much interest this campaign generates.

Bonus: Select the right perk, and you can have your loved one's name printed in every copy of this limited-edition print run, on a special "In Memory Of" page. (Final design of this page TBD.) Total availability: 100 name slots.

“Both sensitive and sensible: If some dragons can’t be vanquished, with time and help they can be borne…closes with a wonderfully perceptive insight …” —Kirkus Reviews

“Stays true to the boy’s perspective through a landscape of shifting emotions, creating a narrative that reads childlike and true, with dashes of humor and playfulness…” —Publisher’s Weekly

My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon has an average of 4.8/5 stars on Amazon with 115 ratings and reviews, and it has 4.4/5 stars on GoodReads with 250 ratings and reviews.

Here's what readers are saying:

This is what I love most about being a children's author. I love seeing firsthand the power books and stories have to build connection, foster empathy, and touch hearts.