The Deliverers of Their Country

Read this to my youngest son back in 1994. We were both riveted to the descriptions and flow of the heroic two children who needed to save the world from an epidemic. Exciting and scary because everyone saw the threat not just the children. Could this be why the children did not try friendship / diplomacy?

Obviously I read an older version of this book than listed.

Share with your children / grandchildren; hopefully they will enjoy it as much as you will.

(fiction, easy, fantasy, YA) England has been taken over by dragons of all shapes, sizes and sorts! Children are banned from playing outside during the daylight and there are dragons the size of coffee tables known to eat little girls and boys. Effie and Harry have had enough and they take off to awaken St. George the slayer of dragons. St. George clues them in to a potential 'tap room" that may control the climate and take care of the dragons. When Effie and Harry are captured by a coffee table dragon, the dragon unwittingly takes them to the tap room. Harry and Effie change the climate and all the dragons are destroyed. In a fable like fashion, this book tries to explain all the above as to how climate was created, through Harry and show more Effie adjusting the taps. Of course, no one will believe the children's adventures and upon their return home they are scolded for being out with permission and dragons are promptly forgotten as England becomes more interested in new inventions like electricity. This was a really cute story. The pictures were so delicate in their appearance that it was a refreshing contrast to the intensity of the story. I think children would like the part of the story that describes the many different dragons. The story is so silly yet presented in such a serious epic manner that it entertains the reader. It might be a fun activity to have children create their own dragons, whether by drawing , paper bag puppets, or other media. I'm sure this book will have stoked their imagination! show less

Oh my I couldn't read this to my kids. ymmv
Example: Then the police hung up great wood and canvas towers covered with patent glue. When the dragons flew against these towers, they stuck fast, as flies and wasps do on the sticky papers in the kitchen; and when the towers were covered all over with dragons, the police inspector used to set fire to the towers and burnt them and dragons and all.

Done now. Yikes. What a ridiculous resolution. deus ex machina

Two children save their country from a dragon invasion by discovering a secret place.

The book would be useful in discussing the idea that even children can change to world.

Primary/ Intermediate
This is a good example of fantasy. The author has made it believable that there would be a swarm of dragons and a big tap room for the country.

Media: watercolor