The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

by Stephanie Burgis

Overview

Aventurine is a brave young dragon ready to explore the world outside of her family's mountain cave . . . if only they'd let her leave it. Her family thinks she's too young to fly on her own, but she's determined to prove them wrong by capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a human.

But when that human tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, she's transformed into a puny human without any sharp teeth, fire breath, or claws. Still, she's the fiercest creature in these mountains—and now she's found her true passion: chocolate. All she has to do is get to the human city to find herself an apprenticeship (whatever that is) in a chocolate house (which sounds delicious), and she'll be conquering new territory in no time . . . won't she?

A classic fantasy with terrific girl power, perfect for fans of Shannon Hale and Jessica Day George.

Praise for Kat, Incorrigible
Bank Street Best Books of 2012
A Spring 2011 Kids' Indie Next pick
A 2012 ALA/ALSC Notable Children's Book
A Top 40 Pick for the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681193434
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	05/30/2017
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	641,573
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Stephanie Burgis grew up in East Lansing, Michigan, but now lives in Wales with her husband and two sons, surrounded by mountains, castles and coffee shops. She is the author of the tween fantasy trilogy, Kat, Incorrigible and the forthcoming historical fantasy adult title, Masks and Shadows.
www.stephanieburgis.com
@stephanieburgis

Editorial Reviews

"Chocolate and dragons, together at last! Like sipping hot cocoa on a cold day, reading this book was an absolute delight. And by the end I felt like a dragon sitting on a pile of gold, knowing I'd found a treasure. Readers of all ages will love this deliciously charming adventure and its feisty dragon-transformed-into-a-girl main character, Aventurine!" - Sheila Grau, author of the Dr. Critchlore's School for Minions series

"In The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, Aventurine is turned into a girl, but inside she remains ALL dragon, every fierce, lovable inch of her. This story is a delightfully delicious blend of magic spiced with adventure and a heart as sweet and warm as molten chocolate. I completely adored this book!" - Sarah Prineas, author of THE MAGIC THIEF and Winterling series

"The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is a perfect confection: rich, satisfying, and remarkably delicious." - Caroline Carlson, author of the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series

"A gloriously fresh story to be read with a steaming cup of chocolate at hand." - starred review, Kirkus Reviews

"Burgis creates a feisty protagonist with a temper that suits her dragon heritage. . . . Readers will be rooting for Adventurine throughout this well-paced, colorful narrative. An appealing chapter book for young fantasy fans." - Booklist

"Aventurine’s fiery spirit is immediately endearing, and a diverse cast of fully realized supporting characters fill out a fantasy world that readers will love to inhabit. Pair with chocolate for maximum enjoyment . . . will satisfy readers who hunger for feel-good tales that pack a girl-power punch, like Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted or the movie Moana." - School Library Journal

"Burgis’ debut title rides on its swift pace and the delightfully feisty Kat, whose fearless and frequently impulsive actions will have readers cheering her on." - Booklist on KAT, INCORRIGIBLE

"Regency romance and fantasy adventure all in one, this is a satisfying read and a promising beginning to a trilogy that is sure to be popular." - School Library Journal on KAT, INCORRIGIBLE

"Romance, humor and magic mark this brisk debut novel." - Kirkus Reviews on KAT, INCORRIGIBLE

From the Publisher

02/01/2017
Gr 3–6—Aventurine, the youngest in a family of accomplished dragons, is bored by her lessons and craves excitement. She has yet to discover her passion, the area of study to which she will dedicate her life, and her family members hound her for her lack of focus and make her stay safe inside their cave. When her brother Jasper teases that she's not smart enough to survive even a day in the mountains, Aventurine decides to prove everyone wrong. She won't just survive—she'll capture the most dangerous prey, a human. Aventurine tracks down a human but is intoxicated by the smell of his hot chocolate. When she demands a taste, disaster strikes: the hot chocolate is enchanted and turns Aventurine into a human girl. Aventurine is horrified, hungry, and cold but refuses to let this setback stand in her way. She sets out for the human city of Drachenburg, determined to prove her competence and obtain an apprenticeship in pursuit of her newfound passion: chocolate. The challenges Aventurine faces, from confusing human fashion to privileged nobility, help her reach a new comprehension of humans, her family, and what lies in her own heart. When pushed beyond her limits, she finds and understands her own abilities and rescues herself, helped by friends to whom she has opened up. Aventurine's fiery spirit is immediately endearing, and a diverse cast of fully realized supporting characters fill out a fantasy world that readers will love to inhabit. Pair with chocolate for maximum enjoyment. VERDICT A delicious fantasy treat that will satisfy readers who hunger for feel-good tales that pack a girl-power punch, like Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted or the movie Moana.—Darla Salva Cruz, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, Bellport, NY

School Library Journal

★ 2017-03-06
Aventurine is tired of being treated like a baby hatchling.The young dragon dreams of exploring the world, but her mother wants her safe at home reading books and finding her passion. When Aventurine flies away from the mountain to prove she's fierce enough to take care of herself, she picks up a tantalizingly sweet scent that leads her to the source of the wonderful smell: chocolate. There's a human, too, whom Aventurine plans to eat. He gives her a cup of hot melty chocolate, and Aventurine's life changes with one enchanted sip. The bad news: Aventurine is now a vulnerable 12-year-old human girl. The good news: she's found her passion—chocolate, of course—and she's going to apprentice herself to a chocolatier. With the help of Silke, a black girl in men's clothing, the unstoppable Aventurine, who still sees the world as a dragon does, finds her way to the Chocolate Heart and its proprietor, the golden-skinned Marina, a hot-tempered, uncompromising master chocolatier. As apprentice, Aventurine is launched on a new course, one on which she finds the strength to align her dragon and human selves while making chocolate that just might save the kingdom from some fiery enemies. Aventurine's human self is apparently white, but the cast of secondary characters is diverse: Marina's business partner is a black man, and the pink-skinned king has two brown-skinned daughters. A gloriously fresh story to be read with a steaming cup of chocolate at hand. (Fantasy. 8-14)

Kirkus Reviews

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