I Invited a Dragon to Dinner

Authors: Mary Ciotkowski, Dorian Cirrone, Dave Crawley, Elizabeth DeSchryver, Kathy Duval, Judith Dyl, Jill Esbaum, B. H. Fields, Claudia Harrington, Jason Hunt, Susan Maree Jeavons, Roxanne M. Kinne, Lisa Hagan Kliefoth, Denise Long, Fonda Bell Miller, Andrea Perry, Ted Scheu, Eleen Sheridan, Wendi Silvano, Pat Lorraine Simons, Robert Ora Thomas, Penny Trzynka, and Suzanne Wunder

Illustrator: Chris L. Demarest

Genre: Poetry

Awards: IRA Children's Choices Reading List (2003)

Grade(s): K-4

Summary: This collection of poems is not only beautifully illustrated, but has many different silly poems written by many different authors. One obvious poem included in this book, I Invited a Dragon to Dinner, is a poem about a boy who invited a dragon to dinner. This dragon did not act the way the boy had anticipated, but instead ended up eating a burger and fries. The little boy in the poem describes that the dragon had no manners and would smoke every time he talked. Overall, the boy explains that he learned to never invite a dragon to dinner "and don't get too close when they talk!" Another great poem in this collection is a poem called The Man in the Green Hat That No One Can See. This poem accurately describes what you think is the mentally of a child with an imaginary friend. This poem states that the man in the green hat could actually have many different colored hats "'cause no one imagines exactly like you." 

My Thoughts: Like Snack Smasher, I absolutely love this collection of poems. Their silliness makes them fun and something to truly laugh out loud to. The illustrations wonderfully tie into the story portrayed in each poem, which only makes this book more enjoyable. I'm so excited to add this book to my classroom library!! I will be able to use it to show my students that their poetry can be a result of any part of their imagination. I love that I will be able to use this book as a contrast to more deeply and serious poems.