Monday, January 30, 2023

Book Review: The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis

The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart
by Stephanie Burgis (j Burgis)

Even though her dragon scales aren’t developed enough to give her adequate protection against humans, the young dragon Aventurine sneaks out of her family’s mountain cave to explore the world by herself. Her elders say she isn’t old enough to survive alone, however she wants to prove them wrong and catch a human.

But it’s not the thickness of her skin that turns out to be Aventurine’s downfall—it’s her stomach. A clever human food mage prepares Aventurine her first taste of chocolate, turning her into a human girl. Aventurine has to figure out how to survive without her scales, claws or fire breathing, and especially without her protective family. She sets out to find chocolate, in hopes that she can return to her dragon form.

After a series of trials and tribulations, Aventurine becomes an apprentice in a chocolate house. She doesn’t return to her dragon form upon her next taste of chocolate. But in the end she becomes something quite stronger than she imagined. It turns out dragons are not so different from humans. They both have annoying siblings and disapproving parents. They can be intelligent, have passions that make life worthwhile, and fiercely defend their families.

The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart is a wonderful fantasy story for kids from fourth grade to adult that teaches that life doesn’t always turn out how you expect. Aventurine discovers that if you face your fears and learn from your mistakes, in the end you might be able to live the best of both worlds.

And if you enjoy this book, you can read the sequel to the book called Girl with a Dragon Heart and the final book in the series The Princess Who Flew with Dragons.

(If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Spark by Sarah Beth Durst or Wings of Fire series by Tui Sutherland.)

( official The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart page on the official Stephanie Burgis web site )

Recommended by Cindy K.

Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

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