  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 02/01/2012 There is something magical about the pastries from the Bliss family bakery. The residents of Calamity Falls will admit to as much, though they have no idea just how magical. The Bliss children themselves have an inkling, although Rose, the responsible one, would love to know more. When their parents go away, the children promise not to touch the magic Cookery Book (which has been handed down from generation to generation), but it’s oh-so-difficult to resist. Throw in the arrival of a long-lost relative and watch the mayhem ensue. Littlewood has written an entertaining family caper; the dynamics between the siblings are amusing, as they unite in the face of the chaos caused by the enchanted recipes, everything from Love Muffins to Cookies of Truth. Although the fiasco is fairly predictable, readers will likely enjoy the fun to be had in sorting out all the trouble. With the ending left wide-open for a sequel, there could very well be more bliss to come. - Copyright 2012 Booklist. School Library Journal - 02/01/2012 Gr 3–6—Twelve-year-old Rose's mother is an excellent baker, and the lightning bolt or weasel's yawn that she adds to normal ingredients gives her cookies and muffins an extra little something that helps keep trouble at bay in their town. Combating a summer flu epidemic, the mayor of neighboring Humbleton begs the Bliss parents to come to his town to make their almond croissants, known for abating flu symptoms. They demur: How will they keep their home-based bakery operational while they are gone, and who will take care of their four children? They finally agree that Rose and teenage Ty can keep things running with the help of their neighbor and the bakery assistant. Before leaving, the parents lock away the Bliss Cookery Booke and entrust the key to Rose, with instructions that there will be no magic and that the Booke is not to be disturbed. Soon, beautiful, enigmatic Aunt Lily arrives and seems to cast a spell on the children. When she tells them of her plans to host a TV show featuring the most wonderful recipes in the world, Ty and Sage immediately want to let their aunt see the cookbook. As a compromise, Rose agrees that she and Ty can try out a few of the recipes, showing Lily the finished products. Chaos quickly ensues throughout the town when one recipe after another goes slightly wrong. Humor abounds in this sweet story that stresses the importance of family, and readers will enjoy getting to know the eccentric Bliss family. The cliff-hanger ending hints at a sequel.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA - Copyright 2012 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 03/01/2012 Twelve-year-old Rosemary (Rose) Bliss knows her parents, proprietors of the Follow Your Bliss Bakery are not ordinary bakers; she has, after all, seen her mother bottle lightning and use it in a cake that miraculously heals a comatose boy. When Rose’s parents leave her and her three siblings for a week, a gorgeous woman claiming to be their aunt Lily arrives and proceeds to win over Rose’s three siblings with her beauty and charm, and Rose herself with her appreciation of Rose’s baking talent, a skill that has paled beside her siblings’ more noticeable talents. When Rose and her brothers begin experimenting with the family’s magic Cookery Booke, the results are disastrous. Can they keep the bakery running and put their mistakes to rights before their parents return (or before Lily steals the cookbook)? This sweet (but never syrupy) story has surprising substance and broad appeal: fans of food-centered novels such as Weeks’ Pie (BCCB 12/11), lovers of domestic magic such as Van Cleve’s Drizzle (BCCB 5/10), and kids who have felt invisible and underappreciated will all find this a treat. A humorous tone (“Two things were clear to Rose: 1. Lindsey Borzini wanted her brother’s autograph; and 2. Lindsey Borzini was under the influence of magical baked goods”), clear, thoughtful writing (Rose’s feelings of inadequacy are spot-on for her age), and a brisk pace will also ensure that this one is gobbled up quickly. JH - Copyright 2012 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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