A new, exuberantly cheeky voice in young adult literature

Lucie believes she's hit the jackpot when she comes across a flyer advertising a ridiculously overpaid dog-walking job. However, it turns out the dog has been dead for a long time, and the note is a ruse by a likely crazy old man who is looking for a ghostwriter for his quirky cookbook. Of course, Lucie doesn't believe a word when he rambles on about the top-secret ingredients like dragon hearts (which bear a striking resemblance to tomatoes) or werewolf saliva (which suspiciously looks like honey). Nevertheless, she tries out a recipe or two, like the love potion. Not that she's really into Marvin – everyone else already is – but it’s worth a shot.

Awarded the German Youth Literature Prize 2020.