Recently there was a discussion (on a Facebook forum) about the easy reading series Aussie Nibbles and Aussie Bites. I especially adore the Nibbles titles because they bridge the gap providing terrific stories for newly independent readers. I am quite passionate about this group of children. A couple of years ago I discovered another excellent series - Little Gems. These come from the UK and fit somewhere between Aussie Nibbles and Aussie Bites. Some of the very best UK children's book creator names can be found when you peruse this series. You will see names such as Michael Morpurgo, Kevin Crossley-Holland, Eoin Colfer, Jeremy Strong, Quentin Blake, Anne Fine and Dick King-Smith and many more.
Today I picked up The Bakery of Happiness by Ian Beck. Ian also wrote The First Third Wish for the Little Gems series (Barrington Stoke). On this blog I have also talked about Out for the Count and The Smile.
The Bakery of Happiness is set in Paris. Each day the baker Paul makes "crusty baguettes, rustic loaves, croissants, pains aux raisins and pains au chocolate". Paul starts work very early. At 7am each day Marie arrives. She pats the dog Gracie and welcomes the school children by name. Each child leaves the shop "as if they had wings on their shoes and were walking on air."
One day a customer arrives - a mysterious stranger. He hears the voice of Marie and is entranced. He asks her to join his opera company. Marie leaves the shop. Paul is left alone wishing he had had the courage to ask Marie out to see a movie. Now it seems it may be too late.
I suggest you head off to your nearest bakery. Pick up some warm croissants, come home and settle down to read this book - it truly is a little gem! And as a bonus the illustrations are filled with light and warmth. One more thing - this is truly a love story and that surely will make you smile.
You can read the first chapter on the publisher web site. The Little Gems were first published in 2012 and there are now more than thirty titles in the series.
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