This is one of my favorite read alouds to first and second graders.

Children love the adventure Elmer has when he runs away from home to rescue a baby dragon being held captive on Wild Island. ( )

A boy goes on a journey to rescue a dragon, who is being kept as means of transportation on an island of talking animals. It just so happens that the things the boy packs for his trip, which seem completely random and useless at the time, are exactly what he needs to achieve his goal. ( )

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)

A cute little story about Elmer, a boy who runs away from home to rescue a baby dragon. The dragon is being held prisoner on an island full of wild animals. They keep him tied up next to a river, and use him to ferry across. Advised by an old alley cat he befriended, Elmer fills his backpack with some unlikely-sounding items: chewing gum, colored hair ribbons, pink lollipops, six magnifying glasses, etc. Each of these things eventually comes in handy as Elmer uses them to help and/or thwart the wild animals he meets in his journey. It's really quite clever. My daughter loved this book and all the distinctive, charming illustrations by Ruth Chrisman Gannett.

From the Dog Ear Diary ( )

A young boy determines to rescue a poor baby dragon who is being used by a group of lazy wild animals to ferry them across the river on Wild Island.

Hands down the greatest book I've ever read!

It is about a boy named Elmer finding an alley cat and helping save a baby dragon from Wild Island and saving his family.

- Amatullah A.

I read this book on a recommendation from a coworker who remembers it fondly from her childhood. First published in 1948, this Newbery Honor book is still in print.
My Father’s Dragon is told by Elmer Elevator’s offspring, and is the story of Elmer’s daring trip to Wild Island to rescue a dragon. Encouraged to make the journey by a kindly alley cat, Elmer sets of on his adventure with a knapsack full of provisions, “ 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” while on the ship - “twenty-five peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and six apples.”
Needless to say, each of these items becomes necessary to his quest. Using resourcefulness and ingenuity, Elmer outwits the inhabitants of Wild Island. A rousing and timeless adventure story! ( )

A great early reader for a child who enjoys fanciful writing. This is an excellent read aloud for young children. It is accompanied by frequent illustrations and a map that enabled even my easily distracted three year old to follow the story, and enjoy it.

This is a sweet little story about a boy who runs away from home to help save a dragon. Children will love the simplicity and the sweetness of the boy. Unfortunately, this is not a story that translates well to adults. Its very simplicity keeps an adult from getting into the characters as a child would.

This is a great book for a classroom library! ( )

A fun first chapter book.

Great introduction to chapter books for younger kids. Unfortunately, once I start reading it, my son demands I finish the entire thing! ( )

A Newbery Honor Book in 1948, this humorous adventure story about a boy who uses his wits to rescue an enslaved baby dragon is . . . reissued in a near facsimile of the first edition, including original full-color jacket and long-lost endpaper maps".--Booklist. ALA Notable Children's Book; Newbery ( )

What a fun, easy to read book. Makes a nice read aloud. Simplistic and engaging. A delightful read. ( )