It\’s Free eBook Friday! We are always on the look-out for awesome children\’s books that can be read and enjoyed over the weekend. This week: My Father\’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

My Father\’s Dragon
by Ruth Stiles Gannett (1923-)
Illustrations by Ruth Chrisman Gannett (1896-1979)

A Newbery Honor Book, 1949.

One cold rainy day when my father was a little boy, he met an old alley cat on his street. The cat was very drippy and uncomfortable so my father said, \”Wouldn\’t you like to come home with me?\”

My Father\’s Dragon is a children\’s novel by Ruth Stiles Gannett about a young boy, Elmer Elevator, who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby dragon.

Both a Newbery Honor Book and an ALA Notable Book, it is the first book of a trilogy whose other titles are Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland. It was made into an anime film titled, Elmer\’s Adventures: My Father\’s Dragon. The narrative mode is unusual, in that the narrator refers to the protagonist only as \”my father\”, giving the impression that this is a true story that happened long ago. The illustrations within the book are black and white done with a grease crayon on a grained paper, done by Ruth Chrisman Gannett. The story was cited as a runner-up for the Newbery Medal in 1949 and was an ALA Notable Book. It was also nominated for the Ambassador Book Award in 1948.

Something To Do:

Ah yes, Dragon Bread. There are certain stories we’ve read through the years which have developed a tradition and this book is one of them. We would always make Dragon Bread to go with our dragon story. Thought you might like to as well. The actual recipe I got from my friend Sara but the designing part is all ours.

Dragon Bread

• 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 3 3/4 cups  flour
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar

Mix together the yeast and warm water. Let it rest. In another bowl, mix eggs, oil, salt, and sugar. Add flour. Add yeast and water mixture and mix until blended. Knead the dough on a floured surface until it’s firm and smooth, then round it into a bowl coated in a little oil. Turn the ball over once to coat both sides of dough with oil. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size. Now place your dough on a greased cookie sheet  or use parchment paper and shape it into a dragon.

To View the Full Tutorial, go HERE.

 

• To decorate your dragon you can use dried fruit, almond slivers as spikes or do as we have and use your scissors to make dragon scales.
• Cut down the middle of the body first and then another row on down on each side of the dragon’s body.
• Add raisins or craisins for the eyes.
• Some people cover and let their dragon bread rise again for about 30 minutes. We do not however ,as our children like the shape of their dragon to remain the same.  Bake at 350 degrees until done, about 25 minutes.
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 What dragon-inspired activities has your family enjoyed?