Free How Droofus The Dragon Lost His Head (Sandpiper Books) Ebooks Online
Droofus the kindly dragon has a price on his head, but the small boy who befriends him refuses to sell him to the king.
Lexile Measure: AD830L (What's this?)
Series: Sandpiper Books
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers; unknown edition (March 23, 1983)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0395340667
ISBN-13: 978-0395340660
Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 8.5 x 10 inches
Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #47,340 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #174 in Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Dragons #2433 in Books > Children's Books > Humor #3138 in Books > Children's Books > Animals
Age Range: 4 - 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool - 3
I just picked up this book secondhand and it is my first introduction to Bill Peet and I am sure to get more of his books! It reminds me of an old fashioned fairy tale with kings, dragons and knights and is a fun way to introduce my 3 year old to these "magic" concepts. It is a nice story with charming pictures - Droofus gets separated from the other dragons and becomes a kind, grass eating dragon. The king wants his head as a trophy and puts out a big reward. Droofus gets discovered by a young boy who decides Droofus must be a good dragon since he did not hurt the lamb and so the boy does not betray Droofus. Later Droofus gets a chance to repay the boy by helping on the farm. Eventually he does get discovered by the king and the knights, but the boy comes up with a way for the king to have Droofus's head without chopping it off! A sweet tale with lots of little lessons about kindness tucked in.
I read this when I was just a kid (maybe 1st or 2nd grade), but it was one of a handful of stories I never forgot -- except for the title. When I finally had kids, I began looking for it and luckily came across it searching book-by-book at a store. It's better than I remember -- both the writing and the illustrations. It's highly recommended, and not just by me, but my 3 year old!
Droofus the not-so-bad dragon is generally at peace with the world, and is kind to smaller animals. As a nice guy, he's not interested in laying waste to the country-side, even though some people expect him to. As with all Peet's books, the faces on his animals are wonderfully expressive, yet still look like real animals (one of my favorite things about all of his books which I've read).
This book is quintessential Bill Peet! It is the story of a dragon who gets lost and after helping an unfortunate grasshopper, decides to be kind and not eat it. This turns the lifestyle of predation to kindness to others. After sheltering a lost sheep, a boy finds the dragon but is quiet about the knowledge of where he is since the King wants his head. Droofus decides to fly in a storm and crashes on the property of the boy's family and they help him based on the son's recommendation. When Droofus heals enough, he begins to help the family clear the land and do chores until an ornery old man sees him and tells the King. The king comes and offers money for the dragon, but the family values him so much they refuse to sell him. Their compromise is fun! Everyone wins.In violence ridden child literature, this at least has a moral of kindness and gratitude. I had bought this book for my own children when they were little. It was time to pass it on to friends with children who are young.
Drufus gets lost from his terrifying dragon family and has to survive on his own. One morning he rescues a bug from a spider's web and he considers that he, like the spider, kills to eat. He decides to eat grass instead and grows into the largest dragon ever. A local king wants a dragon head to put on his wall to impress everyone, and he sends out his knights to find one. Fortunately there are no bones outside his cave since he eats grass, so the knights don't know he's there and they go right past. He is discovered by a boy who refuses to report the dragon to the king for a reward because the dragon hadn't harmed the boy's lamb.Later Drufus gets injured in a storm and lands on that boy's property. The boy still refuses to tell the king and get the reward. He hides the dragon and helps him heal. The family is poor because the land is too full of rocks and they can't get them out. Drufus over hears this and decides to help them. He clears out the rocks and helps plow the land. The family comes to love the dragon and they work together to bring prosperity to the family.One day the king finds out about the dragon and goes to get him. The family comes up with a solution that is surprising and funny.
Sorry for that plot-spoiler. As you can see from the cover, Droofus is a cute dragon. He cuddles with lambs and doesn't... exactly do stuff that dragons are commonly associated with (like breathe fire, act menacing, you know...) Several knights don't quite get that, and attempt to put an abrupt end to Droofus, but they don't quite look hard enough for him, and ultimately a detente ensues once everyone realizes that Droofus isn't the menace they believed dragons to be. It teaches a child that snap judgments aren't always the smartest, and may result in someone being hurt. Bill Peet's books are classics with thoughtful messages and excellent illustrations.
When I was a child, Bill Peet books were some of my favorites, and of those, 'Droofus the Dragon' was dearest to my heart. It's a wonderful story with entertaining illustrations, and I could read it over and over again both when I was a child and now. There are great lessons about kindness, helpfulness, and even dispute resolution, and I have bought this book for all of my nieces and nephews. You cannot go wrong giving this book to your child, or any child you love.
My niece loved the books. She says they are written for older kids along with little children. They have long enough words to keep an older child interested and yet they are colorful enough for very small children.
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