The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

I'm in my fifth decade, but I still found the audiobook version of this children's book to be a sweet story. I mean, it has dragons and chocolate! What's not to love? SPOILERS....... The young dragon Aventurine is tired of always feeling like he is a disappointment to her family. Her older siblings seem to do everything right and pursue scholarly interests with great aptitude and zeal, while she finds study difficult and boring. Finally, in a moment of pique, Aventurine sneaks out of the family cave thinking she will show her family that she can take care of herself. Instead, a food mage tricks her into drinking bespelled hot chocolate, and Aventurine transforms into a puny human girl. The rest is a tale of how she learns to survive as a human child, find and pursue her own passion, and overcome her own self-doubt and other obstacles to find her place in the world. Along the way, she develops friendships and a new sense of family. And, eventually, she learns that her dragon family still loves her even though she is different. I love that Aventurine never stops being a dragon even in her human form. She bares her teeth and growls. She is fierce and determined. She wishes she could still throw fireballs at those who anger her or try to do her harm or who try to take what she considers her territory. Great characters and a great story!