{"product_id":"basil-dahlia-a-tragical-tale-of-sinister-sweetness-9781665944243","title":"Basil \u0026 Dahlia: A Tragical Tale of Sinister Sweetness","description":"\u003cb\u003eTwo orphan siblings with truly terrible luck battle an evil celebrity chef in this \"bitingly humorous and appealingly weird\" (\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e) illustrated middle grade romp in the vein of A Series of Unfortunate Events.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIt's hard to imagine things could get worse after one's parents die in a greenhouse explosion. But that is precisely what happens to Basil and his younger sister, Dahlia. They escape from the social worker who wants to split them up to different foster homes by jumping off a moving train, only to find themselves wounded (Dahlia) and bedraggled (Basil) and without a soul to care for them. What's more, they're lost in the wilds of New York City. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFamished and alone, they wander into Cravings, the delectable bakery owned by Laurel Fox, disgraced celebrity chef with a soft spot for poor, hungry orphans. When she offers them luxurious accommodations and all the ?clairs they can eat, Basil and Dahlia dare to hope their luck has changed at last. But the savvy reader will know it can't be as simple as all that! Laurel Fox is out for redemption, and she'll do \u003ci\u003eanything\u003c\/i\u003e to get the sinister secret ingredient she requires.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoy McCullough writes books and plays from her home in the Seattle area, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is the author of the middle grade novels \u003ci\u003eAcross the Pond\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003e A Field Guide to Getting Lost\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNot Starring Zadie Louise\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCode Red\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eBasil \u0026amp; Dahlia\u003c\/i\u003e, as well as the middle grade series Team Awkward, and the picture books \u003ci\u003eHarriet's Ruffled Feathers\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003e Champ and Major: First Dogs\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Story of a Book\u003c\/i\u003e. Her debut novel \u003ci\u003eBlood Water Paint\u003c\/i\u003e was longlisted for the National Book Award and was a William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist. Visit her at JoyMcCullough.com. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eShane Cluskey is an illustrator from Galway, Ireland. His work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators and by American Illustration, and he has worked with such clients as the\u003ci\u003e New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Washington Post\u003c\/i\u003e. His favorite dessert is a warm chocolate brownie covered in ice cream (without the secret ingredient). You can see more of his work at ShaneCluskey.com.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Atheneum Books for Young Readers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51260043919634,"sku":"9781665944243","price":6.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_1379b46e-8af5-4018-b04e-5dc35bce0a97.jpg?v=1746635663","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/basil-dahlia-a-tragical-tale-of-sinister-sweetness-9781665944243","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}