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18th out of 501 books
—
486 voters
Saint George and the Dragon
This special new paperback edition of St. George and the Dragon commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the Caldecott Award-winning picture book. Hodges retells an exciting segment from Spenser's The Faerie Queene, in which the Red Cross Knight slays a dreadful dragon that has been terrorizing the countryside for years, bringing peace and joy back to the land. Featuring a fr...more
Paperback, 32 pages
Published
September 4th 1990
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
(first published January 1st 1984)
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The story is a bit long-winded, but the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous!!! Definitely a great "old fashioned fairy tale" sort of feel but good for boys who aren't into the princess thing.
Tags: Caldecott, legend, St. George, Dragon, Edmund Spenser, Fairie Queene, Red Cross Knight, folklore, Una, courage, virtue, standard source
George and Princess Una travel from the realm of the Fairy Queen to fight the dragon that is terrorizing her home. George fights the dragon fiercely and each night when he rests his strength is renewed through magic water or dew. Upon slaying the dragon, the knight is showered with flowers, gifts and many thanks including the hand in marriage of Princess Un...more
George and Princess Una travel from the realm of the Fairy Queen to fight the dragon that is terrorizing her home. George fights the dragon fiercely and each night when he rests his strength is renewed through magic water or dew. Upon slaying the dragon, the knight is showered with flowers, gifts and many thanks including the hand in marriage of Princess Un...more
Grade/interest level: 3rd grade
Reading level: Lexile Level 1080L
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: Una, Saint George, the Dragon
Setting: England countryside in the time of dragons and fairy folk
POV: 3rd person narration
This is a story about a girl named Una, goes off to find a champion to defeat a fearsome dragon terrorizing her land. The Queen of the fairies assigned the Red Cross Knight to this adventure of slaying the dragon. Together, Una and the Knight go back towards the danger...more
Reading level: Lexile Level 1080L
Genre: Traditional Literature
Main Characters: Una, Saint George, the Dragon
Setting: England countryside in the time of dragons and fairy folk
POV: 3rd person narration
This is a story about a girl named Una, goes off to find a champion to defeat a fearsome dragon terrorizing her land. The Queen of the fairies assigned the Red Cross Knight to this adventure of slaying the dragon. Together, Una and the Knight go back towards the danger...more
The illustrations, especially using the border frame (sometimes like a window and other times as a decorative composite of scenes from the story, symbols, and pure ornamentation) are enchanting. The story and paintings are populatedd with fairies, a knight, a princess, a companion dwarf, and an enormous dragon. (Although the story is attributed as an adaptation from Edmund Spenser's FAERIE QUEENE, the story also has roots going back into Eastern Christianity. Notice especially the shield with th...more
I am fairly certain 'St. George and the Dragon' was the first library book I took out to read by myself; I was 7 and in the 2nd Grade. (Though there were probably many before, 'The Hobbit' was the first book I remember taking out to read with my mom; I was then 5.)
What struck me as most memorable about this book at the time, not surprisingly, were the pictures. I read and understood the story well enough (not realizing, to be sure, that it was a retelling of elements of Spenser's 'The Faerie Qu...more
What struck me as most memorable about this book at the time, not surprisingly, were the pictures. I read and understood the story well enough (not realizing, to be sure, that it was a retelling of elements of Spenser's 'The Faerie Qu...more
Originally posted at Honey and Locusts.
Of the many hundreds of children's books at his disposal, this is one of my son's most requested. That is just as well, because it's certainly my favorite book to read to him (besides the Jesus Storybook Bible, of course)!
Based on Edmund Spenser's classic epic poemThe Faerie Queen, this book tells the story of the Red Cross Knight and his battle against a dragon that has been terrorizing the English countryside. While there are no surprises in the plot— boy...more
Of the many hundreds of children's books at his disposal, this is one of my son's most requested. That is just as well, because it's certainly my favorite book to read to him (besides the Jesus Storybook Bible, of course)!
Based on Edmund Spenser's classic epic poemThe Faerie Queen, this book tells the story of the Red Cross Knight and his battle against a dragon that has been terrorizing the English countryside. While there are no surprises in the plot— boy...more
“Saint George and the Dragon” retold by Margaret Hodges and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman was deserving of its Caldecott Award. Although wordy for some younger children, the pictures told the story very well too. In the book a comparison is made between the events of George and Una with that of a sailor’s journey and experience, which was also told in pictures bordering the words. Some events of the story are shown in the pictures bordering the words as well. The book has a good story but it...more
Nov 30, 2011
Sharne' Cherry
added it
1. Picture book, Traditional Literature
2. This epic story is about a knight, the Red Cross Knight, that was given a shield with a red cross on it. He is given a quest by the Queen of Fairies where his strength will be tested by killing a fierce dragon. On his journey, he encounters a princess, lamb, and dwarf who join him in his quest to help lead him to the dragon. Along their way to find and fight the dragon, the knight is faced with decisions that may pull him away from his objective.
3.a. Plo...more
2. This epic story is about a knight, the Red Cross Knight, that was given a shield with a red cross on it. He is given a quest by the Queen of Fairies where his strength will be tested by killing a fierce dragon. On his journey, he encounters a princess, lamb, and dwarf who join him in his quest to help lead him to the dragon. Along their way to find and fight the dragon, the knight is faced with decisions that may pull him away from his objective.
3.a. Plo...more
This epic story is about a knight, the Red Cross Knight, that was given a shield with a red cross on it. He is given a quest by the Queen of Fairies where his strength will be tested by killing a fierce dragon. On his journey, he encounters a princess, lamb, and dwarf who join him in his quest to help lead him to the dragon. Along their way to find and fight the dragon, the knight is faced with decisions that may pull him away from his objective. What choices does he make? How does the battle en...more
The action rages with all the intensity of medieval romanticism in this retelling of a renowned mystical tale taken from the pages of Sir Edmund Spenser's classic, The Faerie Queene.
At the behest of the powerful Fairy Queen who owns his servitude for six years, the noble and brave Red Cross Knight sets off with the Princess Una on a journey to vanquish the unimaginably horrible dragon that has cast its shadow over Una's kingdom. The task set before the Red Cross Knight is more than just peril...more
At the behest of the powerful Fairy Queen who owns his servitude for six years, the noble and brave Red Cross Knight sets off with the Princess Una on a journey to vanquish the unimaginably horrible dragon that has cast its shadow over Una's kingdom. The task set before the Red Cross Knight is more than just peril...more
Aug 20, 2009
Shanna Gonzalez
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-04-08
In this retelling of a segment from Spenser's Faerie Queen, Saint George, the Red Cross Knight, is guided by the lady Una to her parents' realm, where in a mighty battle he slays a dragon who has terrorized the land. After thus proving himself, he and Una are married.
Hodges' prose distills much action and color into a fairly brief text, sprinkled with quotes from the original work. The adaptation retains a courtly eloquence but should be easily understood by older readers. For younger listeners...more
Hodges' prose distills much action and color into a fairly brief text, sprinkled with quotes from the original work. The adaptation retains a courtly eloquence but should be easily understood by older readers. For younger listeners...more
Saint George and the Dragon contains very renaissance illustrations. They appear as if someone has painted them allowing you to see the brush strokes and different colors that have been blended together to make the image desired. Another aspect I really enjoyed was that each page contained a border. Not only the pages with illustrations but the pages with words only, all contained a border that surrounded what was being talked about therefore, showing its importance. The illustrator Trina Schart...more
the story of Saint George dates back to the 4th Century; the real Saint George was a Roman soldier who became a martyr for Christianty at the time of his death in 303 AD. the legend of his dragon slaying was brought back to England by soldiers returning from the Crusades...thus resulting in George's becoming the patron saint of England. it is a standard fairy tale: knight meets princess, she tells him of the impending doom of her city. knight fights dragon and nearly dies doing so, but manages t...more
A classic book that does a great job of standing the test of time. It's hard to slip this book into a specific shelf with ease. It's not historical, or religious, per say, but it reflects an important (fictional) story in the history of England and their patron saint.
The pages alternate between extensive text, and pictures that look like they should be on stained glass. That was clearly intentional, and therefore successful. Modern children might find this book a little difficult to get through...more
The pages alternate between extensive text, and pictures that look like they should be on stained glass. That was clearly intentional, and therefore successful. Modern children might find this book a little difficult to get through...more
Here's what I LOVE about this book: the illustrations! Wow! Artist Trina Schart Hyman does a fantastic job. I want to touch the dents in George's shield and Lady Una's gowns are to die for. The writing is well-paced and puts the story into terms a child will understand well. However, there is a too much passive voice and use of "had" for my taste. But I know from personal experience that it is difficult to retell an old story without a bit of both.
My grammar-stage son...well, his comment was, "...more
My grammar-stage son...well, his comment was, "...more
Saint George and The Dragon reminded me of the classic medieval movies I enjoyed as a kid where there is always a hero who saves the day. This book is full of detailed illustrations. It reminds me of a medieval storybook that you would see in a children’s movie because the text is surrounded with these two-inch margins that have floral designs. The characters in the book are also very detailed and lifelike. For instance, there is one illustration with the knight wounded and sleeping under the ap...more
I love this illustrator (Trina Schart Hyman). Her style here is formal but fluid, ornate and posed but dynamic, not wooden. The illustrations are mostly very, very good. Unfortunately the dragon is disappointing. Nothing makes up for a bad dragon, I’m afraid. :(
The prose is fairly tight—moody and romantic, but in a good way—until we get to the climactic fight scene. Then it goes completely off the deep end. “The knight brandished his bright blade, and it seemed sharper than ever, his hands even...more
The prose is fairly tight—moody and romantic, but in a good way—until we get to the climactic fight scene. Then it goes completely off the deep end. “The knight brandished his bright blade, and it seemed sharper than ever, his hands even...more
This is one of my all-time favorite picture books, and has been for much of my life. The writing style hearkens slightly to the language of antique story-telling, but not enough that children won't enjoy it. However, my favorite aspect of the book is the amazing artwork. It is simply beautiful, and I find myself staring each image for lengthy periods of time on each occasion I find myself with the book. I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone, though. The book isn't as fast-paced and fluffy as mo...more
This medieval tale covers the classic prince charming story out to slay the dragon with the help of the princess. I felt like there was too much going on in this book due to the detail in the borders and that either the pictures alone should tell the story or the pictures should be toned down to accompany the text. Since I was consistently distracted, I did not feel that it would be a strong book to use with young readers. There is too much going on for a beginner to actually focus on the text....more
Apr 03, 2013
Shelli Gheen
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
edsl-520-reading-log
Saint George and the Dragon (1984), retold by Margaret Hodges and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, tells the legend of Saint George the Red Cross Knight who travels with a young princess to save her home from a dragon. The knight proves to be a worthy opponent of the dragon and his helped along by the healing qualities of a spring and an apple tree.
Themes: chivalry; philanthropy; dedication; perseverance
Ways to use this book with children:
*Read during a study of the Middle Ages and/or knights...more
Themes: chivalry; philanthropy; dedication; perseverance
Ways to use this book with children:
*Read during a study of the Middle Ages and/or knights...more
Saint George and the Dragon is one of your classic fairytale stories. The Red Cross Knight, later to be known as Saint George, is rescuing a princess from danger. Saint George fights a Dragon in order to the two of them so they can return home safely. He then returns the princess to the King and Queen to live happily every after. Throughout the book the illustrations were impeccable. The details perfectly portrayed the story and showed every detail possible. The pages that contained literature a...more
I'm sure I read this before, but I definitely read this while I was in high school and dreaming up stories about the middle ages, because I distinctly remember drawing the dress that Una wears at the end of the book. I loved the illustrations in this book because there was more to them the longer you looked - they were done like illuminated manuscript pages, and all along the borders there was this allegory comparing George's quest to slay the dragon with a ship sailing across the ocean. I didn'...more
Caldecott Award winning book Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman is childrens fantasy book. The author tells the tale of a brave knight fighting and slaying a dragon who is destroying the land. He does this from the request by the Queen of the Fairies. The reader finds out that he is accompanied by a princess. Once the dragon is slayed and the people are safe the king gives the knight his daughter the princess as his wife. This is an excellent boo...more
Jul 10, 2011
Tyler
added it
The brave knight must slay the dragon to win the princess. This no-frills book tells the classic tale in its most basic form. The Red Cross Knight, later St. George, travels to a kingdom terrorized by a foul dragon. The battle between the knight and dragon last for days, with St. George eventually slaying the beast and marrying the king's daughter. The illustrations are beautiful and feel authentic, capturing the medieval feel of the story, right down to the marginalia. Adapted from a version of...more
(Legend)
I was familiar with St. George and the Dragon, having read Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene in college. However, that is not an easy story for a child to follow and Margaret Hodges does a wonderful job of adapting it in a way that is child-friendly but still captures the poetic language of the original. The illustrations are also wonderful, colorful and detailed. They're drawn in a way as if to look like a medieval tapestry and often the bordering panels illustrate another aspect of the st...more
I was familiar with St. George and the Dragon, having read Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene in college. However, that is not an easy story for a child to follow and Margaret Hodges does a wonderful job of adapting it in a way that is child-friendly but still captures the poetic language of the original. The illustrations are also wonderful, colorful and detailed. They're drawn in a way as if to look like a medieval tapestry and often the bordering panels illustrate another aspect of the st...more
One of my favorite childhood storybooks.
Some people think the story is a bit drawn out for children, but 8 yr old me loved it. A classic story of heroism and bravery.
I personally LOVED the artwork. The illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman have been ingrained into my memory for my entire life. I'm even considering having some of the artwork copied for use as a tattoo.
If you have a young child that you want to read a classic fairy tale to and also show them some beautiful artwork, this is a great...more
Some people think the story is a bit drawn out for children, but 8 yr old me loved it. A classic story of heroism and bravery.
I personally LOVED the artwork. The illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman have been ingrained into my memory for my entire life. I'm even considering having some of the artwork copied for use as a tattoo.
If you have a young child that you want to read a classic fairy tale to and also show them some beautiful artwork, this is a great...more
Nov 21, 2012
Jon-henry Kubej
added it
The illustrations in this book are quite amazing! Trina Schart really went out of her way to produce a majestic saint traveling on his horse. The style of the book was quite impressive too. It was made to seem as if it was written during the medieval times, it had a very rustic look. The position of trees gave contrast and the texturing gave much depth in the illustrations. Great book! I would use this as a read aloud for younger children k-2. The fantasy depiction of this book really caught my...more
I like when he fights the dragon.
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I remember pouring over the pictures of this book as a child. It is still just as beautiful and this time I was able to read the story to myself.
Based on The Faerie Queen, it tells the tale of a knight who grew up among the faerie but is a human. He must become a saint and a king before he can go to the Holy City. A princess brings him to her land to fight the dragon that is ravaging their countryside. He fights the dragon the first day and collapses in a holy spring of water that cleanses and...more
Based on The Faerie Queen, it tells the tale of a knight who grew up among the faerie but is a human. He must become a saint and a king before he can go to the Holy City. A princess brings him to her land to fight the dragon that is ravaging their countryside. He fights the dragon the first day and collapses in a holy spring of water that cleanses and...more
Aug 13, 2007
hypothermya
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Those who can gaze at illustrations for hours, those who love fairytales
Shelves:
juvenille,
fairytales
I have been read this book nearly one hundred times, if not more. I still pull it out and look at it when I have time or the inclination. It is one of the earliest books I can remember, and it (along with an edition of a rhyming Little Red Riding Hood illustrated by Edward Gorey) shaped my formative years.
My father would always pause on each page and ask questions, such as "Can you see where the fairies are hiding?" The reason why he would always pause, instead of only doing so on our first rea...more
My father would always pause on each page and ask questions, such as "Can you see where the fairies are hiding?" The reason why he would always pause, instead of only doing so on our first rea...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragons, dragons ...: George and the Dragon | 14 | 13 | Sep 15, 2012 12:37am |
Mar 02, 2009 11:40am
She's also illustrated a version of Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court that I'm very interested in!
Mar 02, 2009 11:47am