'When a Dragon Moves In' is written by Jodi Moore, illustrated by Howard McWilliam and read by Mark Duplass.
If you build a perfect sandcastle, a dragon will move in. And that’s exactly what happens to one very lucky boy at the beach. Dad is busy sunbathing and Mom is busy with her book, so the boy and dragon roam the beach together, flying a kite, braving the waves, and roasting marshmallows. But no one believes him when he shares the news of his magnificent dragon: Mom only hears the roar of the ocean, Dad thinks the dragon feather is a seagull feather, and know-it-all sis claims there’s no such thing as a dragon. That’s when the sandwiches mysteriously disappear, claw prints are found in the brownies, and dragon-giggles erupt from the strangest of places. Heh-heh-heh. Is there truly a mischievous dragon running around on the beach or is someone’s imagination running wild? Decide for yourself When a Dragon Moves In.
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Welcome to Storyline Online, brought to you by the SAG-AFTRA
Foundation.
My name is Mark Duplass.
And today, we're going to be reading you the great book,
When a Dragon Moves In, written by Jody Moore
and illustrated by Howard McWilliam.
If you build a perfect sandcastle,
a dragon will move in.
He'll settle in all cozy and peep at you from inside.
And you'll wonder how you ever got so lucky.
With a dragon in your castle, you'll
have a built-in marshmallow toaster, your very own raft,
and a kite that practically flies by itself.
Best of all, no beach bully would dare stomp your castle
with a dragon inside.
Of course, there are rules on the beach.
So you'll have to hide his smoke from the lifeguard
and erase the dragon prints from the sand.
Eventually, you'll want to share the great news
with your family.
There's a dragon in my castle.
You'll call to your mom.
Mm-hmm, she'll answer.
Listen to him roar, you'll say.
I hear the roar of the ocean, she'll reply.
See this feather from my dragon's wing?
You'll ask your dad.
That's a nice seagull feather, he'll say.
And you know what feathers are good for.
Feel my dragon's sharp teeth, you'll shout.
Those are just broken shells, your big sister will say.
But you and your dragon will know better.
Just about then, your dragon will demand to be fed.
First, he'll eat all the peanut butter sandwiches,
even the ones that were supposed to be for your sister.
Then his fiery snout will make the lemonade sizzle.
Stop blowing bubbles in your drink, your mom will say.
That wasn't me, you'll answer.
That was the dragon.
And you'll hear a he-he-he from deep inside the sandcastle.
Finally, since dragons love dessert,
he'll slink into the family cooler
and nibble the brownies when no one is looking.
Whose fingerprints are in the brownies?
Your dad will ask.
Not fingerprints, you'll try to explain.
Dragon prints.
There's no such thing as a dragon, your sister will say.
Then your dragon will snicker again, he-he-he,
and spray sand all over her.
Young man, I don't think this is funny, your mom will say.
That wasn't me, you'll answer.
It was the dragon.
I think we've had enough of this dragon business,
your dad will say.
I guess I've had enough of this dragon business, too.
You'll sigh.
Then you'll march over to your sandcastle
and order your dragon to leave until he learns some manners.
And you will vow never to build a perfect sandcastle again,
at least until tomorrow.
The end.
So this is a book about the power of imagination
and the power of those people around you who don't often
honor your imagination.
And the important thing here is that no matter what people say,
if you believe it in your mind, if you can see it in your mind,
you've got to hang on to it.
Thank you for watching Storyline Online,
and make sure to check out all of our stories.
And don't forget to keep watching and keep reading.
