Sweet Stories

In a time where paranormal and dystopian stories reign there are readers who are interested in sweet stories that comfort the soul. For the youngest readers I have highlighted picturebooks about tasty treats like cupcakes, donuts, and cookies.

Bake Sale by Sara Varon. First Second, 2011. Grades 3-8.

This graphic novel is about the sacrifices one will make for a friend. In New York Cupcake owns a bakery and plays in a marching band with his friend Eggplant. Eggplant is planning a trip to Turkey to visit family and he has invited Cupcake along to meet the famous pastry chef Turkish Delight. To raise the money for the trip Cupcake quits the band so he can sell extra cupcakes, but when Eggplant losses his job Cupcake gives the money to his friend. Illustrated recipes are included. 

The Baker's Dozen by Dan Andreasen. Henry Holt, 2007. Preschool- K.
In rhyming text count to thirteen as the baker makes treats for his bakery; one éclair, two German cakes, three cherry pies ect… Warning this book will leave you carving sweets.

Close to Famous. By Joan Bauer. Viking, 2011. Grades 5-8.

To get away from her mom’s abusive boyfriend 12-year-old Foster McKee and her mother quickly leave Memphis and end up in the small town of Culpepper, West Virginia where they encounter many who have a dream. Foster is a talented baker and it her dream to be the host of her own cooking show like her idol Sonny Kroll. Foster’s cupcakes and muffins help bring a change to the town and Foster is able to overcome her learning disability in this heartwarming tale.

Cupcake: a Journey to Special by Charise Mericle Harper. Disney/Hyperion Books, 2010. Pre-School- Grade 1.

Cupcake is a perfectly delicious vanilla cupcake who feels plain next to his fancy brothers and sisters, like rainbow sprinkle and chocolaty chocolate, until his friend Candle comes up with the bright idea that Cupcake just needs a special topping. A recipe for vanilla cupcakes is included.

 

The Cupcake Club: (Peace, Love and Cupcakes). By Sheryl and Carrie Berk. Sourcebooks/Jabberwocky, 2012. Grades 3-6.

In this new series Kylie Carson starts out as a quiet fourth-grader who is being bullied by popular mean-girl Meredith. As a new student Kylie is an outsider with almost no friends until her drama teacher proposes that Kylie start a cupcake club at school. Soon Kylie and her three new friends deal with the bullying while becoming a baking success. Three recipes are included at the end of the novel.

The Cupcake Diaries Series.

Katie and the Cupcake Cure by Coco Simon. Simon Spotlight, 2011. Grades 3-6.

In the first book of The Cupcake Diaries series Katie Brown learns that things quickly change in middle school when her best friend comes back from camp as a member of the Popular Girls Club and Katie is not allowed to sit with them at lunch. Katie meets a new group of friends and together they form their own Cupcake Club.

The Cupcake Queen. By Heather Hepler. Dutton Children's Books, 2009.  Grades 6-9.

When thirteen-year-old Penny moves from New York City to the small seaside town of Hogs Hollow where her mother opens a cupcake bakery Penny hides in the shop and tries to avoid talking about her parents separation and the popular mean girl who is pulling daily pranks on her. Over time Penny makes friends, gets her first boyfriend and accepts her new life.

The Donut Chef by Bob Staake. Golden Books, p2008. Grades K-3.

The baker is happy with the selling and making donuts in his new shop until an aggressive rival opens up on the same block. The two bakers go to ridiculous rates trying to outdo each other with crazy flavor donuts like Kiwi Jam. The baker remembers his true calling when a when a little girl asks for a simple glazed donut. Told in rhyming text with humorous illustrations.   

It's Raining Cupcakes by Lisa Schroeder. Aladdin, 2010. Grades 4-7.

While her mom is preparing to open a cupcake shop twelve-year-old Isabel dreams of the world outside her home state Oregon when her best friend tells her about a baking contest where the finalist wins a trip to New York City for a bake-off. Cupcake recipes included. Sequel: Sprinkles and Secrets.

          The Little Bitty Bakery by Leslie Muir.   
          Disney/Hyperion  Books, 2011. Pre-school-
          Grade 2.
          In Paris, Elephant is a pastry chef who has 
         worked all through her birthday. While she is
         asleep the mice who live in her shop surprise
         Elephant by making delicious crumble jumble
         birthday cake. A recipe is for the cake is included.

   

 Little Mouse and the Big Cupcake by Thomas Taylor. Boxer Books, 2010. Pre-School- Grade 1.

Little Mouse is excited to discover a big chocolate-chip raspberry cream cupcake, unfortunately it is too big for him to carry home. When Mouse asks a bird, frog, mole, snail, possum and a chipmunk to help move the cupcake each animal has a bite of the cupcake which leaves Mouse one big piece and many new friends.

Recipe for Disaster by Fergus, Maureen. KCP Fiction, 2009. Grades 6-9.

Ninth-grader Francie Freewater is a talented baker with dreams of working at the Lorenzo LaRue cooking show and having her own bakery business. Disaster strikes when the new girl Darleen steals her best friend and crush of a lab partner and makes fun of Francie’s baking aspirations.









Save the Cupcake! (Confectionately Yours #1) By Lisa Papademetriou. 

Hayley is a middle school student who uses her talent for baking cupcakes to deal with the problems in her life like her parents’ divorce, her mom’s recent job loss and most importantly that she is drifting apart from her best friend Artie.

Scones and Sensibility by Lindsay Eland. Egmont USA, 2010.

Grades 4-7.

During summer vacation in a New Jersey beach town, twelve-year-old Polly Madassa is a romantic determined to play matchmaker while making deliveries for her parents' bakery. Very funny!