DEALING WITH DRAGONS

Princess Cimorene hates deportment and advanced curtseying, but she's denied lessons in magic, swordsmanship, or cooking—so she runs away and applies for a job as Dragon's princess. She keeps cave, treasure, and kitchen in order, but has trouble convincing the rather dim Prince Therandil that she really doesn't want to be rescued. It's fortunate that she succeeds, since a renegade Dragon has betrayed his kind to the Wizards, and only Cimorene can save her Dragon, Kazul, from being destroyed, in the end, Kazul becomes King of the Dragons, while Cimorene becomes King's Cook and Librarian. Along the way, she learns to fireproof herself, consort with witches, read magic tomes, outwit djinns, and instill pluck in a fellow princess. Smoothly written and ingenious fantasy. Both Cimorene and her dragon are firmly drawn, tough-minded females who refuse to conform to stereotypes (being female doesn't prevent a dragon from becoming king). The touch of feminist persuasion only adds to the story's charm.