Elmer and the Dragon

Elmer agreed to go rescue the baby dragon from Wild Island, even though he had never met him before. How do Elmer and the dragon continue to demonstrate care and concern for one another in the text? What does the text suggest about the nature of friendship?

The novel includes both funny and suspenseful scenes. Choose your favorite of each kind of scene. How does the action, dialogue, tone, and/or setting make it either humorous, or tense and suspenseful?

Choose a secondary character to analyze, such as Flute or King Can XI. How is he/she characterized? What is his/her role and wider significance in the text?

Throughout the novel, many characters need to work together as a team to overcome challenges. How does the novel illustrate the nature and importance of teamwork?

Compare and contrast Elmer and the Dragon with the first novel in the trilogy, My Father’s Dragon. What key themes and ideas do the two books share in common? How do they shape the trilogy together?

Compare and contrast Elmer and the baby dragon. How are they similar, and how are they different? How does this help or hurt their friendship? Think of at least three examples for each, and explain in detail.

Analyze the novel’s use of setting, such as Feather Island, the ocean, or Elmer’s home. How is the setting described? What is its wider significance in Elmer’s journey?

In the first book, Elmer rescues the dragon from a life of captivity on Wild Island. Later, the dragon quickly leaves Pospicornia because he does not want to be discovered by people, telling Elmer, “Now that I’m free I should hate to be put in a zoo or a circus or something” (78). What kind of message could the author be sharing through these events?