  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 07/01/2018 Gr 4–6—The Cakes are a family of itinerant bakers, always have been; always will be. They travel from place to place to set up their bakery, then pack up to head to the next locale that needs them. All that moving is getting to 11-year-old Emma Alabama Lane Cake. She's the only daughter in the Cake clan. Her five spirited brothers have each other and an easier time making friends in all the new places than Emma, who is more circumspect. When the family rolls into Halleluia, MS, at midnight, Emma feels that there's something special about the town. Though she longs for a friend, she just can't bear the thought of adding another person to her "friend atlas," only to roll it up to leave yet again. That possible new friend happens to be Ruby Lavender. Readers need not be familiar with any of the "Aurora County" novels to fall in love with the Cakes. The residents are just as quirky, with characters like Parting Shotz and a tutu-wearing dog named Eudora Welty. There's a lot of charm here, from the lovely language and strong sense of place to the often hilarious scenes between the Cakes themselves and the adventures the nosy, gossiping residents get up to. VERDICT This charming novel of belonging is a sweet addition to most collections.—Brenda Kahn, Tenakill Middle School, Closter, NJ - Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 08/01/2018 Emma Cake, her five brothers, and her parents—itinerant bakers—arrive in Aurora County, Mississippi, knowing that they won’t be living there long before their father announces that it’s time to hit the road again. But Emma’s tired of moving, tired of leaving friends behind. Their new community welcomes the newcomers: the parents with their delicious cakes, the boys with their baseball skills, and Emma with her two talents—soup making and friendship. After she befriends Ruby Lavender, they hatch a plan for keeping the Cakes in the community forever. This sequel to Love, Ruby Lavender? (2001), The Aurora County All-Stars? (2005), and Each Little Bird That Sings (2007) is written in third-person from an outsider’s point of view. While those familiar with the previous books will remember many of the characters, readers new to the series will meet them, along with 11-year-old Emma. The writing is precise, colorful, and attentive to the nuances of people’s longings and interactions. An enjoyable, sustaining chapter book. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
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