My Father's Dragon Homeschool Literature Study Guide

The cat explains that the animals of Wild Island are using the baby dragon as a flying taxi — forcing it to carry them across the river because its wings are tied or otherwise kept from working freely, and the dragon is too young to free itself. Elmer, who loves dragons, immediately feels that this is unfair and decides to travel to Wild Island to rescue the dragon. Look for the child to identify both the dragon's problem (it is being used against its will and cannot escape) and Elmer's motivation (he cares about the dragon and wants to set it free). Either reason is a good answer; both together is excellent.

Items Elmer packs include chewing gum, lollipops, a comb, a toothbrush, rubber bands, a magnifying glass, a jackknife, and other everyday objects. Children do not need to list them all — naming two or three is fine. The follow-up skill here is prediction and cause-and-effect thinking, so praise any reasonable guess about what an item might do (e.g., 'the gum could stick things together'). Confirm that they will find out whether they are right as the story goes on.

Elmer follows the sounds of the island and pays close attention to what he sees and hears around him — for example, he can hear the animals and uses the information the cat gave him to guide his route toward the river where the dragon is kept. He also hides and moves quietly to avoid being spotted. Look for the child to connect Elmer's careful listening and watching to specific choices he makes, such as changing direction or waiting before moving. The key idea is that being observant — not just brave — is what keeps him safe.

This question builds map skills and setting awareness. Accept any landmark the child can connect to the chapters — a beach, a path through the jungle, or another feature from the text or the illustrated map. Encourage descriptive words (wet, loud, dark, thick with trees) even if the child needs prompting. The goal is to anchor the story in a physical place before adding it to their own map in the activity.

Elmer faces a series of animals including tigers, a rhinoceros, a lion, and a gorilla, among others, each of which blocks his path or threatens him. For each one, he reaches into his backpack and uses a specific ordinary item in a clever, unexpected way — for example, using lollipops to distract, a comb to satisfy a vain animal, or rubber bands in a creative fix. Any one well-described example is a complete answer. The child should name the animal, say what it wanted (to stop Elmer, to eat him, to get something), and describe what Elmer used or did. Celebrate specific details over vague retellings.

This follow-up invites creative problem-solving thinking, not a single right answer. The child might say yes, no, or offer an entirely different idea — all responses are valid as long as they engage with the specific problem Elmer faced. The goal is to practice flexible thinking: recognizing that one problem can have more than one solution. You can extend this into the activity (acting out a scene with three props) by letting the child try their own idea.

Elmer finds the dragon tied up and uses items from his pack — including the jackknife — to cut the dragon free. Once freed, the dragon can fly, and Elmer escapes by riding on the dragon's back and flying away from the island. Look for the child to include both parts: freeing the dragon (what Elmer did or used) and the escape (flying away together). The moment of the dragon's first free flight is the emotional high point of the book, so invite the child to describe how they imagine that moment felt for Elmer and the dragon.

This synthesis question has no single correct answer. A child who chooses the jackknife (used to cut the dragon free) has a strong case, but so does a child who argues for the lollipops or the comb because without getting past the earlier animals, Elmer never would have reached the dragon at all. Listen for reasoning that connects the item to a specific moment in the story. This is also a good moment to look back at the map the child has been building and trace Elmer's full route from beginning to end.