Summary

Chapter 1 is titled “Pay Attention.” The novel opens with the word “Listen.” The narrator sets out to describe the Ogress who is a central character in this novel. She is huge with stiff yellow and green hair that sometimes has flowers or ivy. She is careful, considerate, and “Her heavy feet trod lightly on the ground” (1). Meanwhile, there are 15 children who live at the Orphan House. They love each other like a family. The chapter ends with the narrator suggesting that generosity can sometimes be a problem but can also be a solution.

Chapter 2 is titled “The Dragon.” The narrator says that dragons are often wonderful, generous, and enthusiastic, but he knows a dragon who is greedy, perfidious, and loves to sow discord. The narrator apologizes for the big word, saying that “my feeling about this dragon is large” (3). This dragon does not...