Ruth Stiles Gannett 
My Father’s Dragon 

A boy risks his life to free a flying dragon in this beloved children’s classic and Newbery Honor Book.   Elmer Elevator has always wanted to fly, and when he takes in an old alley cat out of the rain, he gets his chance. The grateful cat tells him about a flying dragon that lives on the faraway Wild Island, where it has been tied up by a bunch of cruel animals and forced to work incessantly.   Not being the kind of boy who stands for such things, Elmer packs his knapsack and sets off to free the downtrodden dragon. Stowing aboard a ship and braving many dangers, Elmer will let nothing stop him from reaching Wild Island.   But if he’s going to save the dragon and finally fly, he’ll have to dig deep into his knapsack and outwit all sorts of tricky creatures inhabiting the isle.