Grilled Cheese and Dragons (Princess Pulverizer Series #1)

by Nancy Krulik, Ben Balistreri (Illustrator)

Overview

Meet the princess who'd rather wear a suit of armor than a crown!

Princess Serena (or as she prefers, Princess Pulverizer) doesn't want to be a princess—she wants to be knight! But her father, King Alexander of Empiria, thinks she still has a lot to learn when it comes to exhibiting valiant behavior. So he presents a challenge: the princess must first go on a Quest of Kindness and perform good deeds to prove that she truly deserves to go to knight school. With help from a friendly dragon named Dribble and a perpetually terrified knight-in-training named Lucas, can she complete her quest and discover what it really takes to be a hero?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780515158311
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	01/16/2018
Series:	Princess Pulverizer Series , #1
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	131,574
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.60(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Nancy Krulik (she/her) is the author of more than two hundred books for children and young adults, including three New York Times Best Sellers. She is best known as the author and creator of the Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo; George Brown, Class Clown; How I Survived Middle School; and Magic Bone book series. Nancy lives in Manhattan with her husband, composer Daniel Burwasser. When she's not writing, Nancy can be found reading, going to concerts, traveling, or running around Central Park with her crazy beagle mix, Josie. Follow her @NancyKrulik.

Ben Balistreri (he/him) has been working for more than twenty years in the animation industry. He's won an Emmy Award for his character designs, and has been nominated for nine Annie Awards, winning once. His art can be seen in Tangled the Series, for which he serves as Supervising Producer, How to Train Your Dragon, Danny Phantom, Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Wander Over Yonder, Wild Kratts, and many more. The Princess Pulverizer series is his first foray into book illustration. He lives in Pasadena, California, with his wife, Becca, and their two golden retrievers, Bombadil and Fatty Lumpkin.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1
(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "Grilled Cheese and Dragons #1"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Nancy Krulik.
Excerpted by permission of Penguin Young Readers Group.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Editorial Reviews

★ 10/30/2017
Born Serena, the rowdy princess of Empiria prefers a name that better suits her temperament: Princess Pulverizer. In this very funny series kickoff, Krulik tackles sexist double standards and plays with fantasy tropes as the princess attempts to become one of her father’s Knights of the Skround Table (“perfectly square, but with carefully rounded corners. Skround”). Before she can enter Knight School, she must complete eight good deeds as part of a Quest of Kindness—easier said than done. Princess Pulverizer only succeeds in achieving one good deed in this outing (though she does befriend a timid knight and burp-prone dragon while trying to escape an ogre), giving readers plenty to look forward to in future installments. Exuberant cartoons from newcomer Balistreri, an animation veteran, add to the story’s big sense of fun. Ages 6–8. Author’s agent: Kenneth Weinrib, Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

[*]“Very funny series . . .” —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A wacky adventure that stands out through highlighting its heroine's foibles, giving her plenty of room to grow in future installments." —Kirkus

"This spirited chapterbook is an obvious choice for Princess in Black grads and Hamster Princess fans." —Booklist

"A strong series opener and a solid choice for those looking to increase their early chapter book holdings." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

02/01/2018
Gr 1–4—Princess Serena wants to quit attending the Royal School of Ladylike Manners, change her name to "Princess Pulverizer," and become a knight. Her father, King Alexander, is willing to entertain this bold move but insists that she first go on a Quest of Kindness. This task should involve acts of bravery and generally being unselfish and self-sacrificing, which are not this pint-sized dynamo's strong suits. The princess quickly finds the perfect opportunity to make her mark; a smelly, dull-witted troll has stolen the Queen's jewels, and the princess decides to steal them back. She cleverly finds her way into the troll's lair but her plan soon goes horribly awry. A very ineffectual and weepy young knight (along with his embarrassingly gassy dragon, Dribble) attempts to rescue the princess and instead causes them all to end up prisoners. Despite the odds, this unlikely team eventually triumphs and is soon on to the next adventure. Krulik ("Katie Kazoo, Switcheroo") has introduced a spitfire new heroine with plenty of humor and outrageous shenanigans. Balistreri's illustrations display his animation background and enhance the absurdity factor admirably. VERDICT A strong series opener and a solid choice for those looking to increase their early chapter book holdings.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI

School Library Journal

2017-10-28
A tomboy princess wishes to become a knight.Don't call her Princess Serena—self-styled Princess Pulverizer is the Royal School of Ladylike Manners' pre-eminent troublemaker, and she would rather learn to fence than dance. She begs her kingly father to let her attend Knight School. The king—skeptical due to her temperament rather than her gender—will allow it only after she demonstrates knightly virtues. "Even she knew that honor, kindness, and sacrifice weren't exactly her strong points." He sends her on a Quest of Kindness, requiring eight good deeds (with proof—the king knows she would cheat if she could). After her first attempt at kindness is a comedic flop, Princess Pulverizer hears of a queen whose jewels have gone missing. She deduces that an ogre must be the culprit and sets off to retrieve the jewels by purposefully getting captured. Getting out isn't as easy as in, though. Cowardly Knight School dropout Lucas and his friend Dribble, a dragon ostracized because he'd rather cook grilled-cheese sandwiches than terrorize villages, attempt a rescue but with no success—the three outcasts must team up for a gassy escape solution. In the spot illustrations, animator Balistreri plays up the slapstick action and character expressiveness; Princess Pulverizer and her family appear to be white, while Lady Frump and other side characters are depicted with darker skin.A wacky adventure that stands out through highlighting its heroine's foibles, giving her plenty of room to grow in future installments. (Fantasy. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews