Baker's Magic

November 30, 2015
When 12-year-old runaway Bee is caught stealing a sweet bun from a bakery, the proprietor allows her to work off her debt, then invites her to stay on as his helper. Each kingdom in Bee’s world has a mage, a powerful wizard who assists the king, and Bee discovers that she has the ability to bake her feelings into the pastries she creates. Bee’s talent comes in handy when the kingdom’s orphaned princess, Anika, is forced to flee the evil mage who has taken over (Bee bakes fatigue into sweet buns, which puts the castle guards to sleep and allows Anika to escape). As Bee, Anika, and their friend Wil attempt to find a way to unseat Master Joris, they discover the trees the mage removed from Aradyn, find lost family members, and make new friends. Zahler (Sleeping Beauty’s Daughters) has created a cozy fantasy adventure with tension, twists, and sweet treats. Bee and her companions are quick-thinking and determined heroes, and their journey to right wrongs should appeal to a broad range of readers. Ages 9–12. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

February 1, 2016

Gr 3-6-A cozy fantasy adventure featuring strong female characters. In the Holland-esque kingdom of Aradyn, hungry orphan Bee's theft of a pastry leads to a job and temporary home in a bakery. Bee's newfound happiness magically infuses her baked goods with positive feelings, and the business's increasing popularity attracts the attention of the palace. Powerful mage and pastry lover Master Joris has become guardian to the orphan princess, is holding her captive, and has converted all arable land into valuable tulip fields at the expense of trees. Using magic from the village blacksmith's assistant, Bee helps the lonesome Princess Anika escape a forced marriage. As their shoddy vessel sinks, the group is saved by a crew of tulip-hijacking pirates led by the fierce Zafira Zay. A high seas adventure leads to surprising discoveries about assumed-dead relatives and long-lost trees. The plucky orphan finding magic and friendship is not a new theme, but ample action and charming characters like Bee, Princess Anika, and Captain Zafira Zay make this an entertaining read with an empowering message for girls, while still maintaining cross-gender appeal. Fans of Lisa Graff's A Tangle of Knots (Philomel, 2013) or Ingrid Law's Savvy (Dial, 2008) will find a satisfying analogue in this volume. A recipe for the prominently featured delicacy "Bouts Buns" is included. VERDICT Text complexity and a wholesome plot make this a good choice for higher-level readers in lower grades. A solid addition to larger middle grade collections.-Deidre Winterhalter, Niles Public Library, Niles, Illinois

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 1, 2015
A young orphan will need all the magic she can muster if she is to help her friends, defeat an evil mage, and figure out how to save the kingdom from destruction. Desperately hungry, Bee steals a bun from the local bakery. Astonishingly, instead of punishing her, Master Bouts gives her a warm place to sleep, clean clothes, and a job. But when Bee's moods begin to find their ways into her baked goods, Master Bouts begins to suspect that the young orphan is more than she appears. After the castle requests treats from the bakery, Bee is sent to deliver them. There, she meets Princess Anika and the evil mage, Master Joris. When the two girls discover Joris' plot to marry the princess off, Bee is determined to rescue her. While this joyful, creative adventure is filled with pirates, magic, missing trees, and a cuddly hedgehog, it is more than just a sweet ride. At its core, this is a story of bravery, resilience, and love. And while the premise of emotions magically empowering food is not new, this recipe has enough added ingredients to satisfy. A sweet, magical, environmentally conscious adventure. (Fantasy. 8-11)

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