Module 3 : Saint George and the Dragon

Module 3
Saint George and the Dragon

Reference
Hodges, M. (1984). Saint George and the dragon. U.S.A.: Little, Brown, & Company

Summary
Saint George, the Red Cross Knight, rides with Princess Una to her land where a dragon has scared everyone into hiding. Saint George battles the dragon each day and heals each night until he is able to conquer the dragon.

What I Thought
A winner among Caldecott winners. The pictures in this book only add more magic to the story about a dragon slayer and a princess in fairy land. The colorful borders on each page either add more details from the main picture, add smaller pictures to story, or enhance the story. Each frame and corner of the book adds another layer and element of surprise to the ancient but enchanting story. The story of George and his bravery encourages anyone to keep trying since each day is a new day to start over and try again. And while George is victorious over the dragon he does not give up on his duties to protect the King and Queen of Fairy Land.

What Others Thought
Gr 1-5 –Based on Edmund Spencer’s Faerie Queene, this mellifluous retelling blends drama with descriptive language to recount the epic battle between the Red Cross Knight and a terrifying lizard with iron teeth and blazing eyes. This quintessential hero-versus-dragon tale is fittingly illustrated with formal, romanticized paintings framed by delicate borders.Fleishhacker, J. (2006, December 1). Beasts of Lore. Retrieved from: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6395092.html

Ideas
This story could be used in combination with other stories about fairies, good over evil, or begin a series about dragons. Children can dress up as knights, a princess, or even a dragon and listen to several different books about dragons throughout history. A book display of various dragon books to encourage readers of every age can be included along with this book for younger children.