Dragon Night Read online

  J. R. Krause

  putnam

  G. P. Putnam’s Sons

  Dragon Night

  J.R. Krause

  eorgie is afraid of the night. It’s too dark with the lights off. Too quiet with everyone asleep. And being alone makes everything worse.

  Suddenly, Georgie’s favorite book falls to the floor with a thump.

  The pages flutter open, sparking and crackling.

  A brilliant light fills the room, and a dragon steps out!

  Georgie has never seen a real dragon before.

  “Shhh! I’m running away,” whispers the dragon. “I’m afraid of the knight.”

  “I’m afraid of the night, too,” says Georgie.

  “Then let’s run away together,” says the dragon.

  Georgie scales the dragon’s bumpy back. Together, they launch from the window. The dragon spreads its great wings, and up they soar, high into the dark night sky.

  Far below, a carnival sparkles like pirate treasure. Merry music floats up with joyful cries.

  “There is no night down there,” says Georgie.

  “There is no knight,” replies the dragon slowly, “but there is a castle.”

  So they fly on.

  Soon, an endless blanket of city lights shines below. Horns honk and sirens wail on the busy streets.

  “There is no night down there,” says Georgie.

  “There is no knight,” replies the dragon carefully, “but there is a king.”

  So they fly on.

  Next, they soar over a bright, noisy baseball game. The crowd roars like a magnificent waterfall.

  “There is no night down there,” says Georgie.

  “But there he is!” replies the dragon. “On a very peculiar horse!”

  Georgie and the dragon fly on quietly.

  “I think we are talking about two different things,” says the dragon gently.

  Georgie is thinking.

  “But why is a big dragon like you

  afraid of the knight?” he asks.

  Georgie doesn’t know what to say. He never thought of it that way before.

  “Because the knight hates me!” cries the dragon. “He carries a heavy sword, and he always wants to fight.”

  They sail silently down to a grassy field.

  “You know,” says the dragon, “the night is dark, but it’s not always scary.”

  Georgie isn’t so sure.

  “Look,” says the dragon. “Without the darkness of night, we wouldn’t see the stars.”

  Georgie had never seen shooting stars before.

  “Listen,” says the dragon. “The night is quiet and peaceful.”

  Georgie hears crickets play a soothing song.

  Before long, he curls up against the warm dragon and drifts off to sleep.

  But night doesn’t last forever. As the sun rises, Georgie and the dragon swoop back home.

  Now the dragon is worried. “In the daylight, everyone can see me.”

  “You need to hide,” says Georgie.

  But there is no place big enough . . .

  for the dragon . . .

  to hide.

  Now Georgie is worried.

  “You belong in the book,” he says.

  “But I want to stay here with you!” cries the dragon.

  A tear bubbles up and steams like hot tea.

  The dragon quietly sniffs. “I’m still afraid of the knight.”

  “I have an idea,” says Georgie. “I’ll make a new book for you with a friendly knight.”

  “Will the knight carry a heavy sword?” asks the dragon.

  “Instead of a sword, the knight will have a baseball and a glove,” replies Georgie.

  “Will the knight want to fight?” asks the dragon.

  “Instead of fighting, the knight loves to play catch,” replies Georgie.

  “What if the knight doesn’t like me?” asks the dragon.

  “Don’t worry,” says Georgie. “I’ll help you.”

  He turns the page . . .

  . . . and draws a carnival with a carousel,

  a candy shop filled with tasty treats,

  a big, empty baseball field,

  and the knight, waiting for a friend.

  “The book is ready,” says Georgie. “You’ll like this story.”

  “Thank you,” replies the dragon.

  A dazzling light fills the room once again as the dragon steps into the new book and gently waves goodbye.

  Now every night, after a flight, Georgie and the dragon snuggle up and read their new favorite book.

  “Good knight,” says the dragon as Georgie turns the last page.

  “Good night,” says Georgie.

  Then, together in the dark and quiet night, they fall fast asleep.

  Copyright © 2019 by J. R. Krause.

  Penguin supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for comp
lying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin to continue to publish books for every reader.

  G. P. Putnam’s Sons is a registered trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Krause, J. R., author, illustrator.

  Title: Dragon night / J. R. Krause.

  Description: New York, NY : G. P. Putnam’s Sons, [2019]

  Summary: Georgie is afraid of the dark, but after an adventure with a dragon that is afraid of the knight in the book where he normally dwells, both are ready to sleep.

  Identifiers: LCCN 2017019462 | ISBN 9780525514244 (hardcover) |

  ISBN 9780525514275 (epub fixed) | ISBN 9780525514275 (kf8/kindle)

  Subjects: | CYAC: Fear of the dark—Fiction. | Dragons—Fiction. | Bedtime—Fiction. | Books—Fiction. Classification: LCC PZ7.1.K7338 Dr 2019 | DDC [E]—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017019462

  eISBN 9780525514275

  Design by Dave Kopka.

  The art was rendered with brush, pen, and ink on

  cotton rag paper and then colored digitally.

  G. P. Putnam’s Sons

  an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

  375 Hudson Street

  New York, NY 10014

  For Konrad,

  in loving memory of his mom,

  Kaitlin Kossakowski

 

 

  J. R. Krause, Dragon Night

  Thanks for reading the books on GrayCity.Net