My Father’s Dragon

My Father’s Dragon is a delightful story about a boy, Elmer Elevator, and his adventures on Wild Island.  Elmer (the ‘my father’ in the story) befriends an alley cat, who tells him of a dragon caught on an island, used by the animals on that island.  Elmer decides to go on an adventure and find & rescue the dragon.  The cat helps him to prepare for the trip and stowaway on a ship.

In his knapsack, Elmer carries: “chewing gum, two dozen pink lollipops, a package of rubber bands, black rubber boots, a compass, a toothbrush and a tube of tooth paste, six magnifying glasses, a very sharp jackknife, a comb and a hairbrush, seven hair ribbons of different colors, an empty grain bag with a label saying “Cranberry,” some clean clothes, and enough food to last my father while he was on the ship.”

This packing list is important, because he uses nearly every item to either get to Wild Island or to outwit the animals in order to reach the dragon.  Children enjoy Elmer’s adventures and his quick thinking as he encounters the different animals on the island.

My children and I loved this book and its sequels.  We found them all on cassette tape (when our library carried cassette tapes) and listened to all three books over and over again.  If you find them on CD, snatch them up for hours of enjoyment at home or in the car.

Other books in this series:

• Elmer and the Dragon
  
• The Dragons of Blueland