Elmer and the Dragon

Elmer and the Dragon is the second novel in Ruth Stiles Gannett’s trilogy: My Father’s Dragon (1948), Elmer and the Dragon (1950), and The Dragons of Blueland (1951). This novel continues directly from the events of the first novel, bringing the reader back to Elmer and the dragon’s ongoing adventure. In her first chapter, the author provides just enough context for the reader to understand Elmer and the dragon’s situation, even if they are new to the series.

The first novel, My Father’s Dragon, is narrated by Elmer’s future child, who refers to him as “Elmer” or “my father.” At the time of the story’s main events, Elmer Elevator is only nine years old and a kind and generous boy. He meets an old alley cat near his home in the land of Popsicornia, and since the cat is wet and uncomfortable, Elmer kindly invites him into his home and offers him some milk. Despite his mother’s disapproval of the cat and her punishment for feeding him, Elmer quickly befriends the cat. One day, he tells the cat of his dream to fly someday. The alley cat reveals that he is well-travelled and that he has an idea of how Elmer could fulfill his dream of flying.