The Baker and the Bard comes out on March 5, 2024.
Juniper loves baking. Hadley dreams of becoming a famous bard. And when an unusual order comes into the bakery where Juniper works—an order that requires the collection of rare mushrooms from deep in the woods—the two best friends immediately volunteer. After all, as Hadley points out, how will they ever be a famous bard if they never experience a little adventure?
On their way, though, Juniper and Hadley discover that a nearby village has had its crops destroyed by a mysterious creature…and before they know it, they’re caught up in solving this mystery. And, maybe, they’ll even make some new friends along the way.
Sweet, thoughtful, and beautiful, The Baker and the Bard was comforting in a way I didn’t even know I needed. Although relatively short, I felt like I deeply connected with Juniper, Hadley, and this entire world—a fantasy world with a feeling of such normalcy that I immediately was sucked into it. The characters were truly lovely; in particular, Juniper and Hadley’s interactions felt so realistic, and their friendship consistently made me smile. I also loved the queer/nonbinary characters, whose acceptance in this world fit so well and made me think of A Psalm for the Wild-Built.
The illustrations were bright and fun, and helped make this book a quick read while moving at a relaxing, leisurely pace. I particularly loved the frequent full-page illustrations, which contributed such a sense of place and atmosphere to the story. Although often relatively simple, they were perfectly expressive, and the primarily pastel color palette helped maintain the quiet, open mood of the story. If you love graphic novels or just feel-good reads, I highly recommend The Baker and the Bard to readers ages eleven and up!
An e-ARC of this book was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Juniper loves baking. Hadley dreams of becoming a famous bard. And when an unusual order comes into the bakery where Juniper works—an order that requires the collection of rare mushrooms from deep in the woods—the two best friends immediately volunteer. After all, as Hadley points out, how will they ever be a famous bard if they never experience a little adventure?
On their way, though, Juniper and Hadley discover that a nearby village has had its crops destroyed by a mysterious creature…and before they know it, they’re caught up in solving this mystery. And, maybe, they’ll even make some new friends along the way.
Sweet, thoughtful, and beautiful, The Baker and the Bard was comforting in a way I didn’t even know I needed. Although relatively short, I felt like I deeply connected with Juniper, Hadley, and this entire world—a fantasy world with a feeling of such normalcy that I immediately was sucked into it. The characters were truly lovely; in particular, Juniper and Hadley’s interactions felt so realistic, and their friendship consistently made me smile. I also loved the queer/nonbinary characters, whose acceptance in this world fit so well and made me think of A Psalm for the Wild-Built.
The illustrations were bright and fun, and helped make this book a quick read while moving at a relaxing, leisurely pace. I particularly loved the frequent full-page illustrations, which contributed such a sense of place and atmosphere to the story. Although often relatively simple, they were perfectly expressive, and the primarily pastel color palette helped maintain the quiet, open mood of the story. If you love graphic novels or just feel-good reads, I highly recommend The Baker and the Bard to readers ages eleven and up!
An e-ARC of this book was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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