Bliss (Bliss Bakery Trilogy Series #1)

by Kathryn Littlewood

Overview

The perfect novel for young readers who love baking and magic!

Rosemary Bliss's family has a secret. It's the Bliss Cookery Booke—an ancient, leather-bound volume of enchanted recipes like Singing Gingersnaps.

Rose and her siblings are supposed to keep the Cookery Booke locked away while their parents are out of town, but then a mysterious stranger shows up. "Aunt" Lily rides a motorcycle and also whips up exotic (but delicious) dishes for dinner. Soon boring, non-magical recipes feel like life before Aunt Lily—a lot less fun.

So Rose and her siblings experiment with just a couple of recipes from the forbidden Cookery Booke. A few Love Muffins and Cookies of Truth couldn't cause too much trouble . . . could they?

Kathryn Littlewood's culinary caper blends rich emotional flavor with truly enchanting wit, yielding one heaping portion of hilarious family adventure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062084255
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/14/2012
Series:	Bliss Bakery Trilogy Series , #1
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	400
Lexile:	870L (what's this?)
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kathryn Littlewood is a writer, actress, comedienne, and bon vivant who lives in New York City, works often in Los Angeles, and has a sweet tooth for pain au chocolat and sweet novels for middle-grade readers. This, her third novel, joins Bliss and A Dash of Magic in the Bliss trilogy.

Editorial Reviews

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

School Library Journal

The Follow Your Bliss Bakery has a remedy for everything. Stone Sleep Snickerdoodles can cure sleepwalking, and Fluffy White Macaroons once lifted a neighbor right out of a well. When the Bliss parents go on a business trip, they leave the key to their magical Bliss Cookery Booke with 12-year-old Rosemary, and things go haywire. “Aunt” Lily (a distant cousin) shows up, charming Rosemary’s siblings, but Rosemary senses Lily’s true aim: to steal the book. The only way to test Lily’s trustworthiness is to whip up some of the magical recipes and observe her reactions. After Rosemary’s brother distributes their experiments to the whole town, creating crowds of love-struck teenagers, nuns who can’t hold their tongues, and general mayhem, Rosemary wonders if she’s fit to be a “kitchen magician” after all. Littlewood’s first novel mixes the sincere and the silly with entertaining results. This lighthearted family adventure offers a well-meaning and believably insecure heroine, as well as boisterous sibling interactions, and the open-ended finale suggests that readers can expect to see the Bliss family again soon. Ages 8–12. Agent: Michael Stearns and Ted Malawer, the Inkhouse. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Quite delicious and very funny.” — Wall Street Journal

“Middle-grade readers who enjoy slapstick humor and fantastical adventures will get a generous helping of each here in what amounts to an impressive debut.” — Boston Globe

“The children’s attempts at magic and the subsequent flubs simply make this cannot-put-it-down delectable.” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“Delicious and exciting.” — Washington Post

“A heroine with baking in her blood and a zany plot liberally sprinkled with humor blend into fun family adventure. Lighthearted bliss.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Littlewood’s first novel mixes the sincere and the silly with entertaining results.” — Publishers Weekly

“Humor abounds in this sweet story that stresses the importance of family, and readers will enjoy getting to know the eccentric Bliss family. ” — School Library Journal

“This sweet (but never syrupy) story has surprising substance and broad appeal. A humorous tone, clear, thoughtful writing, and a brisk pace will also ensure that this one is gobbled up quickly.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

From the Publisher

The children’s attempts at magic and the subsequent flubs simply make this cannot-put-it-down delectable.

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Middle-grade readers who enjoy slapstick humor and fantastical adventures will get a generous helping of each here in what amounts to an impressive debut.

Boston Globe

Quite delicious and very funny.

Wall Street Journal

This sweet (but never syrupy) story has surprising substance and broad appeal. A humorous tone, clear, thoughtful writing, and a brisk pace will also ensure that this one is gobbled up quickly.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Delicious and exciting.

Washington Post

This sweet (but never syrupy) story has surprising substance and broad appeal. A humorous tone, clear, thoughtful writing, and a brisk pace will also ensure that this one is gobbled up quickly.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Delicious and exciting.

Washington Post

Quite delicious and very funny.

Wall Street Journal

This sweet (but never syrupy) story has surprising substance and broad appeal. A humorous tone, clear, thoughtful writing, and a brisk pace will also ensure that this one is gobbled up quickly.

The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books

Twelve-year-old Rose and her siblings stir up trouble in Calamity Falls when they experiment with some old family recipes after their parents leave the Bliss bakery in their hands. Ever since she saw "her mother fold a lightning bolt into a bowl of batter," Rose has known "her parents made magic in the Bliss bakery." Their secret recipes, guarded in the Bliss Cookery Booke, have discreetly averted many catastrophes in Calamity Falls. Next to her gorgeous brother Ty, her funny brother Sage and her adorable sister Leigh, dependable Rose feels invisible, but she longs to be a "good baker wizard." When her parents go away, Rose is left in charge of the Cookery Booke and warned to let no one open or move it. Immediately, a mysterious stranger named Lily arrives, announcing she's a distant cousin who's come to help with the bakery. Rose suspects Lily really wants the Booke, but she falls under Lily's insidious influence and finds herself baking and dispensing Love Muffins and Cookies of Truth with hilarious results. As Rose bakes her way out of trouble, she must choose between Lily and her own family. A heroine with baking in her blood and a zany plot liberally sprinkled with humor blend into fun family adventure. Black-and-white spot art highlights story elements. Lighthearted bliss. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews