The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef by Sophie Masson illustrated by Cheryl Orsini

Cakes, a love story, kindness and destiny - perfect ingredients for a delicious BOOK! (oh and did I mention cake - do not read this book when you are hungry).

Lucas lives in a small, possibly French, town by the sea. He is so lucky because his aunt Violette owns a cake shop. He can sample the cakes and even help to make them, but more importantly, Lucas is a boy with well-developed emotional intelligence. He can see that even though Violette has bright eyes and a sharp sense of humour she somehow also seems a little sad. 

"Sometimes Lucas helped: stirring, mixing, whipping. And Violette would tell Lucas stories about when she was young."

And as well as emotional intelligence Lucas is a good listener. 

Lucas also loves to visit his friend - the fishmonger who works in the busy market. 

"Cyprien (was) a large, shy man with kind eyes and wild hair under his old beret. Some days Lucas helped: wraping, mopping, rearranging. And Cyprien would tell Lucas stories about when he was young."

But like Violette, Cyprien's eyes looked a little sad.

Notice the way Sophie Masson has constructed the two sentences above - a variation on the words.

Cyprien is shy. He does visit the cake shop but he is never brave enough to stay for long. Lucas encourages Violette and Cyprien to share their favourite memories and by happy chance Lucas recognises these memories are linked. All he has to do is find a way to bring these two people together.

I am certain The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef will be a CBCA 2026 notable Picture Book title and possibly even on the shortlist. You could borrow this book from your local or school library but even better the beautiful book design, tactile cover, gentle colour palette, delightful illustrations of cakes and the warmth of this sweet love story make this a book you will want own or perhaps give as a gift at Christmas.

The art in this book by Cheryl Orsini is truly special - I have been a fan of her work for a long time.

Just OH MY!! This is simply an absolutely beautiful treasure from every angle. Just so Stories

This is a charming little matchmaking tale nestled inside the comforts of friendship, glorious memories and delicious food! ... the real stars of the book are the different kinds of French food. Both Masson and Orsini and pour their passion onto the page and Lucas is the embodiment of that. Readers will look at the pastry shop with the "berets Basques with chocolate tops, tartes aux fraises, glossy with strawberries, and gateaux Russe, resplendent with hazelnut meringue and coffee cream" and lick their lips then turn the page and be bombarded with a buffet of "crusty bread and salty ham, wheels of cheese and spears of asparagus, and bright red peppers, tomatoes and cherries ... silvery shoals of fish, spiky squads of lobsters ..."  Buzz Words

Companion books:

The Truck Cat

Herman and Rosie

Love in the Library

‘The Fishmonger and the Pastry Chef’ has to be one of my favourite picture books of the year. It is absolutely gorgeous. Sophie Masson knows how to tell a tale and this is a beautiful tale about two people who connect. Indeed, it’s a sweet and romantic tale that is perfectly paced and perfectly structured. And the artwork by Cheryl Orsini is exquisite. ... This is the perfect gift for young ones." Paul Macdonald

Countdown to Yesterday by Shirley Marr

An exceptionally lovely and uplifting exploration of change, memories, 

and relationships. Kirkus Star review

Out of the blue his parents sit him down and tell him they are getting a divorce and mum is moving out tomorrow. James had no idea this was coming. His life and whole world are thrown into disarray. Something is going to happen though because each chapter is in the form of a countdown (you knew this from the title) to "launch" but a launch of what. Interspersed between the countdown chapters James shares his precious memories of all the good times with his mum and dad. He shares six wonderful family events such as climbing a steep hill together to see the view; dinner at a revolving restaurant; going to the movies and the day it rained so much that they all stayed together and built a blanket fort in the lounge room.

"Time and place and circumstances are complicated. The future is too huge and unknowable. Even the present is overwhelming. It would be much easier to go back to one moment in the past and exist in that forever. Safe and predicable and perfect."

Memories, though, are slippery things. James has a new friend named Yan. She asks him to recall the pattern on the little tickets that go with cakes from the famous Birthday cake book. James made these tickets and they are used as part of a school fund-raiser where parents select one cake from the book to make for a display and a competition - the prize is a gold apron! James is sure the pattern on these little cards is of cupcakes but when he looks at the cards again he discovers it is a pattern of cake slices. His memory was faulty.

Yan is a very clever girl. She has a keen interest in learning and also in old technology. I laughed over some of the titles of the books she borrows from the discarded section of her school library. Yan calls this the Book Departure Lounge. Some of these titles even seemed familiar to me because in the 1980s I worked for a company that sold computer reference books. Here are a few Program Catalogue for your TRS-80 Colour computer, 1980; Practical interfacing projects with Commodore computers, 1985; Start programming with the electron, 1983; and The Book of Atari Software, 1983.  Yan also talks about the way computers used to come in colours - I remembered that when she explained:

"Did you know computers used to come in flavours? ... Blueberry, grape, tangerine, lime and of course strawberry."

I think Yan is my favourite character in this book. It made me laugh to read that she loves the typewriter cake. It is interesting the way her manner changes, though, when she is with her mum - this simple plot point could make an excellent class discussion topic. (The same thing happens to James' mum when she speaks Chinese). Yan is also a wise girl. Here are a few of her words of advice:

"Life is about choices. Once you figure that out, things get easier."

"You know I was saying the mind is a mysterious machine."

"Sometimes you need fresh eyes. A different point of view."

"As I have said numerous times, James, knowledge is interconnected ... Just like life and the world and the universe and the metaverse and you and me."

"I've also learnt it pays not to be predictable."

"... the biggest poverty in the future will be time poverty."

I need to make a special mention of the wonderful school secretary - Mrs Tagliatelle. I would love to know more about her. 

"Mrs Tagliatelle always has her lunch at twenty minutes after twelve. She puts the phone straight to voicemail and lets me follow her to the staffroom, where we sit down at the corner table. I always have a sandwich and Mrs Tagliatelle always has leftovers from last night's dinner. She brings in extra so that I can taste her home cooking."

I loved all the references to this classic book birthday cake book. I have never owned a copy but I have certainly enjoyed perusing it when visiting friends. I well remember a teacher making the koala cake for a colleague and for myself I really wanted the castle with the ice cream cone towers. Another friend recently sent me a photo of the train cake she made decades ago side by side with the one made last year by her daughter. In this story they talk about the rocket cake (but I couldn't find a photo); the rabbit cake; and the wonderful oven/stove top cake.

I wrote this story for my son, a child of divorce and for all the children out there going through a similar situation. And of course I put in lots of nice cheery things like David Bowie and strawberry mochi and The Women’s Weekly Children’s birthday Cake book! Shirley Marr

In the US this book has a different cover and I read one reviewer who mentioned a QR code at the back of the book so you can find out more about the cakes - sadly this was not part of the Australian copy I borrowed from a school library. 

When you share Countdown to Yesterday with your class of upper primary students you will want to include the David Bowie song Major Tom. Here is one possible video version. And if you are reading this book at home you will most certainly want to make one of dad's deconstructed desserts - they sound wonderful. Here are the Scholastic teachers notes for Countdown to Yesterday. 

I seem to have saved one of the best books from the 2025 CBCA Younger Readers Notable titles for last. The storytelling and plot structure in this book has blown me away. At about page 250 of the 276 pages I wondered if everyone/anyone else had stood on their own mountain of books and wanted to shout out about Countdown to Yesterday so without planning to read the reviews I Googled the title and the words 'book review' and YES this book has travelled far and wide to huge acclaim including a Kirkus Star review and a glowing one in the School Library Journal and also one from the UK reviewers at LoveReading4Kids. Surely this book will be included on the 2025 short list which will be announced later this month. 

Here is a quote from the CBCA 2025 Younger Readers Notable titles judges' comments:

A stunning novel that will resonate with anyone navigating change in their life.

At once charmingly quirky and emotionally authentic, Countdown to Yesterday is, above all, a lovely ode to family love, friendship, and finding your way through unsettling change. LoveReading4Kids

The depths of emotion within the main characters, combined with a strong nostalgic feel, create a work that will stay with readers. VERDICT A moving story with a pleasing twist ending. School Library Journal

It does deal with some difficult issues for children going through a divorce but does so in a carefully considered way, exploring the feelings of all concerns and weaving this within a well-crafted narrative. Just Imagine

This is a well-crafted story in which reality and the imagination are cleverly intertwined to result in a clear message – enjoy and appreciate the present. Books for Keeps

It is a rapid page-turner that subtly reveals the necessity of memories, but also how they are seldom exactly as they are recalled, therefore can’t be trusted. Kids' Book Review

Shirley Marr is another wonderful writer with an amazing talent who deserves to be celebrated and awarded heaps of prizes. I loved her previous books:

A Glasshouse of stars

Glass house of stars was the winner of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 2022 and the WA Premiers Book Awards for Writing for Children 2021. It was also nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2022 and shortlisted for the 

Queensland Literary Award - Children’s Book 2022

All Four Quarters of the Moon

All Four Quarters of the Moon was awarded a CBCA Notable Book in 2023

I am so excited to see this new picture book coming in May, by Shirley Marr published by Walker Books Australia and illustrated by Michael Speechley.

The Baker by the Sea by Paula White

We have fish merchants, and smokers that smoke the fish, blacksmiths and basketmakers, butchers and bakers. There are cosy cafes and tiny shops that sell everything you might need. 

Every aspect of life in this village revolves around the sea. There are fishermen, net makers, sail makers, boat builders, coopers who make the barrels for the pickled fish and young girls who process each catch ready for pickling. 

"The sea is the beating heart of all he we do."

But this boy's father is not a fisherman. He is the town baker. The boy is not sure this is as important as being a fisherman but his father explains how everyone enjoys his baking - the boat builders buy bacon butties from the cafe, the fisher-girls enjoy piping hot buns to warm their fingers, and out at sea the fishermen dip their biscuits in their hot tea.

"I look at my father and feel proud. For without the bread, buns and biscuits, ... the people of the village could not go on as they do. When I am older I am going to be a baker, just like my father, in the village by the sea."

Bonus - there is a recipe at the back of the book for hot coconut buns - yum.

The Baker by the sea was short listed in 2023 for the Klaus Flugge Prize.

The Baker by the Sea has wonderful illustrations done in black and white pencil with pale blue spot colour. 

Relying upon a limited palette of greys and tonal blues for the most part (except for the warm yellow glow of the baker’s oven), her visual and written narrative crosses over the village, passing over the bustle of residents’ hard-working day-to-day lives and its centring around the fishing trade. Books for Keeps

The Baker by the Sea celebrates those small-village communities in which everyone worked hard together and looked after each other. It is quite poignant that the village then has been lost to the elements but perhaps readers can take something from the idea that something special happens when communities come together. Books for Keeps

I highly recommend The Baker by the Sea for your school library. Read it for Father's Day; read it for the junior history topic Life in the Past; read if your class are talking about workers in the community; but most of all just read it for pure enjoyment. 

The perfect companion book would be:

Yesterday Crumb and the Storm in a Teacup by Andy Sagar

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a witch in possession of 

great magic must be in want of an apprentice."

When we first meet little Yesterday she is held in a cage in a circus where she is exhibited as a curiosity. Why is the child a curiosity? She was found as a baby outside the circus but that's not why. It is all about her strange appearance. She has ginger or pumpkin coloured hair, and pale silver skin. Yes that is curious but there's more. Yesterday has very strange ears. They look like the ears of a fox - pointed, reddish-brown and tipped with black. In the circus she has been named 'The Amazing Fox Girl' but in truth the cruel circus owners have no idea just how amazing she really is.

We are only up to page 6 in this story but I am sure you are bursting with questions. Who left this child at the circus? Why? Will she escape? What does her name mean? And how is she connected with the witch I mentioned in the quote above?

So Yesterday needs to be rescued. She needs to discover her talents and her heritage. Luckily Miss Dumpling, witch and tea shop owner, has found her. Hold on tea shop? Yes the Dimmerly End Teashop, established in 1756 where magic is priceless. If you have seen or read Howl's Moving Castle it will help you to imagine this marvellous teashop which can move from place to place. In this teashop magic is dispensed through cakes and tea - absolutely delicious cakes and wonderful, magical teas. 

Of course we need tension to give the story momentum. Just as she escapes from the circus, helped by the crow Madrigal, she meets an evil man named Mr Weep. When he asks her what is her heart's desire she cannot resist but by doing so she signs a deadly contract which will be enforced in exactly one month. 

Publisher blurb: Yesterday Crumb is no ordinary girl. She was born with fox ears that have cursed her to a lonely life working in the circus and her origins are a complete mystery. But she is about to escape into the adventure of a lifetime when she learns that she's a strangeling who's lost her magic. Taken in by Miss Dumpling the flamboyant Tea Witch, Yesterday is introduced to a magical, walking teashop filled with fantastical customers, a flying teapot turtle called Pascal and powerful spells in every teacup! Yesterday starts to rediscover her magic and to feel a sense of belonging. But a mysterious figure of darkness is working hard to ensure her new life comes crashing down - and it all starts with a deadly shard of ice in Yesterday's heart...

Yesterday Crumb will be published in March 2022 (Orion). I really enjoyed Yesterday Crumb and I read the whole book in one sitting (delicious). I recommend it for readers aged 10+ but I wonder will the cover appeal to them?  It does not appeal to me which is the main reason I gave this book four and not five stars (sorry to the designer of the cover). Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance reader copy. If my description above has enticed you to read this book please don't let the cover dissuade you. This is a debut novel for UK author Andy Sagar. There are two more books planned for this series. Astute readers will also enjoy the fun cross references in this book to famous classics such as Pride and Prejudice (see my quote above) and William Shakespeare. 

I was delighted to also be gifted a special tea bag with the advance copy of this book.  In the UK reviewers were given three specially-made teabags based on spells in the book that you can drink when the characters brew them! (and) A very festive letter written by Andy!

Companion reads:

A Tangle of Knots

The Courage of Cat Campbell

The Power of Poppy Pendle

Bliss

Madame Pamplemousse and her incredible edibles

Hazel Green by Odo Hirsch illustrated by Andrew McLean

Hazel lives in the Moodey building in the heart of the city.  Her friends also live in the Moodey building. On the ground floor there are shops including Mr Volio's bakery.  As the story opens Hazel has woken early, as she does every day, and from her balcony she sees Mr Volio step out to greet the sun. Mr Volio invites Hazel down, as he does every day, but today he has a wonderful surprise for her to taste. Mr Volio has invented a new cake in preparation for the annual Frogg Day celebration. Victor Frogg's life is celebrated in the city every year because he was the mayor, then a senator and eventually the Prime Minister. Victor Frogg was also born in the Moodey Building. One part of the Frogg day celebration is a huge march with various floats. Twenty years ago children used to participate in the march. Hazel is determined that the children will march again this year. She has a wonderful group of friends but she also has a serious rival and to make things worse her beautiful friend Mr Volio accuses her of betrayal. He says she told his rival, Mr Murray, about his special Frogg Day cake - the chocolate dipper!

You might know I am a cake fan! If you ask me about my favourite cake I am sure to say I long to one day eat a chocolate dipper:

"Hazel was holding a round pastry with a shortcrust base. The top was made out of toffee, and a glazed strawberry sat in the middle ... Hazel took a bite. First the sweet toffee fractured between her teeth, Then she tasted a wonderful smooth caramel custard. Then there were swirls of strawberry. Then there was a delicious surge of almond and cinnamon. Then just when she thought she had discovered all the flavours in the pasty, her tongue dipped into a layer of chocolate covering the base. And all in one bite!"

I saw Hazel Green at a recent charity book sale. I rarely re-read books but I knew I wanted to spend time again with Hazel who I first met in 1999. I once entered a competition where you had to describe the authors and characters you'd like to invite to a dinner party.  Odo Hirsch's name was certainly on the list. His real name is David Kausman and he now lives in London. I wonder why he stopped writing children's books. He last title was published in 2012. He had so many utterly brilliant books: Bartlett and the Ice Voyage (and 3 sequels); Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, Darius Bell and the Crystal Bees; Frankel Mouse and sequel; Will Buster and the Gelmet Helmet and sequels; Antonio S and the mystery of Theodore Guzman; and Pincus Corbett's strange adventure. 

I do need to mention a couple more things about Hazel Green.  First off here are a list of her friends - such inventive names:  Marcus Bunn; Robert Fischer; Leon Davis (her rival); Maurice Tobbler; Abby Simpkin; Mandy Furstow AND the most important true friend of all Yakov Plonsk - The Yak.

Shop keepers: Mrs Gluck the florist; Mr Petrusca the fishmonger; Mr Volio the baker; Mr Murray bread maker; Mr Winkel leather goods; Mr McCulloch the barber.

The second delicious part of this story (apart from those chocolate dippers) are the descriptions of Mrs Plonsk - The Yaks mother.  Here are a few samples:

"She wore a silk gown the colour of emerald, and her fingernails were painted emerald as well. Her shoes were amber. She was holding a silver brooch in one hand."

"This time her silk gown was a deep plum colour, and her finger nails were plum-coloured as well. Her shoes were yolk yellow. Her hair was auburn and the brooch that she was clutching was gold."

Fans of View from the 32nd Floor will adore reading about my hero Hazel Green and I am so happy to report Hazel Green (the first title of the quartet) is still in print. I am sure many, if not all of these, will be found in most Australian Primary School libraries.The original editions were illustrated by Andrew McLean. His tiny pencil illustrations are just perfect and are sprinkled throughout the book. Take a look at all of these different covers:

This is one of those books that bursts out all over you as you turn the pages. YAK Books Reading Matters

Here’s a young mover-and-shaker who will stay with readers for a long time. Kirkus

Odo Hirsch image Looking Glass Review

The Faraway Truth by Janae Marks

I know this seems really crazy but this is the same book!  In US this book, by Janae Marks, is called From the Desk of Zoe Washington published by Katherine Tegan Books an imprint of Harper Collins. In UK the title and cover image have been changed and for that market this same book is called The Faraway Truth published by Chicken House. I don't know why. Which cover/title do you like? In Australia I imagine the UK cover may have more appeal?

What do the titles mean or relate to?
From the desk of Zoe Washington
Zoe Washington, who has just turned twelve, finds a letter in the mail which has been sent by her father - Marcus. Marcus is in jail for murder. Zoe knows very little about all of this because it happened before she was born. These days she lives with her mum and step dad. Finding this letter puts her known world into a spin. Zoe knows there are secrets here which need to be revealed. She is sure her mother will not talk about Marcus so Zoe decides to write back and ask her own questions. Her grandmother gave Zoe some stationery for her eleventh birthday. It's fancy white paper with a decorative border and a heading which says "From the desk of Zoe Washington."  Over the coming month Zoe and Marcus exchange letters. Perhaps Marcus is innocent. Can Zoe work out a way to prove this?

The Faraway Truth
Marcus is indeed faraway. He is in jail and Zoe is not supposed to be in contact with him. Luckily her Grandmother does agree to help her communicate with Marcus firstly by letter and later by phone. Finding the truth becomes a mission for Zoe but she only has fragments of information relating to an alibi who may remember Marcus from something that happened twelve years ago. Luckily her good friend Trevor, the kid next door, is willing to join her in the hunt once they have re-established their friendship. The pair of friends do indeed travel slightly faraway catching trains to distant parts of their city rushing so their parents don't find out what they have been up to.

What else is happening in Zoe's life?  Zoe wants to be a baker. She loves to make cakes. Her parents suggest she should spend time over the summer working in a local baker. Zoe assumes this means she will mix, bake and decorate cakes to her heart's content but in fact it mainly involves routine tasks such as folding cake boxes. Zoe does, however, learn how new cupcake flavours and recipes are developed and she uses this information to experiment at home with her own cupcake creation - a fruit loops cereal flavoured cup cake!  I am personally crazy about cake but this sounds little too sickly sweet for my taste.

Another thread in this story is music. I loved the way Marcus shares all his favourite tunes with Zoe. Marcus calls Zoe, Little Tomato, from this song by Pink Martini.
"It wasn't until the song repeated for the third time that I realised the words 'little tomato' weren't even in the lyrics. Why name the song that then? I thought about it and figured that Little Tomato must be who the song was for - the person the singer is singing the to."  In my own research I  discovered the title is actually connected with an advertisement for tomato catsup.

Image Source: WorthPoint

You can read pages 1-5 on the Chicken House web site. Here is a brief set of teaching notes.

BONUS - I am so excited to see Janae Marks has included samples of the music Zoe and Marcus enjoy; a recipe for fruit loop cupcakes; and three teaching guides. 

These are the things that inspired Janae to write this book. These web sites are for adults reading this book:

• The Innocence Project
• Podcast Serial Season One, 2014
• Netflix Television series "Making a murderer"
• Food Network: Kids Baking Championship
• Netflix Film: Ava DuVernay 13th 

I read The Faraway Truth (From the desk of Zoe Washington) in one sitting.  YES it is that good. Zoe is a determined young girl, she is observant of her community, and I really appreciated meeting her patient and wise father Marcus.

Click these review quotes for more plot details including issues of social justice which are handled beautifully in this story.

An extraordinary, timely, must-read debut about love,family, friendship, and justice. Kirkus Star review

A novel that’s not afraid to ask deep questions and seek answers. Waking Brain Cells

FROM THE DESK OF ZOE WASHINGTON is a stellar introduction to the Black Lives Matter movement and the messy truth about liberty and justice in America. A Book and a Hug

When children see themselves reflected in the lives of the characters they read about, and when they read about others traversing different journeys,their worlds expand in profound ways. Harper Stacks (Teaching Criminal Justice)

Zoe’s easy to relate to and her appealing first person voice draws you right in. Madge Reviews

Wolfie's Secret by Nicola Senior

Wolfie was no ordinary wolf.

He was a wolf with a secret.

He was a wolf who loved baking!

Wolfie knows he has to keep his baking a secret. He is supposed to be growly, tough, mean and of course to enjoy eating grandmas. He just cannot do this. It is not in his nature. One day, as he closes the curtains and gets on with his delicious baking the smells waft outside. Three brothers have plans to build a house next door. You might recognise these guys - it is in fact our old friends the three little pigs. They know all about wolves and so they worry that this spot is not a safe place for their new home. Those smells, though, are so tempting. The trio tip toe up to the window and look inside. What they see is so shocking. A wolf in a pinny! A wolf making a chocolate cake!

This is a scandal. The three pigs make a plan to expose this impostor. They stalk him day and night taking photographs and making notes - gathering proof. Once they have everything they need they send it off to the local newspaper. On Saturday morning Wolfie sees the disastrous headline in the newspaper - WOLF IN CAKE BAKING SCANDAL.

Wolfie is devastated. He climbs into bed and retreats from the world. Then the most unexpected thing happens. Letters start to arrive. Readers of the newspaper love his recipes and are keen for more.The newspaper editor offers Wolfie a job. What about those pigs next door? I am happy to say they make peace with their new friend by gifting him a super cake mixer.

There is a recipe in this book for scones and if you look closely you will spy other delicious baked treats such as battenberg cake, and a Victoria Sponge.  Here is the book trailer. There are four activity pages on the publisher web site - Allen and Unwin.

Wolfie's kitchen is wonderful. This is a story to share with a young child followed by the sharing of some delicious home made cake.

This is a debut book from Nicola Senior. I do hope she has plans for more delicious treats like this.

The exquisite illustrations throughout expertly portray Wolfie’s emotions, from his love of baking, the expressions on his face as he concentrates and his horror and disappointment at being found out. Child Care and Education Expo

I would follow this book with The Fairytale News by Colin and Jackie Hawkins.

The courage of Cat Campbell by Natasha Lowe

The Courage of Cat Campbell is the sequel to The Power of Poppy Pendle which I previously enjoyed.

I have taken all week to read The Courage of Cat Campbell because I just didn't make time to sit and read but today I 'gobbled' up the final 150 pages quite quickly.  For a reader this means you just have to stick with this book.  While the ending might seem predictable and inevitable it is none the less very rewarding.

Poppy, who we met in the first book, is Catherine's mum but unlike her mother, Cat is desperate to become a witch.  Sadly it seems she does not have 'the gift'.  She is now eleven and almost resigned to a life without magic or broomsticks.  Then she is set a project by her school to research someone famous and she decides to explore the life of Antonia Bigglesmith who was the first woman to fly across the Indian Ocean.  She visits her grandparents to look in their attic for some props and discovers her mother's spell book and wand. Waving the wand with little hope of success she watches with surprise as

"the spider immediately puffed up to the size of a golf ball turning bright neon green."

Cat is a late bloomer.  Now she might be able to attend the school of her dreams Ruthersfield Academy the only accredited school for magic in the country.

While all this is happening to Cat the most infamous witch of all time Madeline Reynolds has escaped from life imprisonment in Scrubs Prison.

Cat applies to enter Ruthersfield but they reject her because her bloomer magic is unpredictable and out of control.  Poppy, her mother, won't help Cat learn to control the magic so she can reapply.  It all seems hopeless until Cat realises Madeline Reynolds will be heading for her town of Potts Bottom. Perhaps there is a way she can save the town, discover the truth about Madeline Reynolds and do something so wonderful she just has to be accepted in Ruthersfield.

As a bonus there are lots of wonderful cakes in this heartwarming story about persistence, dreams and talent.  As Marie Claire says

"There are no such things as failures .. only steps towards success."

Natasha Lowe has a very interesting web site well worth exploring.  At the back of this book and on the author web site there is a list of advice for late bloomers - perhaps it is advice for everyone!

A sweet choice for readers who prefer their fantasy 
thoughtful instead of action-packed.

The adventures of Miss Petitfour by Anne Michaels illustrated by Emma Block

Delightful

Charming

Quirky

Whimsical

Sweet

These are some of the words I would use to describe The adventures of Miss Petitfour.  This book is a set of five adventures.  As you can see from the cover, Miss Petitfour travels with her cats in tow using different tablecloths to fly into her special little town.

I just knew I would enjoy this book when I read this sentence :

"She was especially fond of pockets, paisley, playful patterns and anything hand-knitted."

Miss Petitfour lives with fifteen special cats.  As her name implies she loves to cook cakes. (I am a huge cake fan as you probably know). You can see a selection of her delicious creations on the end papers.  She also has a collection of tablecloths perfect for every type of weather.  "A sunny day called for a starched white cloth, so she would seem to be floating gracefully from a cloud.   ... in autumn, when the sky was a deep shade of plum or grey, Miss Petitfour bought out her brightest, most colourful cloth, so that the reds, oranges and gold would glow against the dark sky."

One special feature of this book is the use of colour to highlight particular words in the text - words that are perhaps complex or simply need emphasis.  Another charming feature is the inclusion of little digressions and throughout the  whole book the voice of the author shines through : "If you've been reading about Miss Petitfour's adventures - and of course you have since you're reading this sentence".

Here are some of the special words which you will encounter in this book - propitious, perambulator, gesticulate, quaggy, eccentricity, debonair and my favourite festoon.  You will also notice each little story concludes with the words THE END.  This is worth mentioning because Anne Michaels makes sure these words fit perfectly into the final sentence of each tale.

In town each shop has a special sign.  The bookshop sounds wonderful. There are two sides. One for adventure books and the other for books in which nothing ever happens.  "Miss Petitfour and Mrs Collarwaller spent many enjoyable hours drinking tea together ... and playing a game  ... thinking up titles for books too silly ever to be written."  This would be a fun game for a family of book lovers.

I think this little volume would make a terrific family read-a-loud - perhaps one story each day.  Here is a detailed review.  Take a minute to click through some of the pretty  illustrations.

There is nothing normal about this village or any of its inhabitants. There are handsome, giant-sized shop signs and delightfully named villagers who are perfectly accepting of Miss Petitfour’s aeronautic abilities. 

The power of Poppy Pendle by Natasha Lowe

There is so much to enjoy about this book.  Poppy is a talented cook so her story is filled with delicious baking.  You already know how much I love this.  The Power of Poppy Pendle reminded me of Bliss which is a book I loved with a similar theme.  Poppy is also a talented witch. She is sent to Ruthersfield Academy where she excels at her studies mastering spells and broom flying with ease. Her parents are so proud of her.  But this is where the major conflict of the story arises.  Poppy may have highly developed magic skills but she does not want to be a witch - she wants to bake and one day own her own cake shop.  Finally, after some major struggles, Poppy is helped by one amazing friend.  I know there are so many books about friendship but Charlie is such a important and true friend to Poppy.  By the end of the story I wanted to give Charlie a big hug and say thanks for saving Poppy.

The story begins as Poppy is born :

"Poppy Pendle was born on the floor of a bakery. ... Poppy pushed her way out with the speed of an express train and was immediately wrapped up in a cake-scented tea towel by the kind lady who ran the shop.  The customers cheered, and someone handed Edith Pendle a bag of warm almond cakes.   Sitting up in her mother's arms, Poppy breathed in deeply and reached for the bag of cakes.  Then she did something quite unexpected.  She gobbled them all down."

Her parents, especially her mother, is so determined that Poppy should become a witch just like her Great Granny Mabel, that all other distractions are banned including her beloved cooking.  The final straw comes on the day her mother has the oven removed from their kitchen.  I highly recommend The Power of Poppy Pendle.

You might also enjoy Madame Pamplemousse and her incredible edibles and Pie.

Oddly the reviewers at Kirkus did not like this book.  Try this review which is more positive.  In fact I recommend exploring this blog (Kiss the Book) it is quite amazing.  Here is the author web site which includes details of the sequel which will be published this year.

Bliss by Kathryn Littlewood

There are some books that I read where I just scream at the main character.  I don't want them to fall into danger or make wrong choices or miss warning signs.  This is exactly how I felt right through Bliss.  Rosemary or Rose for short is a wonderful character.  She is full of self doubt and feels unloved and under-appreciated but she is really a very resourceful and caring girl.

Rose lives with her two brothers called Sage and Ty short for Thyme and her baby sister Leigh short for Parsley.  Have you worked this out Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.

The family, four children and mum and dad, live at their cake shop. "The kitchen of the Bliss home also happened to be the kitchen of the Follow your Bliss Bakery, which Rose's parents operated out of a sunny front room that faced a bustling street in Calamity Falls.  Where most families had a couch and a television, the Blisses had a counter filled with pies, a cash register, and a few booths and benches for customers."

Purdy Bliss and her husband Albert are called away on urgent business and so Rose and her siblings are left to manage the cake shop but this is no ordinary cake shop.  There is magic behind the refrigerator and a cookbook filled with secret recipes.  Just as they leave, Purdy gives Rose a little key to this important book "an ancient leather bound volume of enchanting recipes."  Rose promises to keep the book locked safely away and never give the key to anyone.

The dust has hardly settled following her parents departure when a mysterious Aunt arrives on a motorcycle.  Her name is Lilly.  "The figure removed its black helmet with gloved hands, coated in silver spikes. The rider was a young woman - the tallest, most sensational-looking woman Rose had ever seen outside of a movie screen. She had strong black eyebrows, a long Roman nose, and short black hair cropped close to her scalp in a chic pixie cut.  Her full lips were painted red, and her big white teeth glinted in the sun.  She was the kind of woman who looked like she belonged in the pages of a magazine - the kind of woman Rose secretly wished she would grow up to become."

This is a wonderful book. I think it would make a great read-a-loud for children aged 9 and up but be warned this is only book one!  There is a sequel called "A Dash of Magic" and I for one need to grab this second book tomorrow so I can keep following Rose and all the twists and turns of her frantic life.

Here is a review of Bliss.