My 12-year-old son and I shared this book recently, and we each really enjoyed it. Dealing with Dragons features a no-nonsense young woman as the lead character -- someone who wants to find her own way using her brains and abilities, and has no interest in being rescued by a knight or getting married off to some prince with a big kingdom. 
 Fun, exciting, with memorable characters and entertaining dialogue, Dealing with Dragons is a great choice for middle grade readers (and their parents!)