1,2,3 Storytelling
Storytelling 1
Look at the front cover together.
Ask: Who can you see? Where are they? What might happen in this story? Read the whole story to your child. Use actions for any verbs (doing words): grabbed, floated, swooped, clambered, plummeted. Ask them to join in with any sounds: Pop, roar, bounce, skwalk!
Storytelling 2
Read the story again and ask your child about each page and the illustrations.
Ask: How could Billy save Fatcat? Where has the dragon taken Fatcat? How might Billy feel when she in on her journey? Who does the dragon think that Fatcat is? Is Billy a good friend to Fatcat? Why?
Storytelling 3
Ask your child to share the story with you. They tell you the story using the pictures on each page.
Ask: Did you like the story? Why? Which was your favourite part? Where might they go next?
Watch Emma read Billy and the Dragon here
Activities
Play
Move Like the Story
Call out an action word and act it out together:
swoop – arms out and swoop down;
grab – reach and grab;
plummet – quickly drop towards the floor;
scramble – move quickly on hands and feet;
leap – make a big jump.
Encourage your child to say the word while doing the movement. Next, put a few safe household objects around the room. Give clues such as “Scramble to the cushion!”, “Leap to the teddy!”, or “Grab something red!” Then swap so your child gives you an instruction.
Dragon Moves
Tell your child: “We are going to move like dragons!”
Call out different movements: “Dragon says….”
Fly! – stretch arms out and flap.
Stomp! – stomp like a huge dragon.
Crawl! – crawl slowly like a dragon sneaking up.
Roar! – stand tall and roar.
Sleep! – curl up very small and pretend to sleep.
Wake up! – jump up and stretch.
What Does the Dragon Eat?
Take turns imagining silly things the dragon might eat. “The dragon eats bananas.” “The dragon eats smelly socks!” “The dragon eats a whole birthday cake!” Extend your child’s language by adding describing words: “A huge, hairy dragon eats ten enormous pizzas.”
Who Am I?
Choose a character from the story without saying who it is. Give clues using words or actions: “I have wings. I am enormous. I can fly. I might roar.” The other person guesses the character. The child can then choose a character and give the clues.
Other links:
Other books to read and watch at hom
Zog – Julia Donaldson and Axel Sheffler
There’s a Dragon in your Book – Tom Fletcher
The Dragon who Didn’t Like Fire – Gemma Merino
Princess Daisy and the Dragon – Steven Lenton
George and the Dragon – Chris Wormell
Sylvia and Bird – Catherine Rayner
Dragons are Real! – Holly Hatam
Rhymes and Songs
Rhymes
Dragon, Dragon, Breathe Your Fire!
Children stretch their arms higher and higher, then crouch down and make a big dragon roar.
Dragon, dragon, breathe your fire,
Make the flames go higher and higher!
Breathe in…
Breathe out…
ROAR!
Five Little Dragons
Hold up 5 fingers to start and then count down
Five little dragons flying through the air,
One flew down and landed THERE!
Four little dragons flying around,
One flew down and touched the ground!
Three little dragons flying up high,
One flew down from the sky!
Two little dragons flying free,
One flew down and landed by a tree!
One little dragon and no more,
(S)he flew away with a great big ROAR!
Five little dragons flew into their cave,
They curled up small and tried to behave.
Close your eyes, dragons, it’s time to sleep…
Shhh, shhh, shhh…
Five little dragons are fast asleep!
Song
Billy and the Dragon
(to the tune of the Wheels on the Bus)
Billy and Fatcat went to a party,
To a party, to a party,
Billy and Fatcat went to a party,
They had lots of fun!
A massive dragon swooped down from the sky,
From the sky, from the sky,
A massive dragon swooped down from the sky,
And grabbed poor Fatcat!
Billy went to find her friend,
Find her friend, find her friend,
Billy went to find her friend,
Through the deep, dark forest!
Billy found a baby dragon,
Baby dragon, baby dragon,
Billy found a baby dragon,
Who helped her find Fatcat!
Billy saved her friend at last,
Friend at last, friend at last,
Billy saved her friend at last,And the party carried on.
Billy and the Dragon is written and illustrated by Nadia Shireen. It is published by Jonathan Cape.