Introduction
Not Your Typical Dragon. Everybody knows your typical dragon exhales fire. But when Crispin decides to breathe fire on his seventh birthday, fire doesn’t spread out—only lashed cream! Each time Crispin examines to breathe fire, he ends up with Crispin phenomena if he’ll ever find his internal fire. But when a family pressure breaks out, it becomes a little monster with not-so-typical techniques to save the day. With wry banter and capricious illustrations, Not Your Ordinary Dragon is the perfect story for any child who can’t help feeling a little bit various.
Not Your Typical Dragon by Dan Bar-el
Crispin Blaze was born into a proud family of fire-breathing dragons. “Every Blaze breathes fire,” explained his father. “I breathe fire. Your mother breathes fire. Tomorrow, when you turn seven, you’ll breathe fire, too.
The little dragon imagined all the forests he would burn down. He dreamed of all the castles he would destroy. He also considered boiling water to make tea but he didn’t tell his father that.
The next day, Crispin sat among family and friends as a big cake was brought to the table. “Who would light the birthday candles?” his mother asked. “I will,” declared Crispin. He could feel a tingling inside his tummy but when he opened his mouth, fire did not come out.
Whipped cream came out.Whipped cream came out. “Crispin,” shouted his father, “dragons breathe fire.” “What will the neighbors think?” worried his mother. “I love whipped cream,” said his little sister Ashley.
The little dragon was whisked off to the doctor the very next day. “Please, fix my son,” demanded Crispin’s father. “What seems to be the problem?” asked the doctor. Crispin opened his mouth and breathed but fire did not come out.
Band-Aids came out. “I see,” said the doctor gravely. “Dragons should breathe fire,” insisted Crispin’s father. “We’re low on Band-Aids,” mumbled the nurse. The doctor sent Crispin home with medicine. He swallowed two teaspoons before going to school. “It will help you become a real dragon,” said his father with a wink.
After school, Crispin joined his first fire breathing practice. One by one, little dragons aimed their fiery breath at stacks of logs until they burst into flames. Crispin stepped up confidently. He could feel the medicine bubbling in his belly but when he opened his mouth, fire did not come out.
Marshmallows came out. “Dragons breathe fire,” yelled the coach. “Isn’t that right, class?” The other dragons didn’t answer. They were too busy looking for pointy sticks for marshmallow roasting.
“I guess, I’m not a real dragon,” Crispin thought. He worried that his family would be disappointed so he ran away from home.
The world can be a scary place for a little dragon who can’t breathe fire.
Crispin found a dark cave. “I will be a fireless dragon all by myself. I won’t bother anyone and no one will bother me.” An hour later, he had a visitor. “I am Sir George,” squeaked the thin, shiny knight. “You should show yourself, dragon.” Crispin shuffled out of the cave. The thin, shiny knight held up his thin, shiny sword. “Do your worst, dragon.” Crispin opened his mouth but fire did not come out.
Soap bubbles came out.
“Don’t you breathe fire, dragon?” Crispin shook his head. “I can’t.” Sir George moaned. “But my father insists that I fight a fire-breathing dragon. It even says here in my book that your typical dragon breathes fire. “I’m not your typical dragon,” Crispin explained. Sir George sighed, “I can’t go home.” “Me neither, ” Crispin nodded.But then he had an idea. “Maybe your book could tell us what to do.
“Of course,” Sir George searched through the pages. It says, “It’s probably just your diet.” Sir George fed Crispin spicy curry, scorching chili, and blistering salsa. Crispin opened his mouth but fire did not come out. Red party streamers came out. “At least, they’re the right color,” said Sir George kindly.
Sir George searched through the book again. “Aha! It says it’s probably your attitude.” Sir George showed Crispin how to look mean and angry enough to breathe fire. Crispin opened his mouth but fire did not come out. Soft, cuddly teddy bears came out. “Hmm,” said Sir George, “we may have taken a step backward.” “It’s no use,” Crispin sighed, “I’m just not your typical dragon.”
But Sir George was not ready to give up. “Ah, the book says you’re too stressed.” Sir George made Crispin close his eyes while he described a quiet, relaxing day at the ocean. “Do you feel calm? Now, imagine a hundred shiny knights attacking you.” Crispin opened his mouth but fire did not come out. Beach balls came out. “Well, that’s just plain weird.”
Secretly, Sir George was glad that Crispin couldn’t breathe fire. He liked the little dragon and didn’t want to fight him. Crispin liked the shiny knight too but he missed his parents.
“Sir George, it’s getting dark. I want to go home.” The shiny knight patted him on the back. “Don’t worry, little dragon, I will take you.” Crispin’s parents were relieved when he arrived home safely. Sir George was about to say goodbye when they heard a shout, “There you are, boy. Why on earth are you playing with a fire-breathing dragon?” “Well, he’s my friend, father,” whispered Sir George, “and besides, he doesn’t breathe fire.”
“A dragon that doesn’t breathe fire, hahaha. That’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard, hahahahahahaha,” the shiny man laughed. Crispin’s father stormed out of the house, “My son is not silly. He may not breathe fire but I certainly do.”Crispin’s father let out a powerful spray of flames.
“Do your worst, dragon,” declared the shiny man. But then the flames scorched the lawn. “That’s enough, honey,” said Crispin’s mother. The flames singed the fence. “You’ve made your point, dear. Now, stop showing off, ” she scolded. Then the flames ignited the roof. Crispin’s father panicked, “I can’t stop breathing fire.” “You’ll burn down the house,” cried his mother. “You’ll burn down the whole neighborhood.”
Dragons came running from all directions. They knew how to start fires but no one knew how to stop them. Crispin suddenly felt a tingling in his tummy. He felt a bubbling in his belly. He opened his mouth but fire did not come out.
A gush of water shot out. Crispin aims the water at his father’s flames. He saved his home and he even saved the shiny man who wasn’t looking so shiny anymore. “Hooray for Crispin,” everyone shouted.
On Crispin’s next birthday, there was a big party. Family and friends came from all over the land. Sir George and his family came, too. Lots of dragons were dancing. Crispin stood with his mouth open wide. Fire still did not come out. Music came out instead. “Your son,” said an old uncle to Crispin’s father, “he is not your typical dragon, is he?” “No,” replied Crispin’s father proudly. “My son is something special.”
And then he jumped up and danced to Crispin’s music, too.
“Not Your Typical Dragon by Dan Bar-el” Book Read Aloud Youtube Video
Conversations
So what conversation will you have with your child after reading this book?
Some questions you might like to ask are:
Crispin Blaze was born where?
Crispin Blaze was born into a proud family of fire-breathing dragons.
When he opened his mouth what come out?
Whipped cream came out.
After school, Crispin joined what?
After school, Crispin joined his first fire breathing practice.
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