My Father's Dragon

Elmer Elevator has always dreamed of flying. One day, when he offers some milk to a stray cat, he learns about the Wild Island, where a dragon is held captive at the end of a long rope. In this Newbery-winning novel by Ruth Stiles Gannet, the first in a trilogy, Elmer sets off from home to find this magical island. There he encounters a number of wild inhabitants, including boars, lions, tigers, mice and gorillas, that he must outsmart in order to rescue the captive dragon.