It’s the Queen’s birthday in “What Good is a Dragon?” by author Patrick Carlson. The King needs help getting his birthday gift to her and enlists a boy named Alexander to get the gift to the Queen before her birthday party. Alexander puts the gift, an adorable green baby dragon, in his backpack and sets out on a grand adventure to the Queen’s castle. Along his travels, he meets different people such as an ogre, a knight, and even a mermaid – each offering gifts of their own to give to the Queen.