Chapter 1

NANCY KRULIK Baö moooove! art by Ben Balistreri "Very funny series —Publishers Weekly, starred review

Chapter 1 "Cheddar, swiss, and fresh ricotta. Grilled cheese on rye is a party start-a. Gouda, brie, and a mild havarti. Cheese is welcome at any party. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Whoa, whoa, whoa." Dribble the dragon was happily singing his favorite song as his best friend, Lucas, danced along. They were both in a really good mood this sunny morning. "I love that song," Lucas said as he kicked his legs and wiggled his hips. Clink. Clank. Clunk. His heavy suit of armor set the beat as he danced. "Me too," Dribble agreed. "Who doesn't love a good cheese song?" Princess Pulverizer, that's who.

The princess wasn't enjoying Dribble's song at all. She was sitting by the riverbank with her hands clapped over her ears. She had a really sour look on her face. Even more sour than a big hunk of Tyrolean gray cheese. But Dribble and Lucas weren't about to let a grumpy princess stop their fun. So Dribble kept singing. And Lucas kept dancing. "Roquefort, taleggio, and a smelly blue. The stinkier the better, they say that's true." "Will you cut that out?!" Princess Pulverizer shouted angrily. Dribble stopped singing. Lucas stopped dancing. They both stared at her. "Come on," Dribble said, trying to urge the princess out of her bad mood. "It's a gorgeous day. The birds are tweeting. The crickets are chirping. Everyone's singing." "And you're all making me nuts," Princess Pulverizer replied. "Why are you in such a lousy mood?" Lucas asked the princess.

"Because we're just sitting here, doing nothing," Princess Pulverizer told him. "No we're not," Lucas insisted. "Dribble is singing. And I'm dancing." "BUT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SINGING AND DANCING," Princess Pulverizer shouted. "We are supposed to be out there helping people. That's what a Quest of Kindness is all about."

"Oh, that again." Dribble groaned. "Yes, that again," Princess Pulverizer told him. "We haven't helped anyone since we freed Lester the Jester from the clutches of the evil Wizard of Wurst." "That's because we haven't come across anyone in trouble," Lucas said. "Which, if you think about it, is a good thing." "No it's not," Princess Pulverizer asserted. Dribble and Lucas stared at her. "I didn't mean it like that," Princess Pulverizer explained. "I don't like seeing people in trouble. But I really do need to find someone to save. You guys understand that, don't you?"

Dribble and Lucas both nodded. They understood exactly what she meant. Princess Pulverizer wasn't your average princess. She didn't want to dance the saltarello at royal balls, sip tea with her pinkie in the air at fancy lunches, or balance a heavy crown on top of her head as she welcomed princes into her castle. That was because Princess Pulverizer didn't want to be a princess. She wanted to be a knight. A full-fledged, horseback-riding, armor-wearing, damsel-in-distress-saving kind of knight. And to do that, she would have to go to Knight School. Her father, King Alexander, had actually said she could go—on one condition. She had to complete eight good deeds on a Quest of Kindness. Once she had done that, she could get her first set of armor and enter Knight School. King Alexander had explained that knights were selfless people who spent their lives helping others. A Quest of Kindness would