Dulcie and Duke, The Magical Monkey
Dulcie & Duke
A Vietnamese Adventure
Eight-year-old Dulcie is sulking. She has just moved with her parents to Hanoi, in Vietnam. The city outside seems strange, the people are unfamiliar, and Dulcie doesn’t want to try any new food. Luckily, Dulcie meets Duke, a monkey with a magical wrench. He can open a doorway to any time and place!
Hopping through Duke’s doorways, the two new friends explore the wonders of Vietnam. Duke shows Dulcie fantastic floating markets, a magical lantern festival and the world’s largest cave. They even visit a beautiful beach that was once home to dragons! Along the way, Dulcie is tempted to try the tasty Vietnamese food. But when she finally returns home to Hanoi, will she want to go traveling with Duke again?
Dulcie & Duke
Roaming Through Italy
Eight-year-old Dulcie is amazed. Her best friend Duke has used his magical monkey wrench to take them from Vietnam to Italy! Staring at a famous tower in Pisa, Dulcie wonders why it was built so wonky. When she roams around Rome, she isn’t impressed by the ruined Colosseum either. To Dulcie, the past is mysterious and very far away.
Thankfully, Duke can open a doorway to any place or time. When the monkey takes Dulcie to Pompeii, an exploding volcano brings history to life! In Milan, a very famous painting seems real enough to touch. And when the friends sail through the magical city of Venice, the past seems closer than ever before. Having tried the delicious Italian food, Dulcie has only one question left. What taste of Italy will she and Duke take home?
Dulcie & Duke
Fun and Games in Greece
Eight-year-old Dulcie is fed up. She doesn’t see the point of doing school sports. It’s hot where she lives in Hanoi, Vietnam, and the other kids are always faster. Dulcie decides it’s much better to give up.
Thankfully, Dulcie’s best friend Duke knows how to help. Using his magical monkey wrench, he takes her to Greece, home of the ancient Olympics. The friends follow in the footsteps of Theseus, a mythical hero. In Athens, Dulcie is amazed by the Parthenon, even after a tiring climb. On the island of Crete, Dulcie escapes from the Minotaur’s maze, even though she feels hopeless. And on Naxos, Dulcie faces her fears and learns how to windsurf with Duke.
Taking a trip back in time to Olympia, the friends get close to the famous games. But when Dulcie returns home, will she give sports another go? And will she have learned what it takes to become a champion?
Dulcie & Duke
Whirling Through Turkey
Eight-year-old Dulcie is upset. At school in Vietnam, one of her classmates is teasing her about coming from another country. When Dulcie tells her best friend Duke, he decides to show her just why the student is wrong.
Using Duke’s magical monkey wrench, the two of them travel to Turkey. In this country, many cultures and all kinds of people have mixed for thousands of years. In Istanbul, Dulcie and Duke visit the beautiful Hagia Sophia, which has been a cathedral, museum and mosque. Traveling back in time, the friends even meet a visiting Viking! Duke takes Dulcie to an ancient Turkish city, where Persians, Greeks and Romans once lived. And floating over Cappadocia in a hot air balloon, Dulcie discovers the country might also be home to fairies!
When she returns to school, Dulcie tells her classmates that Turkey was a real delight. But will she persuade them that the world is better when everyone gets along?
Dulcie & Duke
A Real Taste of Thailand
Eight-year-old Dulcie feels guilty. Her mom and dad both love traveling. But since the family moved to Vietnam, her parents haven’t stopped working. Meanwhile, Dulcie has been having secret adventures with her best friend Duke and his magical monkey wrench!
Dulcie and Duke travel to Thailand, a country that’s a real feast for the senses. There are ancient temples with golden Buddhas, beautiful flowers and brightly-dressed monks. In Bangkok, the friends try tasty street food that’s salty, spicy, sour and sweet. In Chiang Mai, Dulcie and Duke are drenched at a huge, outdoor water fight, and get soaked again by Elephants! In Lopburi, Duke introduces Dulcie to his monkey cousins at a colorful feast of fruit.
Throughout her journey, Dulcie is also reminded of her family. In Phuket, she learns to cook Thai food, hoping to make it for her parents. When she returns home to Vietnam, will Dulcie finally tell Mom and Dad about her travels with Duke?
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Author of Catfish and Mandala and The Eaves of Heaven
Paul B. Kennedy’s Vietnam Food and Culture is a portal to an authentic culinary experience. Spiced with proverbs, cultural insights, fascinating facts, and gorgeous photography, the book is as much a coffee table showpiece as a working cookbook, offering a wide range of dishes from the north to the south of the country, from the popular to the lesser-known recipes. It is an ambitious work that has succeeded in capturing and describing the essence of Vietnamese cooking in layman terms. As a foodie, former restaurant critic, and enthusiastic cook, I admire the efforts Kennedy has devoted to this special book. Highly recommended.
James Beard Winner – Best Chef of the Northeast
Paul Kennedy has created an experiential journey of Vietnamese culture that could only otherwise be replicated through travel and immersing oneself in Vietnam for years. Vietnam Food and Culture is an essential guide for both professional and home cooks that explores the flavors of Vietnam in its most authentic form. This book is written for anyone with a serious interest in food, jam packed with flavor and history told through the lens of a well-travelled, passionate chef.
Associate Travel Editor, The Weekend Australian
From rice pyramid dumplings and salted egg chicken to taro pudding, Paul Kennedy explores the street food, heritage cuisine, colonial influences and hybrid dishes that make up Vietnam's multi-layered culinary landscape. Illuminated by detailed photography and peppered with sage local proverbs and insights into cultural practices, this tribute is both a delicious cookbook and essential destination primer for curious foodies and thoughtful travellers.
Food and Wine Magazine – Best New Chef James Beard Winner – Rising Star Chef of the Year
Ever since I was a child, I’ve always believed that you are able to learn, understand and appreciate another country’s culture through their food. As a chef, that idea could not be more true. Paul Kennedy’s tireless research and love for the Vietnamese culture and it’s cuisine is inspiring on many levels.
-Readers’ Favorite