The fire-snorting Royal Dragon is not a typical dragon. Rather than being fearful, he wants to befriend everyone. Rather than being fearsome, he is tender-hearted. And rather than being frightful, he is sensitive and understanding and gives a good example to others.When he returns to school after spending time in bed with an illness, Billy Bobhe encounters a new student in class, Maria, who speaks very little English. The other students, not understanding that her loneliness and lack of self-confidence are what make her reticent to speak, and they talk about her in negative terms. Billy Bob wants to help her and changes everyone around him.