  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 10/01/2014 Gr 1–4—A little-known figure from the American Revolution era is given a fresh look for another generation of history lovers. This book relates the tale of a generous, beloved, and industrious member of the Philadelphia community, originally from Germany, referred to as "the baker." The book centers on his insistence upon joining the war effort, despite being told he's too old and fat. George Washington put the baker to work baking bread for the troops and eventually sent him on a special mission to convince the mercenary Hessian soldiers to abandon the English army. Rockliff's dialogue-laden text is accessible, even humorous at times ("General Washington did not say the baker was old and fat. General Washington was too polite. Anyway, he had other troubles on his mind."). Rendered in watercolor, the charming illustrations aptly depict the people and objects as gingerbreadlike, using a palette of warm, cinnamon tones and sugary white lines that detail the free-floating, cut-paper shapes. Repetitive shapes with a lack of depth complete the cookie illusion. The simple recipe on the end pages offers options for different skill levels. Back matter, including a list of sources, provides fuller detail and context as well as the baker's name: Christopher Ludwick. A sweet addition to Revolutionary War units where a more behind-the-scenes look is desired and a nonfiction twist on gingerbread-themed storytimes.—Carol S. Surges, formerly at Longfellow Middle School, Wauwatosa, WI - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Bulletin for the Center... - 02/01/2015 Asked to find a local hero, most youngsters would probably suggest looking in a firehouse, police station, or hospital, not a bakery. Here Rockliff serves up a slim slice of history in which Christopher Ludwick, a German baker known for his tasty gingerbread in colonial Philadelphia, enlists to defend his adopted land and volunteers to infiltrate a camp of Hessian mercenaries and possibly lure them to the cause of American liberty: “‘And you always have enough to eat?’ the soldiers asked. ‘No empty bellies here,’ the baker told them. ‘Not in my America!’” Humor outweighs context within the text, and adult readers-aloud may well need to bone up on background provided in a substantial endnote. Children with some foreknowledge of the Revolution, however, will be entertained by the portrayal of George Washington, King George, and others as riffs on tawny gingerbread (the elegant, crispy Old World variety rather than the rotund Christmas or runaway cookie), outlined in thin bands of white “icing.” While this may not convey the gravitas of a bloody war for independence, it does provide a wonderful excuse to get the gingerbread pans back out for the Fourth of July. EB - Copyright 2015 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Loading...
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