A Dash of Dragon (Mystic Cooking Chronicles)
by Heidi Lang (Author)
A thirteen-year-old chef has a lot to prove as she tries to run a five-star restaurant, repay a greedy loan shark, and outsmart the Elven mafia in this entertaining novel that combines all the best ingredients--fantasy, humor, adventure, action, cute boys, and a feisty heroine!
Lailu Loganberry is an expert at hunting dangerous beasts. And she's even better at cooking them! For years Lailu has trained to be the best chef in the city. Her specialty? Monster cuisine. When her mentor agrees to open a new restaurant with Lailu as the head chef, she's never been more excited. But her celebration is cut short when she discovers that her mentor borrowed money from Mr. Boss, a vicious loan shark. If they can't pay him back, Lailu will not only lose her restaurant--she'll have to cook for Mr. Boss for the rest of her life. As Lailu scrambles to raise the money in time, she becomes trapped in a deadly conflict between the king's cold-blooded assassin, the terrifying elf mafia, and Mr. Boss' ruthless crew. Worst of all, her only hope in outsmarting Mr. Boss lies with the one person she hates--Greg, the most annoying boy in school and her rival in the restaurant business. But like Lailu always says, if you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. And she's determined to succeed, no matter the cost!
Locate at a Library Near You WorldCat is the world's largest library catalog, helping you find library materials online.
Find books about:
School Library Journal
Gr 3-6-Thirteen-year-old Laila has one mission in mind: to become the best monster cuisine chef. Her mentor takes a chance and opens a new restaurant with Laila, hoping to bring high-quality food to the average citizen. Not only can Laila cook but she can also capture and hunt the delicious monsters. Little does Laila know that her mentor gambled both of their futures on the business. Laila attempts to get them out of the mess while making friends and enemies along the way and never knowing exactly whom to trust. Throughout it all, Laila tries her hardest to keep her goal of producing superb food in sight. This middle grade fantasy introduces an exciting world where engaging human and magical characters live together. The title tackles themes of abandonment, loneliness, risk-taking, trust, and friendship. Readers are likely to become wrapped up in Laila's story and anxious to know what her fate will be. A few of the characters, such as the Elven mafia members, may be a bit scary for younger readers. VERDICT Purchase where fantasy and monster fare are in demand.
Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
ALA/Booklist
Rich secondary characters—Lailu’s sticky-fingered friend, an elf mafia, the king’s executioner, and a would-be hero—round out this recipe for success. A wildly inventive fantasy with wide appeal.
Copyright 2017 Booklist, LLC Used with permission.
Kirkus
Review quotes
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
JUV002270 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Dragons, Unicorns & Mythical
JUV050000 - Juvenile Fiction | Cooking & Food
Adventure stories
Dragons
Fantasy
Fantasy fiction
Restaurants
Animals, Mythical
Elves
Cooking
Action and adventure fiction
Cooks
