My Father's Dragon
by Ruth Stiles Gannett
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Book Summary Information
Author: Ruth Stiles GannettBrand: Random House
Illustrator: Ruth Chrisman Gannett
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-12-27
ISBN: 0440421217
Number of pages: 96
Publisher: Yearling
Book Reviews of My Father's Dragon
Book Review: A Positive, Funny and Lighthearted Fantasy
Summary: 4 Stars
Elmer Elevator, the narrator's father, is nine years old when he meets a talking alley cat, who tells him about his journey to a Wild Island where a baby dragon is held captive, forced to ferry animals across the river that divides the island. Elmer, annoyed with his mother for being rude to the cat, packs twenty-five peanut butter sandwiches, six apples, and assorted gear and stows away on a ship bound for the nearby Tangerina, then crosses a bridge of rocks to explore the island. There he outwits a succession of fierce animals bound on devouring him and frees the dragon.
This story is masterfully written, in very short chapters that each pack a punch and end with a cliffhanger. The plot points are simple enough that young children will be able to follow them, but clever enough that adults will enjoy the author's absurd sense of humor. It's perfect for children transitioning out of picture books. Published in 1947, it reflects mainly wholesome values of kindness, courage, and generosity, with a naivete that will appeal to children who enjoy this kind of playful fantasy.
Some concerns that parents ought to consider when deciding about this book are that (as in many fantasies of this type) Elmer does disobey his mother by feeding the alley cat and sneaking out for walks with him. He also runs away, and during his travels he lies to some animals in order to protect himself. His mother does relent about the cat, and Elmer never lies outright to his parents, who in a later book welcome him home with glad relief. These moral elements can be dealt with through discussion, but the power of the story is far greater than a conversation. I believe that the warm family relationships, and other positive values in the story outweigh the effect Elmer's rebellion and lying.
All told, this is a positive, funny and lighthearted fantasy with a potentially problematic plot device of lying and running away.
Summary of My Father's Dragon
When Elmer Elevator hears about the plight of an overworked and underappreciated baby flying dragon, he stows away on a ship and travels to Wild Island to rescue the dragon.My Father's Dragon--a favorite of young readers since the 1940s and a Newbery honor book--captures the nonsensical logic of childhood in an amusingly deadpan fashion. The story begins when Elmer Elevator (the narrator's father as a boy) runs away with an old alley cat to rescue a flying baby dragon being exploited on a faraway island. With the help of two dozen pink lollipops, rubber bands, chewing gum, and a fine-toothed comb, Elmer disarms the fiercest of beasts on Wild Island. The quirky, comical adventure ends with a heroic denouement: the freeing of the dragon. Abundant black-and-white lithographs by Ruth Chrisman Gannett (the author's stepmother) add an evocative, lighthearted mood to an already enchanting story. Author Ruth Stiles Gannett 's stand-alone sequel, Elmer and the Dragon, and her third volume, The Dragons of Blueland both received starred reviews in School Library Journal and are as fresh and original as her first. (Ages 4 to 8)
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