Plus, receive recommendations and exclusive offers on all of your favorite books and authors from Simon & Schuster.
Table of Contents
About The Book
Two orphan siblings with truly terrible luck battle an evil celebrity chef in this uproarious illustrated middle grade romp with the dark humor of A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Beast and the Bethany.
It’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.
Famished 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 éclairs 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 anything to get the sinister secret ingredient she requires.
It’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.
Famished 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 éclairs 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 anything to get the sinister secret ingredient she requires.
About The Author
Photograph © Joy McCullough-Carranza
Joy 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 Across the Pond, A Field Guide to Getting Lost, Not Starring Zadie Louise, Code Red, and Basil & Dahlia and the picture books Harriet’s Ruffled Feathers, Champ and Major: First Dogs, and The Story of a Book. Her debut novel Blood Water Paint was longlisted for the National Book Award and was a William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist. Visit her at JoyMcCullough.com.
About The Illustrator
Shane 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 New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. 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.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (May 21, 2024)
- Length: 288 pages
- ISBN13: 9781665944236
- Grades: 3 - 7
- Ages: 8 - 12
Browse Related Books
Raves and Reviews
"[A] comically arch third-person narrator. . . a pleasingly over-the-top villain surrounded by ridiculously self-serving sycophants . . . edgy, stylish, black-and-white illustrations that have a retro feeling and enhance the drama. A deliciously satisfying romp."
– Kirkus Reviews
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Basil & Dahlia Hardcover 9781665944236
- Author Photo (jpg): Joy McCullough Photograph © Joy McCullough-Carranza(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
