The Book of Dragons
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It wouldnтАЩt be out of line to call this book a great world of pretend. It is actually eight short stories that are clever and magical, as well as frightening at times.
For example, a fierce dragon crawls out of the dungeons of a castle and seems to be aiming at eating an entire nearby village. The wild beast frightens a poor blacksmith who has the sense and ability to trick the ferocious animal and save the town and its people.
One of the classic tales tells of a princess who has a heart of gold which gives her immunity to being eaten by any attacking dragon. YouтАЩll learn about Elfin, a clever pig keeper who wins the heart of the lovely princess.
The storyteller, Edith Nesbit, was born in 1858 in what is now Greater London. She had the imaginative foresight to concoct tales that often found her called the creator of modern childrenтАЩs fantasy. Her imagination attracted children of her time and involved them in what seemed to be a real world filled with unexpected adventures.
Her powers of invention brought us the magical stories weтАЩre about to hear.
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Edith Nesbit was a mischievous child who grew up into an unconventional adult. With her husband, Hubert Bland, she was one of the founder members of the socialist Fabian Society; their household became a centre of the socialist and literary circles of the times. E. Nesbit turned late to children's writing. Her first children's book, The Treasure Seekers, was published in 1899 to great acclaim. Other books featuring the Bastable children followed, and a series of magical fantasy books, including Five Children and It also became very popular. The Railway Children was first published monthly in the London Magazine in 1905, and published as a book in 1906, which has been in print ever since.
John Rayburn is a veteran of over sixty years in broadcasting. He served as a news/sports anchor and show host, and his TV newscast achieved the largest share of audience figures of any major-market TV newscast in the nation. John is a member of the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame. He is well suited to bring fascinating stories to life concerning the people, places, and things that combine to present lively observations of our day-to-day lives.
