What do you think?
Rate this book
Magic Castle Readers
A Dragon in a Wagon
Megan goes for a ride with a dragon in a wagon and they continue traveling by a great variety of transportation modes and greet a great variety of creatures along the way.
32 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 1987
9 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
About the author
Jane Belk Moncure
431 books37 followersJane Belk Moncure (born December 1926) is an American author of early childhood non-fiction, fiction and poetry. She has also written under the names Bruce Wannamaker and Jennie Davis.
Moncure has lived in Virginia and North Carolina. She worked in early childhood education for thirty-five years. She lives in Elon College, North Carolina.
Moncure is a creative and prolific author: there are millions of her books in circulation, and they are widely distributed in schools and libraries. Distribution has been primarily through The ChildsWorld, ChildrensPress and Scholastic. Her creations and works include My First Steps to Reading, My First Steps to Math, My First Steps to Science, Word Bird, The Soundbox Books, and The Magic Castle Series. Her works have been translated into British English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Malay. Belk Library, Elon University holds a collection of all published books by Moncure.
Jane Belk Moncure is a recipient of the C.S. Lewis Award and over the past 20 years, her works were recognized by numerous Awards. Most recently, in 2008, Jane received the Scholastic Teacher's Choice Award for her outstanding contribution to the My First Steps to Learning Program. --from Wikipedia
Moncure has lived in Virginia and North Carolina. She worked in early childhood education for thirty-five years. She lives in Elon College, North Carolina.
Moncure is a creative and prolific author: there are millions of her books in circulation, and they are widely distributed in schools and libraries. Distribution has been primarily through The ChildsWorld, ChildrensPress and Scholastic. Her creations and works include My First Steps to Reading, My First Steps to Math, My First Steps to Science, Word Bird, The Soundbox Books, and The Magic Castle Series. Her works have been translated into British English, Spanish, French, Chinese, and Malay. Belk Library, Elon University holds a collection of all published books by Moncure.
Jane Belk Moncure is a recipient of the C.S. Lewis Award and over the past 20 years, her works were recognized by numerous Awards. Most recently, in 2008, Jane received the Scholastic Teacher's Choice Award for her outstanding contribution to the My First Steps to Learning Program. --from Wikipedia
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
April 7, 2015
Primary complaint: calling books "word windows." They don't really need a euphemism, and I refuse to call them that. So, given how many times we've read this, I suspect my son thinks the word "books" is spelled "word windows" when it's written on a page. Which it's not.
Still, fun read-aloud book. Kind of weird that a dragon's FAVORITE thing in the entire world is a circus-style wagon, but maybe he's just a weird dragon. It takes all kinds.
Still, fun read-aloud book. Kind of weird that a dragon's FAVORITE thing in the entire world is a circus-style wagon, but maybe he's just a weird dragon. It takes all kinds.
August 24, 2016
1) This book is about a girl named Meagan and she is in the library looking for a good book to read. She finally finds one she wants to read and opens it and suddenly becomes a part of the story, with the dragon. At the end you figure out it was just her imagination taking her places in the book as it shows the dragon riding away in the book and her turning the page.
2) Preschool-2nd grade, with the suggested reading level being 1st grade
3) This book has a lot of rhyming in it, and funny parts therefore you could use it if the class needs a break from doing work during the day and just needs a good laugh. It could also be used to teach children how they should let a book take them to their imagination, and help them to really picture themselves in the books they are reading to ensure they understand the content better.
4) Children who may have a hard time picturing themselves in a story when reading them could read this to try for themselves.
5) This book would be great for First graders with them learning to read, and connecting that the words rhyme. It does not have very complex words in it either, so it would be fine for a beginner reader to read in a small group or by themselves.
6) As stated before, this would be a great book to read aloud as whole class as a break from school work and get them laughing.
7) Some related books to this genre would be Dr. Seuss books because they have a lot of rhyming tied into them as well.
8) There is currently no movie associated with this book, however the book is free on the Kindle app.
2) Preschool-2nd grade, with the suggested reading level being 1st grade
3) This book has a lot of rhyming in it, and funny parts therefore you could use it if the class needs a break from doing work during the day and just needs a good laugh. It could also be used to teach children how they should let a book take them to their imagination, and help them to really picture themselves in the books they are reading to ensure they understand the content better.
4) Children who may have a hard time picturing themselves in a story when reading them could read this to try for themselves.
5) This book would be great for First graders with them learning to read, and connecting that the words rhyme. It does not have very complex words in it either, so it would be fine for a beginner reader to read in a small group or by themselves.
6) As stated before, this would be a great book to read aloud as whole class as a break from school work and get them laughing.
7) Some related books to this genre would be Dr. Seuss books because they have a lot of rhyming tied into them as well.
8) There is currently no movie associated with this book, however the book is free on the Kindle app.
August 17, 2013
Wonderful book! Rhyming, cute pictures, and it had a train! Which my preschoolers love! A fun story about a girl who goes for a ride in a wagon with a dragon. I love the reiteration of the "go" words/nouns at the back of the book, to reinforce learning. Overall a good choice.
August 10, 2013
A Dragon in a Wagon gives us a story about a little girl and a dragon who go through different ways to travel. One thing I find very lovely about this book is that the author is able to cover all popular modes of transportation plus give us a story in rhyme! The story is very easy to understand and it flows very nicely! Sometimes when authors use rhyme, they make up words and try to make it fit and you can tell the awkwardness of the whole thing; not with this one. The author does a fantastic job of incorporating a great Read Aloud and also encourages listeners to participate by guessing the next form of transportation.
The illustrations are very simplistic and not very detailed, but this does not take away from the story at all. The characters are cartoonish, but it adds character to the story (as if it isn’t playful enough already). The illustrator uses a combination of pastel and bright colors. The illustrations help the listener to really visualize what they are hearing. The illustrations don’t really add much to the text, but I’m okay with this because this book is for a younger audience, and if the illustrator added to the story it may be too busy for little minds.
I will probably be posting my catch up reviews either later tonight or early on in the morning. I hope everyone is doing well!
The illustrations are very simplistic and not very detailed, but this does not take away from the story at all. The characters are cartoonish, but it adds character to the story (as if it isn’t playful enough already). The illustrator uses a combination of pastel and bright colors. The illustrations help the listener to really visualize what they are hearing. The illustrations don’t really add much to the text, but I’m okay with this because this book is for a younger audience, and if the illustrator added to the story it may be too busy for little minds.
I will probably be posting my catch up reviews either later tonight or early on in the morning. I hope everyone is doing well!
July 1, 2011
Apparently there are a several books with this same title, so make sure you get this one by this author.
It's about a girl who decides to read a book and has all of these adventures in different methods of travel with a dragon in the book. The words are LARGE PRINT (which we love) and every other sentence rhymes, it's a very fun & cute read.
Megan and the dragon have to repeatedly change vehicles. First the wagon does not go very far... so they hop into a car. After the car they get on a bus, then a boat, then a sled, next a truck, a train, a plane, parachutes, and a hot air balloon. Each time they change vehicles they meet more animals who accompany them from that point onward in the book. For example: on the bus they meet a horse and a hippopotamus.
On the very last page of the book are pictures of all the different vehicles Megan rode on with the corresponding word and a title `You can read these words with Megan.'
Great book for a new or soon to be reader.
Now I want to read more by this author.
It's about a girl who decides to read a book and has all of these adventures in different methods of travel with a dragon in the book. The words are LARGE PRINT (which we love) and every other sentence rhymes, it's a very fun & cute read.
Megan and the dragon have to repeatedly change vehicles. First the wagon does not go very far... so they hop into a car. After the car they get on a bus, then a boat, then a sled, next a truck, a train, a plane, parachutes, and a hot air balloon. Each time they change vehicles they meet more animals who accompany them from that point onward in the book. For example: on the bus they meet a horse and a hippopotamus.
On the very last page of the book are pictures of all the different vehicles Megan rode on with the corresponding word and a title `You can read these words with Megan.'
Great book for a new or soon to be reader.
Now I want to read more by this author.
November 21, 2012
Title: A Dragon in a wagon Author: Jane Belk Moncure Illustrated by: Linda Hohag Genre:Fantasy/Picture Book Age Level: P Date: 1988
The story is about a little girl named Megan who opens a book and joins the adventure of the story. She sees a dragon and joins him on a wagon, then jumps into a car, bus, a boat, sled, truck, train, plane and then a balloon. When jumping into the vehicles a number of other animals joined her which caused each vehicle to be weighed down.: This story is creative. I like how it gave the idea that you could actually go on adventure by opening a book and simply reading it. The pictures were creative and took up most of the book. The animals in the story are so soft and cuddly they looked like stuff animals. The illustrator used nice soft colors in the story.
The story is about a little girl named Megan who opens a book and joins the adventure of the story. She sees a dragon and joins him on a wagon, then jumps into a car, bus, a boat, sled, truck, train, plane and then a balloon. When jumping into the vehicles a number of other animals joined her which caused each vehicle to be weighed down.: This story is creative. I like how it gave the idea that you could actually go on adventure by opening a book and simply reading it. The pictures were creative and took up most of the book. The animals in the story are so soft and cuddly they looked like stuff animals. The illustrator used nice soft colors in the story.
February 10, 2012
This book is perfect for beginning readers. The illustrations are charming, and children can learn about different ways of transportation. They also can learn and recognize animals. It is simple to read, but enough to capture children's interest.
Extension:
Asks the children to make a line, one behind the other, hold the waist to the kid in front of you, and play choooo.......choooo.....chooo...... (pretend that you are a train) To much fun playing this game.
You can also ask them to name some transportation you have used lately.
Extension:
Asks the children to make a line, one behind the other, hold the waist to the kid in front of you, and play choooo.......choooo.....chooo...... (pretend that you are a train) To much fun playing this game.
You can also ask them to name some transportation you have used lately.
September 1, 2015
Leveling
Suggested Interest Level: Preschool - Grade 2
Suggested Reading Level: Grade 1
Guided Reading Level: J
ATOS Reading Level: 2.1
ATOS Interest Level: LG
Accelerated Reader® Quiz: 26340
Accelerated Reader® Points: 0.5
Specifications
Dewey: E
Graphics: Full-color illustrations
Reinforced book (9780895656711): 9 x 7.5, 32 pages, © 1988
Series: Magic Castle Readers
Suggested Interest Level: Preschool - Grade 2
Suggested Reading Level: Grade 1
Guided Reading Level: J
ATOS Reading Level: 2.1
ATOS Interest Level: LG
Accelerated Reader® Quiz: 26340
Accelerated Reader® Points: 0.5
Specifications
Dewey: E
Graphics: Full-color illustrations
Reinforced book (9780895656711): 9 x 7.5, 32 pages, © 1988
Series: Magic Castle Readers
July 11, 2014
The first book I ever feel in love with! I read it every night with my mum for at least 2years between the ages of 2 and 4! To this day it's still one of my favourites and although I no longer half to read as I know it by heart I love it all the same :)
March 2, 2016
C'est le tout premier livre que j'ai possédé! À deux ans, je ne savais pas lire (not yet) et je le récitais d'un bout à l'autre à mes parents avant de m'endormir en regardant les images. De beaux souvenirs <3
Et l'auteure s'appelle Jane! Comme quoi, dans la vie, il n'y a pas de hasard ;)
Et l'auteure s'appelle Jane! Comme quoi, dans la vie, il n'y a pas de hasard ;)
December 18, 2008
this is a really funny book.
September 5, 2011
Absolute childhood favorite!
November 29, 2015
You will never believe the encounters a dragon can come across with the simplicity of a red wagon. A must read for first graders.
January 2, 2016
Cute book on ways to travel, rhyming, and introducing different types of creatures.
August 11, 2018
very cute story
December 6, 2019
This one was really fun. Really enjoyed the variety of transportation covered: wagon, car, bus, boat, sled, truck, train, airplane, parachute, hot air balloon, circus float, circus wagon.
October 3, 2018
My younger sister years ago loved for me to read this book to her over and over again. i recently found a copy of it and read it again for the first time. I believe my little sister needs to have it to share with her own little ones.
April 21, 2022
I think this is a great book about imagination and a great book about travel. I like that each page was a new adventure with Megan and the dragon. My favorite part was at the end because there is a page that has pictures and names of the vehicles that are used to travel with in the book.
May 6, 2021
Very cute illustrations. Good children's book.
June 23, 2021
A favorite of two year olds
December 8, 2021
a bit too simple but still charming
August 29, 2023
Roses are red
Beers are hoppy
I love me some dragons
But these rhymes were choppy
Beers are hoppy
I love me some dragons
But these rhymes were choppy
February 18, 2024
These are fine, though I have no idea the context of the series.
March 29, 2024
Good rhymes and pictures
April 8, 2011
This is a very simple book for preschoolers that shows different modes of transportation. I would only use this book for preschoolers and no older because it is so simple.
January 31, 2014
early reading source for children, to learn about word association
Read
October 5, 2015good book about different ways to travel. fun book including a dragon hippo and many other fun creatures.
Read
November 14, 2016I love this book! I had it as a child (and still have my original copy from the 90s) and I read it to my 1 and 2 year old. I love the rhymes and the colorful pictures.
March 11, 2011
Benjamin adores these books. Josh has not started to read them himself but I hope he will soon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews