Adorable. It has my two favorite things in it combined into one--a dragon chocolatier. A delicious, fun read with a dash of fiery dragon temper to spice things up. :)

Loved, loved, loved this book! I have purchased it for my library and are encouraging students to read it! I loved the lesson learned about being happy in the "skin" your in! Adventurine found that her life hadn't been so bad, but also tried to make the best of being human. She had to go through many struggles to find how to like herself. A story for all of us at any age!

A young dragon, eager to see the world outside her family's cave network, encounters both hot chocolate and a curse on her first day. This is just the beginning of Adventurine's story as it weaves up and down, from friendships to traps to apprenticeships. Everything we know about fantastical dragons is about centuries old dragons well set in their ways. It's time for this middle grade book about a less-than-thirty-years-old dragon just discovering her passion in life.

There are a lot of books about dragons, but Stephanie Burgis's, about a young dragon who discovers her passion for chocolate, offers some new takes on these fantastical creatures that I enjoyed. There's the dynamic of a dragon family, the growth pattern of young dragons, and a lot more that comes from the challenges Adventurine faces once she's cursed into the form of a dragon's greatest enemy: a human.

The beginning of the book is a little difficult to get over, a hump if you will, owing in part to the tone of Adventurine's voice. There's a cringey quality to the way her lines are delivered and her petulant attitude can get on your nerves, but if you stick with it, there's a fun story waiting a little ways in.

Adventurine encounters a lot of dastardly characters while on her adventure into the world outside her cave. Eager to prove that she's ready for it, she leaves through a secret tunnel and immediately runs into a strange human: the food mage that curses her into a girl. There is a good side effect though! She discovers her passion, the thing a dragon loves almost as much as gold and their family: for her, it's chocolate!

In pursuit of learning more about chocolate, she encounters a noble lady who tries to make her an unpaid maid, a mayor's assistant that wants to take down the chocolate shop she apprentices herself to, and then the most difficult of all: self doubt. While the outside forces she deals with are aplenty, figuring out who she is now that she is no longer a dragon makes things even more complicated for Adventurine. In handling that situation, I think the author included moments that point to anxiety, possibly even panic attacks, as well as reflections on what self identity is and how important it is to remain true to yourself, whatever that means. In this case, Adventurine never loses her dragon-ness, her fire and nerve, whatever slip ups occur as she adjust to humanity.

There's quite a lot of humor in The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart. I found myself highlighting a lot of quotes because Adventurine had quite the sarcastic wit, as did her new boss, Marina, owner of The Chocolate Heart. Marina was just the right person for Adventurine to run into because she has a similar personality: strong, willful, as well as some of the same doubts. There's sharing later on that explains this, but even before that there's the apprenticeship where Adventurine learns about chocolate as well as tips that could apply to all food: how to identify flavors, how to savor, to appreciate. Marina having her sample different concoctions is like a game and skill cultivation all at once.

There are clues throughout the story that weave a subtle thread toward the end that I thought was quite neat. I wonder how many readers will pick up on it? Even if it isn't especially prominent, the revelation at the end and the lives that it touches make for a cool finale and the possibility of further adventures. There were some aspects of the story that I don't think were resolved or dealt with enough, but as I said, the ending leaves the possibility for further adventures. Perhaps Adventurine will return and we'll see more of her and her family, human and dragon alike, in the future.

Well written, and easy to follow. I loved this story about a girl who happens to be more than she first appears!

Aventurine is bored with the family caverns, tired of learning, and ready to try her wings in the outside world. She knows she is a disappointment to her mother and decides to show her family she can take care of herself. After all, she is a dragon, even if her scales have not yet hardened. Aventurine ventures outside her mountain home and there discovers a human making hot chocolate that smells so wonderful she absolutely must try it. How could she have known that the tricky magician would be able to transform her from her beautiful dragon self into a puny human? How can she go home now when her family thinks she is a pesky but potentially tasty human girl?
But even as a girl, Aventurine is a dragon at heart. She will need all her inner strength and confidence to make new friends, save her family, and find her passion. A warm and wonderful children’s fantasy, The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart will make you long for a cup of something hot to sip while you read it again and again. (Bloomsbury)

THE DRAGON WITH A CHOCOLATE HEART by Stephanie Burgis pairs dragons with chocolate for a fun children’s fantasy adventure.

When a young dragon named Aventurine leaves home to explore the world, she discovers chocolate and is turned into a human girl. With the help of a diverse cast of characters, Aventurine becomes an apprentice chocolatier.

Librarians will find an audience for this book among elementary youth who enjoy humorous fantasies and chocolate. The strong female heroine will be popular with young girls.

Published by Bloomsbury on May 30, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

This is an interesting take on the dragon tale. Aventurine is a bit of a spoiled thing, but she is also fierce and loyal, and makes for an interesting narrator.

For the most part I enjoyed this book. It was kind of weird that as Aventurine was first acclimating to her human surroundings, she used words like head fur, but then knew the names of all the kitchen equipment. Just felt a little off. But I think kids will be willing to forgive that because the story itself is pretty engaging. I got a little worn out by all of her snarling, glaring, and wanting to shoot flames at everyone, but it definitely let you know how fierce of a girl she was, and readers may well be amused. I do plan to purchase this for my library. I think if I booktalk it, it will be a popular read for my intermediate kiddos.

The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart is really adorable.
There once lived a dragon who was the only member of her family who couldn't decide what she was passionate about. I'm leaving out a lot of information that would spoil the book - but who knew dragons loved chocolate.
Aventurine that's who.

This book also has a nice message that it's ok to be different.

This was a very fun chapter book with an interesting premise.

Aventurine is a young dragon tired of waiting to be old enough to go out on her own. She sneaks out of her cave, and while she is exploring, she runs into a young boy. He is making the most wonderful smelling drink, which she learns is hot chocolate, and he offers some to Aventurine. Unfortunately, it’s enchanted with magic, Aventurine is turned from a dragon into a human girl, and the boy disappears.

Aventurine bumps into a couple who take her to a nearby town, and it is here she wants to pursue her new passion for chocolate. But first she must escape a woman who wants to make her an unpaid maid, convince someone she’s worthy of a chocolate apprenticeship, figure out how to trust humans that she’s always been told are the enemy, and find a way to come to terms with no longer being a dragon.

The concept of a dragon becoming a human (instead of a human turning into some mythical creature) was original, and Aventurine was brave and spirited. I did have some issues with the fact that she never went looking for the boy who changed her into the human, and it felt like she too easily accepted that she was now a human. Despite this, the book was entertaining and flowed well. It will appeal to readers who enjoy dragons (and chocolate!), and works well for a younger audience.

4/5 stars

Stephanie Burgis has done it again! The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is a magical, engaging, captivating fantasy for MG readers and dragon fans of all ages. Aventurine, the dragon-turned-girl, is a delight, and the descriptions of chocolate and chocolate-making awakened an almost draconic greed in this chocolate-lover’s heart. I’m adding this novel to my list of favorite dragon books. . . and I’m seriously trying chili powder in my next cup of hot chocolate.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot; you can get the gist of it from the blurb above. Experienced readers will be able to predict the ending and even some of the twists and obstacles, but that won’t keep them from eagerly turning the pages. Aventurine’s personality and voice mingle draconic difference with human emotions every reader can relate to, and the two most important secondary characters—Silke and Marina—provide additional interest as well as contrast. Burgis weaves in diverse characters without fanfare; her Drachenburg is not a lily-white Northern European analog but a thriving, cosmopolitan city—think 16th-century Prague in architecture and social structure, but with the cultural mix of modern-day New York.

Everything is experienced through Aventurine’s first-person narrative. I admit, I love books that contrast cultures, particularly from the point of view of someone outside a culture similar to mine; it give me (and the author) the opportunity to question my own assumptions. For this purpose, Aventurine is the ultimate outsider, since she’s not even human.

For YA and adult readers, Rachel Hartman’s Seraphina is more complex, more detailed, and more subtle (it is, after all, YA), but The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is the perfect gift for the middle-grade dragon-lover in your life, and a terrific book to read aloud for the whole family.

This book made me so hungry for chocolate. The descriptions of food had the perfect level of detail: enough to make our mouths water and create associations with our own food memories without becoming overly specific. Too specific would be distancing. Instead we can imagine our own idea of the most delicious hot chocolate. Its a very tactile novel, lots of sights, sounds, and sensations .We don't get just a red garment with a pattern like dragon scales but instead an image of shimmering red and orange scales . Characters are not deeply complex but do have several traits and experience growth, sufficient complexity for a middle grade novel. The elements of magic are present but not overwhelming. A true delight.

This is a delightful and charming book that will delight children everywhere. There is nothing better than a book with a dragon in it, unless it is a dragon who loves chocolate. The situations were absurd and hilarious. Despite its light-heartedness, I was particularly impressed with how much Aventurine grew. From a spoiled child who wants her own way, readers are able to see her grow into a vibrant young protagonist who comes to know who she is and where she wants to be in the world.

Adventurine is a young dragon who doesn't really want to hang out in the family cave studying until her scales harden. So one day she ventures out and ends up being turned into a human by a food mage. What caught her? The delicious aroma of chocolate. Now human and obsessed with chocolate, Adventurine heads into the nearest town. She tries to get an apprenticeship at the best chocolate houses in the city but is turned away. She ends up at The Chocolate Heart where she is taken on as an apprentice by crappy chocolate genius Marina. Adventurine also makes friends with whily Silke who knows everything going on in town. Adventurine learns the art of chocolate, but all is not well. Dragons have been seen in the countryside and are getting closer to the city and the mayor is after The Chocolate Heart.

I loved Adventurine. She is definitely a dragon in a girlskin who doesn't understand being human and doesn't always care about being human. I thought her and Silke made an awesome team and could probably take over the world if they gave it much thought. The characters here were outstanding and well developed. I loved how Adventurine came to appreciate the nuances of humanity and eventually helped broker a peace between the people and the dragons. All the chocolate made me hungry too!

I received this book from Netgalley.

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart by Stephanie Burgis is a middle grade novel currently scheduled for release on May 30 2017. Aventurine is the fiercest, bravest dragon there is. And she's ready to prove it to her family by leaving the safety of their mountain cave and capturing the most dangerous prey of all: a human. But when the human she finds tricks her into drinking enchanted hot chocolate, Aventurine is transformed into a puny human girl with tiny blunt teeth, no fire, and not one single claw. But she's still the fiercest creature in the mountains, and now she's found her true passion: chocolate! All she has to do is get 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?

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is fantasy and a coming of age story that is charming and heartwarming. Adventurine is much like any other tween and teen, tired of being told what to do my family and those around them. She is a dragon, raised with a very clear notion of what people are like, and how dragons should be. She is tired of being underestimated and kept from doing what she wants to do. When her attempt at proving herself goes wrong, she is forced to face the human world as one of us, and find her own way. She faces many different kids of people, while the particulars are different from what we see now because of the setting- the attempts at manipulation, friendship, and other activities ring true. Adventurine needs to figure out how to get by, who she is, and what she wants regardless of shape. I liked the messages that were woven through the book about being yourself, following your passion, judging everyone by their own merits, and friendship. I also liked the way the characters ended the story- but I do not want to ruin that for you, but I cannot imagine a better conclusion for the book.

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart is a well written fantasy. I think that the characters are relatable and will resonate with many middle grade and teen readers.

This was a sweet read! I just loved Aventurine and the whole cast of characters in this lovely and delicious book for middle grade readers. I think tweens will be gobbling up this story and want more.

Aventurine was a great heroine, both in her dragon and her human form. She is no one’s fool, even when she gets herself into situations that she has no idea how to get out of. I loved her free spirited and adventurous attitude towards life. I also admired that when she found chocolate, she decided that it was her calling and that she would do anything to get more of it, but also learn all about it and how to make it herself.

I loved the concept of a food mage, someone who works their magic through their cooking and food. I think that most really good chefs and bakers are a type of food mage. Although what this food does to Aventurine was not very nice, the interactions between them and her instant attraction to chocolate was priceless.

Silke, a girl who befriends Aventurine, was also a really fun character. She has a lot of street smarts, but is also savvy and knows how to work a situation. Marina, the chocolatier who takes on Aventurine as an apprentice, was also a wonderful character. She was all business in the kitchen and could be quite prickly, but she was never mean or abusive to anyone. Hurst, Marina’s partner, was also a good solid character. There are also not so likable characters in the story, which you need of course.

We don’t see much of Aventurine’s family through most of the book, but when they show up near the end you could see the love and hope that they have for Aventurine. They want her to succeed, no matter if she does it as a human or a dragon.

A marvelous and delicious read, I highly recommend it for any one who likes dragons or chocolate, but especially both.

The eternal temptation of Netgalley is a lifelong problem that I wrestle with, and one of the hardest things is not to scoop up middle grade books as fast as I can. I want to read aaaaaallllllll of them with my eight-year-old, but he is picky enough that I'm hesitant to commit to an ARC with him.

But I could not just walk by The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, by Stephanie Burgis. It's about a dragon who gets turned into a human girl and decides to be a chocolatier. I love that you can wrap it up with that unlikely one-liner, but that doesn't come anywhere near capturing the charm of this book.

Aventurine is a dragon who is tired of staying in the cave all day, but is too young to go out on her own. She's not a scholar like her siblings, and her mother and grandfather are frustrated that she seems so directionless. But she is the stubborn kind of young dragon who will sneak out of the cave to prove her mettle--and run headlong into a mage with a sharp sense of self-preservation.

Trapped in a human body with no way to get home, Aventurine heads to Drachenburg, the nearest human city, to try to make her way. She does not understand humans, and her confusion and frustration with them had my son laughing. As a human, Aventurine discovers chocolate and realizes that she knows exactly what she wants to do with her (new human) life.

Enter the cast of secondary characters, who are, I have to say, the best. There is her first friend, Silke, who is clever and unconventional and knows the city intimately. Marina, the cranky, stubborn chocolatier who runs a second-rate chocolate house that should be the best one in the city; Horst, who runs it with her and is somewhat less cranky and stubborn. We get glimpses of the king and the two princesses, who are different from each other and the most well-rounded tertiary characters I might have ever seen. We even get to know Aventurine's family over the course of the book--proud, ambitious dragons who know exactly what they think of humans.

Every character here is individual, and they get to do clever things and surprise us. You could rewrite this story from anyone's point of view, even the people who hardly appear in it, and you'd have a fine tale. I love that Aventurine is cranky and blunt and rather dismissive of humans, but learns to value them even as she learns her own true worth. I love how her bluster at the beginning gives way to humility and then real competence. I love that however human she is, she is still always ready to roar.

We got such a kick out of this book, Adam and I. It was a great readaloud, and a real pleasure. I have one of Stephanie Burgis's adult novels on my kindle, and you can bet that's coming up in the rotation very soon.

With a great combination of strong female character with a touch of magic, The Dragon with the Chocolate Heart is sure to please even those who don't like chocolate! Let's hope the author brings these characters back for more.

This book is basically just a love letter to chocolate and it’s amazing! Even if it makes you want to eat way more chocolate then you probably should. What an I talking about there’s no such thing as too much chocolate the characters certainly agree with me chocolate is practically all they eat. You wouldn’t think making chocolate concoctions would be that interesting to read about but yet that’s what most of this book is and I loved it. The author crafted such a lovely world and charming story, it’s a classic fantastical tale but the chocolate adds a fun twist. that combined with the characters make the book unique

Aventurine the protagonist whose passion in life is chocolate which is the best, is both feisty and adorable she would definitely hate being called adorable she considers herself the most fearsome creature there is. I love all the characters in edition to the wonderful protagonist you also have her friend Silke who is basically a tiny con artist. Then you have Marina the bitter chocolatier who just wants to live in peace with her one true love chocolate which is totally relatable. There’s basically not anything to not love about this splendid book there’s Dragons, chocolaty goodness and great characters. If your looking for a good middle grade or you just really love chocolate then you should definitely consider picking up this adorable gem.

I liked this. The story was interesting, and I liked the characters. There were parts that felt really repetitive. Like repetitive to the point I was feeling talked down to. I know I'm not the target audience, but I do read a fair amount of MG.
The themes of friendship, confidence, and family were good. I would like to try the author's other series to see what she's all about.

I loved this story! Dragons and chocolate... what a combination! A fun, unique storyline... I couldn't put this down. Will purchase this for my elementary library for sure.