Ellray Jakes the Dragon Slayer!
Written by Sally Warner
Illustrated by Brian Biggs
Reviewed by Dustin R. (age 9)
Ellray is a good and kind person. In Ellray Jakes and the Dragon Slayer! by Sally Warner, his little sister Alfie is getting picked on and Ellray wants it to stop. One day Ellray was going to pick up Alfie from Kreative Learning and Playtime Day Care, and Suzette Monahan (“dragonlike girl”), Alfie’s friend, is calling her names and pretending she is invisible, and Ellray knows a thing or two about being picked on. It was taco night, the most popular night in Ellray’s family, but Alfie stayed in her room because she was so sad because Suzette called her names. Now Ellray is mad about Alfie getting picked on, so he told Alfie to tell Suzette to stop, and the next day when they got home Ellray asked if Suzette was still saying Alfie is invisible, and she still was. Since Alfie didn’t tell Suzette to stop, Ellray pretended to be Suzette so Alfie knew what to say when she talks to Suzette. Ellray realized that Alfie doesn’t want to tell Suzette to stop so he…well, you will have to read the book to find out.
I loved Ellray Jakes and the Dragon Slayer! because it made me wonder why Suzette called Alfie names and that made me want to keep reading. In the book it says, “Rabbit poop girl,” Suzette cries, tossing the mean words over her shoulder like a Die, Creature, Die grenade.” I also like Ellray because he is loyal to Alfie because he tried to help Alfie not be afraid to talk to Suzette. In the book Ellray says “You have to talk to her. Look we will practice. What are you going say to me? To Suzette? ” I think the illustrations are good because they clearly showed how everyone acted. For example, one picture showed Suzette with her hands around two girls shoulders when she called Alfie names. Another illustration showed how everyone was having fun playing dodgeball.
I think this book is good for all second to fourth graders because it’s not too easy and it’s not too hard to read. Also, if you have a brother or sister getting picked on, you are just like Ellray. If you like to read about a surprising problem, this book is good for you. Read the book to find out how Ellray slays the “dragon!”