The Girl Who Befriended Dragons

An illustrated stories story from Wonder Books — free to read, with narration.

The Girl Who Befriended Dragons — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.

The Girl Who Befriended Dragons — book cover — Wonder Books
The Girl Who Befriended Dragons — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.

Page 1

"Hurry, Elara!" called a small voice from behind the towering oak. Elara, a girl with a spirit as wild as the wind, peered into the dusty clearing, her eyes…
"Hurry, Elara!" called a small voice from behind the towering oak. Elara, a girl with a spirit as wild as the wind, peered into the dusty clearing, her eyes alight with mischief. "Almost there, Pip! Just need to find the perfect spot." She planted her small shovel into the ground. Today was a day for dragons—or, at least, for finding where they might be.

"Hurry, Elara!" called a small voice from behind the towering oak. Elara, a girl with a spirit as wild as the wind, peered into the dusty clearing, her eyes alight with mischief. "Almost there, Pip! Just need to find the perfect spot." She planted her small shovel into the ground. Today was a day for dragons—or, at least, for finding where they might be.

Page 2

"Are you sure this is going to work, Elara?" Pip chirped, landing on her shoulder. Elara grinned. "Of course! Grandma Willow always said dragons are drawn to…
"Are you sure this is going to work, Elara?" Pip chirped, landing on her shoulder. Elara grinned. "Of course! Grandma Willow always said dragons are drawn to shiny things. That's why we need to bury this mirror right here!" She held up a small, ornate mirror, its silver frame catching the light. It was a family heirloom, but Grandma Willow had insisted Elara use it if she ever needed to attract a dragon. This very mirror might be their answer.

"Are you sure this is going to work, Elara?" Pip chirped, landing on her shoulder. Elara grinned. "Of course! Grandma Willow always said dragons are drawn to shiny things. That's why we need to bury this mirror right here!" She held up a small, ornate mirror, its silver frame catching the light. It was a family heirloom, but Grandma Willow had insisted Elara use it if she ever needed to attract a dragon. This very mirror might be their answer.

Page 3

A gruff voice startled them. "What in the world are you doing?" Barnaby, the village elder, stood before them, his brow furrowed.
A gruff voice startled them. "What in the world are you doing?" Barnaby, the village elder, stood before them, his brow furrowed. Elara, though initially frightened, stood her ground. "I am trying to befriend a dragon, sir!" Barnaby chuckled. "Waste of time, child. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, 'I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply.' So apply yourself to something useful, Elara."

A gruff voice startled them. "What in the world are you doing?" Barnaby, the village elder, stood before them, his brow furrowed. Elara, though initially frightened, stood her ground. "I am trying to befriend a dragon, sir!" Barnaby chuckled. "Waste of time, child. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, 'I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply.' So apply yourself to something useful, Elara."

Page 4

"But befriending a dragon is useful!" Elara protested. "They protect the forest, don't they?" Barnaby sighed. "Legend says so.
"But befriending a dragon is useful!" Elara protested. "They protect the forest, don't they?" Barnaby sighed. "Legend says so. But legends are just stories, Elara. Now, be off!" As Barnaby turned to leave, Pip whispered, "He doesn't believe in them." Elara declared, "Then we'll just have to prove him wrong, won't we?"

"But befriending a dragon is useful!" Elara protested. "They protect the forest, don't they?" Barnaby sighed. "Legend says so. But legends are just stories, Elara. Now, be off!" As Barnaby turned to leave, Pip whispered, "He doesn't believe in them." Elara declared, "Then we'll just have to prove him wrong, won't we?"

Page 5

Deeper in the forest, they discovered a hidden grove. "Look, Pip!" Elara gasped. It was filled with strange, glowing plants and shimmering stones.
Deeper in the forest, they discovered a hidden grove. "Look, Pip!" Elara gasped. It was filled with strange, glowing plants and shimmering stones. "This isn't on any map," Pip chirped, tilting his head. "Grandma Willow always said that dragon lairs have a unique energy signature. It's caused by the rare minerals found where they sleep," Elara recalled, her eyes scanning the grove.

Deeper in the forest, they discovered a hidden grove. "Look, Pip!" Elara gasped. It was filled with strange, glowing plants and shimmering stones. "This isn't on any map," Pip chirped, tilting his head. "Grandma Willow always said that dragon lairs have a unique energy signature. It's caused by the rare minerals found where they sleep," Elara recalled, her eyes scanning the grove.

Page 6

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. "What was that?" Pip squeaked, flying to Elara's head. A plume of smoke billowed from a nearby cave.
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. "What was that?" Pip squeaked, flying to Elara's head. A plume of smoke billowed from a nearby cave. Then, a dragon emerged, but it was small and covered in soot. "Go away!" it roared, its voice surprisingly high-pitched. "This is my grove, and I don't want any visitors!"

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. "What was that?" Pip squeaked, flying to Elara's head. A plume of smoke billowed from a nearby cave. Then, a dragon emerged, but it was small and covered in soot. "Go away!" it roared, its voice surprisingly high-pitched. "This is my grove, and I don't want any visitors!"

Page 7

Elara stood her ground, despite her fear. "We don't want to hurt you," she said softly. "We just want to be friends." The dragon scoffed. "Friends?
Elara stood her ground, despite her fear. "We don't want to hurt you," she said softly. "We just want to be friends." The dragon scoffed. "Friends? You're just like all the others! You'll try to steal my treasure!" Pip chirped, "We don't want your treasure! We brought you a gift!" Elara held out a small, glittering gem she'd found in the grove. "It matches your eyes!"

Elara stood her ground, despite her fear. "We don't want to hurt you," she said softly. "We just want to be friends." The dragon scoffed. "Friends? You're just like all the others! You'll try to steal my treasure!" Pip chirped, "We don't want your treasure! We brought you a gift!" Elara held out a small, glittering gem she'd found in the grove. "It matches your eyes!"

Page 8

The dragon hesitated, then snatched the gem. "It is pretty," he mumbled. "But I'm still scared. My lair is too dark since the fire, and I can't see anything.
The dragon hesitated, then snatched the gem. "It is pretty," he mumbled. "But I'm still scared. My lair is too dark since the fire, and I can't see anything. It makes me easy to sneak up on." Elara smiled. "That's where the mirror comes in!" she exclaimed, remembering her Grandma Willow's teachings. "We can use it to reflect sunlight into your lair!" Together, Elara and Pip positioned the mirror, and sunlight flooded the cave.

The dragon hesitated, then snatched the gem. "It is pretty," he mumbled. "But I'm still scared. My lair is too dark since the fire, and I can't see anything. It makes me easy to sneak up on." Elara smiled. "That's where the mirror comes in!" she exclaimed, remembering her Grandma Willow's teachings. "We can use it to reflect sunlight into your lair!" Together, Elara and Pip positioned the mirror, and sunlight flooded the cave.

Page 9

The dragon gasped. "It's beautiful! I can see everything now! Thank you!" He nuzzled Elara gently. "You're not like the others. You're kind." Elara giggled.
The dragon gasped. "It's beautiful! I can see everything now! Thank you!" He nuzzled Elara gently. "You're not like the others. You're kind." Elara giggled. "We just wanted to be friends. And maybe," Elara winked, "prove someone wrong." Pip chirped excitedly, "That's our Elara!"

The dragon gasped. "It's beautiful! I can see everything now! Thank you!" He nuzzled Elara gently. "You're not like the others. You're kind." Elara giggled. "We just wanted to be friends. And maybe," Elara winked, "prove someone wrong." Pip chirped excitedly, "That's our Elara!"

Page 10

Back in the village, Elara and Pip led Barnaby to the grove. There, in the sunlight, stood the dragon, no longer soot-covered but gleaming with health.
Back in the village, Elara and Pip led Barnaby to the grove. There, in the sunlight, stood the dragon, no longer soot-covered but gleaming with health. Barnaby's jaw dropped. "I...I don't believe it." Elara smiled. "Believe it, sir. I think kindness is much more powerful than doubt. And," Elara said, "I also believe 'The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart,' as Helen Keller said."

Back in the village, Elara and Pip led Barnaby to the grove. There, in the sunlight, stood the dragon, no longer soot-covered but gleaming with health. Barnaby's jaw dropped. "I...I don't believe it." Elara smiled. "Believe it, sir. I think kindness is much more powerful than doubt. And," Elara said, "I also believe 'The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart,' as Helen Keller said."

About this story

  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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