My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett*

The narrator shares a story from his father's childhood.  Throughout the story the main character is referred to as "my father".  The  narrator's father encounters a cat.  The cat then tells the father about Wild Island where a dragon is kept captive and mistreated.  The father sets out to save the dragon and must use his intelligence and creativity to outsmart the dangerous and suspicious animals on Wild Island.
An exciting story to read to preschoolers who are ready for longer texts.  Great book for transitional readers to read themselves or aloud to you.
Points to discuss:  The father is rude/disrespectful to his mother and runs away.  The animals want to kill the invasion (aka the father).