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THE BAKERS DOZEN

Name: THE BAKERS DOZEN
Author: Amy Moore
ISBN: 9781534113022

by Amy Moore ; illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2025

A story as sweet as doughnuts.

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A new baker tries to convince a group of chefs that their menu and team are incomplete.

In a quaint little town, 12 chefs are hard at work making the best pies, cakes, and cookies. Everyone at The Bakers Dozen does their job just right, like a well-oiled machine. One day, a girl named Kristen arrives asking for a job and noting that the bakery doesn’t offer her specialty: doughnuts. Kristen entices the bakers with a freshly baked, heavenly scented doughnut, as well as suggestions for an expanded menu of choices sure to lure in new customers. But a familiar refrain of “We are twelve. No more!” crystallizes the bakers’ insistence that their team is complete. Kristen tells them that her grandmother, who taught her the art of making doughnuts, also imparted some wise words: A baker’s dozen is 12 treats, “plus one extra to eat”—13! The 12 bakers celebrate the arrival of a new friend and colleague—and one more delectable goodie to offer. Written in rhyming couplets, Moore’s playful text teaches important lessons of persistence, resiliency, and embracing change. Stegmaier’s contrasting palette of oranges and blues pops on the pages, accentuating the flurry of activities in the bakery. Kristen is light-skinned; the bakers are racially diverse. A glazed doughnut recipe with several variations is the cherry on top of a charming tale.

A story as sweet as doughnuts. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: May 1, 2025

ISBN: 9781534113022

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2025

A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.

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In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.

Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”

A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)