From Kirkus: "A celebration of differences and the commonalities that unite us."

The colors of this beautiful children's book strike the reader immediately. Illustrations are done in colored pencils with hues that have been "baked until golden brown" says the colophon--exactly the colors that bring to mind fresh baked loaves right out of the oven. Lots of people are baking lots of bread in this story, all generations and colors of people in soft, fluffy images. Every step is part of the story as adults work with children to create their beloved doughs and when we get to the end, we find the title explained. Make it YOUR way with love and the result is delicious.

Eleven ethnic types of bread and rolls are named and described at the end of the story, all having been seen already in the pages. Recipes for arepas and pandesal are given for making with an adult. Be sure not to miss the last wordless page. Someone's furry family member is eating up the crumbs from the warm and wonderful day of baking. ( )

I so enjoyed this book! It was informative, the pictures were a delight, its geared toward children, it has recipes in the back, and it has themes of inclusion! It was a delightful read from beginning to the end! ( )

I was very excited by the concept of this book (yes, I bake, yes, I still maintain the sourdough starter I began in 2020) and I really did like the writing and the idea. That said, there was something I found off about the pictures that made it kind of off putting and when looking at the publishing page I saw that the illustrations, originally in colored pencil, had been “edited digitally and baked until golden brown.” I really wish they hadn’t made that choice because I think it took what would have been delightful images of families baking together and made them very muddled. The golden effect is actually kind of straining on my eyes, and I do wonder about how the muted, sepia color would go over with the targeted age group (I’m assuming this would work for kids ~3-6) I used to teach preK but work with upper elementary but will try this out one day with them to see how they like it! ( )

First - thanks to Library Thing and Tundra Books for a review copy of the book.

I am also thankful for bread! I have always enjoyed baking bread and this book is a delightful homage to the joy that brings! The author stresses that the only way to make bread -- is the way that you want to make it. That might mean using a recipe passed down through generations. Or a bread tied to your culture that you made with a relative. Every culture has some type of bread. The important part is to make it with love and share with others.

The author listed lots of different breads at the back of the book. I like that she includes the names of friends who inspired adding those to the book. And I am happy recipes for two different types of bread are provided!

The illustrations are warm and inviting - just like a yeasty creation fresh from the oven!

Hopefully this book will inspire you to try making bread. That might seem a bit overwhelming at first if you have never done it before so feel free to use a mix or frozen bread dough the first few times. The important part is creating something together. Explore your own bread heritage and share both eating and making bread with your community.

Also, this book would make a lovely holiday gift! You can add a baking bowl, wooden spoon, or yummy bread topping. And, of course, don't forget to include a favorite recipe or two! It could easily spark discussion of favorite bread members.

If you are using the book in a classroom or story hour, you can pair it with Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard. Be sure to have something freshly baked available for tasting. But be warned - this book will make you hungry for fresh bread.
#ReadTundra ( )