Gems From the Past #1: Rediscovering Classic Children's Books

I have decided to begin my reviews with a series on all-but-forgotten young children's classics. By this, I mean the kind of book that is met with responses like, "That's a classic? I've never heard of it before." or "Does anybody read that anymore?" I hope that by reintroducing these titles, it will enable our children to discover some gems from the past.

My Father's Dragon
Author: Ruth Stiles Gannett
Illustrator: Ruth Chrisman Gannett
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Age Level: 5-8 years

First published in 1948, this creative adventure story was awarded the Newberry Honor the following year. The hero of the story is a young boy named Elmer Elevator who sets off to rescue a baby dragon from the fearsome animals on Wild Island. Equipped with ingenuity and the necessary supplies (including chewing gum and hair ribbons?!), Elmer is prepared to face whatever obstacles he may encounter.

My Father's Dragon is a simple yet well-written story interesting enough for both children and adults. It is an entertaining book to read aloud. Older readers will soon identify the author’s pattern of building the suspense and then resolving each conflict with humor. Children will be eager to discover how Elmer is going to use items such as lollipops and magnifying glasses to escape the various animals he encounters on the island.

If you enjoy hearing about Elmer’s adventures, you may also want to read the other books in this trilogy: Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland . The three books were published together in one volume entitled Three Tales of My Father's Dragon.

Coming soon: Review of Mr. Popper's Penguins