Professor Diggins' Dragons

by Felice Holman, Ib Ohlsson (Illustrator)

Professor Diggins is the kind of person everyone would want in their neighborhood -- polite, slightly eccentric, good with children, an odd storyteller, and an authority on marine biology. He also believes in dragons. When it is proposed that he take a very long vacation (the University is thinking of getting rid of him due to his references to dragon hunting in the modern world), he is convinced, rather easily, to take five children along with him to help him in his collection of seaside specimens.

Genres: Fiction, Juvenile, Childrens, Fantasy

Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

Felice Holman was born October 24, 1919, in New York City. She graduated from Syracuse University in 1941 and later worked as an advertising copywriter. She married Herbert Valen in 1941 and some of the experiences of their daughter, Nanine Elisabeth Valen, would serve as the model for her first book, Elisabeth, The Bird Watcher, which was published in 1963.

During the 1960s, she published two more "Elisabeth" stories and wrote some humorous books for children. In 1970, she published her first book of poetry for children: At the Top of My Voice. Critics praised the poems for their "originality, humor, and point." She continued to write humorous stories for young readers, including The Escape of the Giant Hogstalk (1974) that critics called filled "with giggles interspersed with horse laughs all the way."

In the 1970s, she also began writing realistic fiction for young adults. Her book Slake's Limbo (1974), the story of a boy who lives in a cave below Grand Central Station, was lauded for its "authenticity of detail" and as "remarkably taut" and "convincing." In 1975, she co-wrote The Drac: French Tales of Dragons and Demons, a collection of French legends with her daughter, Nanine Valen.

Throughout her long and prolific career, Felice Holman has received several honors, including a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award for young adult's literature and an American Library Association notable book citation for Slake's Limbo in 1978. Felice lives in California.

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

alright, I'm putting this book out here because it was one of my favorite books growing up, and even now that I'm an adult I can still read this book and appreciate something else about it. A great chapterbook with a good message that doesn't slap you in the face with a patronizing tone. A cute story.

[MB (What she read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a child. (I was always so jealous of these children's idyllic summer at the beach--and still am.)

Purchased, and am rereading with the intention of passing it on to the next generation.

The wonderful illustrations by Ib Ohlsson add so much pleasure to the reading experience!

[Lara Lillibridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite middle grade books when I was a kid. I liked how these kids could be interested in learning and still have friends and be cool somewhere. I must have read it a zillion times (partially because I always owed late fees to the library and had to re-read all my books many times) but I haven't re-read it as an adult. I just ordered it to read with my 9 year old.

[Becca Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐
This was another random goodwill find for me. The hardback vintage cover was what made me but it; I knew virtually nothing about the story. It was pretty cute. I think I'll try to read this aloud to my girls this summer.

[Jennifer Ritchie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, clean story about an eccentric professor who takes several neighborhood children with him to the seaside during the summer—in a bus they convert into their living quarters. It struck me as an interesting combination of Professor Branestawm and the Boxcar Children. The fact that the “dragons” of the title turn out to be figurative didn’t disappoint me as an adult reader, but as a kid I might have been pretty disgusted. But kid-me would still have enjoyed the humor, and the fun idea of living in a bus like that! There are also lessons about how to face various challenges in life. It’s a good choice for kids ages 7-10.

[Rinkart Nighthawk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professor Diggins has both bare feet squarely on the ground. Which actually helps in dragon hunting.

"The truth is..." Orson began.
"Oh, yes, for heaven's sake, only bother with the truth," said Professor Diggins. "We don't want to waste time with anything else."

This delightful book is meant for children, but because dragons are so prevalent in 2019 and beyond, this is a great read for anyone.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming older book about fighting one's own personal dragons (demons).
Interesting way to tell kids to 'stay brave' and that everyone fights dragons.

[Richard Derus · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1967, I bought this book at the Scholastic Book Fair with my own money. I thought it was the best book ever, it spoke to me powerfully.

In 2007 I found a paperback of it at a garage sale and spent a quarter on it. "Relive the magic" I told 48-yr-old me. Spoiler alert: It...wasn't magical.

Terrible, in fact. Clunky writing, stilted and unnatural dialogue, illustrations calculatedly whimsical. Oh well.

But whatever its failings it spoke to a miserable boy in just the right way, and its kids-being-rescued plot gave me hope where none had been before.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really sweet little chapter book about a delightfully eccentric professor who takes a group of children to the seaside to hunt for dragons. Our last Morning Time read aloud before we venture into the Christmas books, and all of the girls declared it *much* superior to Pinocchio.

[Labeba Salameh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet cozy children book.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all chase Dragons everyday.

[Jachin Heckman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminds me of the books I read growing up. I enjoyed it for that reason. Not really worth reading otherwise.

[Miriam Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently re-read as an adult. Delightful without being shallow. A bit too bucolic, therefore the 4 stars, but yummy to read again.

[James Mccabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a children's book, I kind of expected to read about real dragons. Come to find out that dragons were just a metaphor!

[Valerie]

This book tends to suffer by comparison with better-known works (such as those of E Nesbit and Edward Eager). And there's no doubt that the content and the material could be better handled.

Considered in its own light, however, it's a pretty good book. There are some very good (and often quite subtle) touches. I was well into the second chapter before I realized that one of the characters was named 'JaRmes', I automatically read it as 'James' until I noticed the divergent spelling.

If one can see how it could have been better, that's not necessarily a criticism of how it WAS done.

Oddly, though I've read this before, I don't remember how it went on. It'll be interesting to rediscover it.

Ok, now I remember why I was so disappointed in it. This is essentially a "How I spent my summer vacation/Summer School" sort of book. Several good points about methods of tuition are made, though there's too much of a tendency toward orthodoxy in theories (As the Free Amazons in Bradley's The Shattered Chain point out, unless a woman is a professional dancer or a concubine, why SHOULD she be beautiful, or aspire to be so?).

It's this cleaving to orthodox views that's ultimately so disappointing. One of the reasons I stopped watching/reading 'horror' stories is the heavily biased image of the 'monsters'. I never have liked how they were vilified without any supposed moral harm to those 'hunters' who set out to take living beings AND MAKE THEM DEAD. Or to torture them, or hunt them, or otherwise harm them.

Throughout the book, I kept returning to the question from a Peanuts cartoon. Linus tells Charlie Brown of a ball game he saw in which the game was won in the last few seconds. He tells about the winning team's excitement, and the excitement of the crowd, etc. Charlie Brown replies "How did the OTHER team feel?".

The resolution of the identity of 'dragons' in this book does NOT remove the basic problem of the assumption that life should be about 'fighting' vaguely realized 'enemies', too often giving a 'local habitation and a name' to 'airy nothings', and thus slandering creatures which very often are just living their lives, and have no interest in humans at ALL, much less a malign one.

[Carrie Jacobsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book as a kid and recently rediscovered it in a used book shop. I loved it just as much as an adult, though I couldn't help but think that these days there is absolutely no way on earth any parent would allow their children to go off for the summer to a secluded beach in a retro fitted bus with a semi-retired professor (that wouldn't have happened when I was a kid either). That being the case, it's probably quickly losing relatability. Still, the overarching theme of finding and defeating those things which prevent you from being the person you were created to be contained in the summer spent "Dragon hunting" is quite pertinent to current children. If you hand it to an imaginative child and they'll enjoy it, and hopefully learn from it.

[Sheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a fantasy book in the sense of physical dragons or anything out of the ordinary happening (I think comparing this to E. Nesbit's books gives people the wrong idea). I would compare it to Elizabeth Enright's books in the sense that it's kids working their way toward adulthood in a world with reliable adults they can touch base with when necessary, with lovely interludes of parties or experiencing nature or just hanging out.

[Hilary · Rating 2 out of 5]

SPOILER ___

The dragons are those things that keep you from realizing your full potential or ambitions. Low self-esteem should be slain. Bad habits, ditto. Ultimately, these are the dragons readers are urged to fight.

The slightly preachy endy will appeal to concrete thinkers. The overall tone and the line drawings promise a story similar to Nesbitt's and Enright's novels.

I was disappointed, though. I was hoping for dragons of the fire-eating variety.

[Tina See · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book that I received through the Weekly Reader club. It's a super summer vacation story set in a time before iPhones and PCs. I found it in a local library and am reading it again. Finally! I'm getting the "Dragons" reference. We all have them. I just wish there were other books with these wonderful characters. Wish I could find an online version to read and keep!

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

It was a sweet book, if a little slow. I do think it would be a good one to read to children, maybe a chapter before bed each night. I did really enjoy the last chapter; it made me laugh.

It took a long time to find out what it actually meant by dragons. I really should have seen that coming!

[Ellen L. Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spend the summer dragon hunting with Professor Diggins, a naturalist and professor of marine biology. It's an amazing, relaxing, and intriguing expedition to a pine grove at the shore for Lydia, Jarmes, Orson, Mary Abby, and John. And the dragons they find are most unusual "dragons."

[Adela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kids wanted to revisit this one since they were so little when we read it the first time, and they've both declared it a favorite. It's delightful and whimsical and wise. It holds up to all of my own memories of enjoying it as a child.

[Chandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this book as a kid

[Elizabeth]

Professor Diggins' dragons by Felice Holman (1966)

[Kidsbookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story! I really need to find a copy for our family. I came across it by accident at the library several years ago.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it as a child, and still love it as an adult! Charming.