by Mark Deming
synopsis
A classic children's book by American author Ruth Stiles Gannett is brought to the screen in this animated feature from Japan. A boy named Elmer lives in a small town by the seashore, where he hears tales of a friendly dragon who lives on nearby Wild Island. Elmer decides he'd like to see the creature for himself, so he hops in a boat and heads to the island, where a menagerie of talking animals (including tigers, gorillas and alligators) run interference against him before he can find the magical reptile.
