This was such a cute and wholesome story, with some magical elements to it, a cute romance and inclusion, which I loved. I really enjoyed the story and the art style, biggest thanks for sending this eARC my way!

The Baker and the Bard is a sweet, low-stakes, and simple graphic novel.

The art and color scheme is gorgeous and emit a sense of peace that enhances the cozy vibes of the story. The story itself is light and whimsical, wonderfully queer normative, with a touch of magic and an assortment of mythical creatures. Fern, the adorable snake companion, is a joy. Hadley is a goofy, possibly ADHD, non-binary dork and Juniper is soft and adorable.

This slice-of-life, cozy read unfortunately fell a bit flat for me, with no real depth or character development. If this was marketed for a bit younger audience, I would have rated this higher. As it is currently marketed as YA, I feel it is TOO simplistic and very surface level. Despite that, I enjoyed the read mainly for the lovely art and would recommend it to families with young children.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book before publication.


The only complaint I have is that it ended too soon. When you feel that way after reading a book, you know it was a great story. The art is beautiful in its simplicity and chosen color palette. I loved that we have non-binary main characters, which is something that we’re seeing more of in books nowadays, thankfully. I can’t wait to put a copy in my classroom library. My kids have already blown through Heartstopper and are asking for other books.

The relationship between the two main characters was sweet, but I had no idea about Hadley’s crush until the fey said something. Then I could see it. It was refreshing for their relationship not to have a Disney princess send off like some books do. The author clearly knows their characters and how big or small those characters prefer to celebrate their authentic selves. Having positive representation of lgbtq love in graphic novels is something my students desperately need. Thank you!

The art style was lovely, but the plot and characters were so simplistic. Definitely should be a middle grade rather than YA.

A fantasy world graphic novel where two friends set off to find ingredients for a bakery and end up solving a bigger mystery. I liked the premise a lot here, as I love D&D inspired worlds/fantasy worlds. I think it was too simple though, even for YA (its label). I think if this was marketed more to middle grades, it would have more success.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley for sending and allowing me to read this title. I was very surprised I enjoyed this e-arc as much as I did. This isn't my normal genre but I loved it. This was 4 stars, the art was amazing and I really recommend it.

A really cute and cozy graphic novel.

I really enjoyed that this story went in the direction of the main characters having to take an exciting adventure in order to find the mushrooms needed for their pastry, and that we even got a side quest that introduced more interesting and adorable characters to the story.

The mood and drawing style really reminded me of "The Tea Dragon Society" by Kay O'Neill, so if you enjoy her graphic novels, I can guarantee that you will enjoy this one.

My only complaint was the mention of gender in the book. I felt if the author just let the characters show their gender and sexuality preference by their actions alone or have been mentioning the topic of gender throughout the book and not mention the characters gender out of nowhere in a middle of story it wouldn't have felt forced. I felt like the author really wanted to mention gender but didn't know how to organically involve it into the story.

Overall it was a very enjoyable and quick read. Would definitely recommend people trying this graphic novel out. ;)

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

The premise of this book was very cute, and I was looking forward to reading it. I appreciated the inclusion of queer characters, particularly the explanation of identifying as non-binary by the fairies. The plot of the story is interesting, but I wish the book had been longer and had taken more time to explain the actions that the characters were taking, and that we could have gotten to know the characters better. Unfortunately, the whole thing felt flat for me. I found myself not being able to connect with the characters, and the novel ended so quickly that I felt unsatisfied with what I had read. This is a good book to recommend to someone who might just be getting in to graphic novels, or for someone who is looking for a very light read; however, if you are looking for a longer graphic novel with more plot and dialogue, this might not be the book for you.

The Baker and the Bard was whimsical. I loved the baking scenes and the illustration style reminded me of The Tea Dragon Society. I think that's also a great comparison title to see if this is for you. If you love a story with fantastical creatures, queer characters, and cozy fantasy vibes pick this one up! While I was surprised by the quick resolution, I had such a fun time reading this one evening.

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley.)

-- 3.5 stars --

Juniper and Hadley are coworkers and BFFs. While June dreams of opening her own bakery one day, Hadley is content handling the deliveries at Mira's while following their passion as a performer and bard after hours. When a mysterious and fabulously wealthy lady hires Mira to make a special dessert for her party on short notice, Hadley jumps at the chance to go on an adventure: the glowing mushrooms needed for the dish grow several towns away.

Despite (or perhaps because of) their good intentions, June and Hadley are sidetracked by rumors of a monster consuming the farmers' crops in the city of Gryfice. Enticed by the mystery, they get so much more than they bargained for when they meet Goji, Petunia, Emerald, Bumble, and Dumpling - and their fey friend, Thistle. Can they broker a truce between the so-called "monsters" and townspeople - and return to Mira's with the mushrooms in time?

This might be my first foray into the realm of cozy fantasy (and especially cozy fantasy graphic novels), so I'm not sure where THE BAKER AND BARD ranks, but it's a really sweet tale that a) feels like a warm hug and b) left me craving some fresh-baked kalamata olive bread. It's a very quick read (honestly, it went by a little too quickly for my liking), but I guess that just means you'll have time to read it twice if so desired. There's also some really lovely LGBTQ representation, as well as a friends-to-lovers romance. But the giant caterpillars really stole the show for me, as did the gentle but unmistakable message about living in harmony with the nonhuman animals who share your home.

Wonderful art and such a sweet book. The simplicity of the story allows the complexity of the characters to stand out. The diversity and message are always welcome. However, the art is the real stand-out of this book!

Immediately the charming art style set the scene of what to expect in this cozy graphic fantasy novel. In this story, two friends -- a baker and a bard, if you can't guess by the title -- go on a quest to get an ingredient for a special pastry, and along the way they get into more adventure than they were expecting. 

I loved seeing the diverse species of beings in this cozy fantasy world, along with the casual queer rep. One of the two main characters, the bard, is nonbinary, in addition to a significant side character. I loved that we don't have to witness queer trauma in this story, we get to see queer joy and love which fits the cozy themes of this book. We need more queer normative environments to watch us thrive.

The art style is so cute with the calming colors, but I do wish there was more contrast on the page. The values kind of blend together, and it could help show what is most important and set better mood to have more shadows and highlights. Additionally, the images were slightly blurry, but that may just be the quality of the e-ARC and fixed for the final copies.

The story was simple but quaint. I loved seeing the themes of being kind to nature and those indigenous to an area while also working to get what you need from the land, and showing it doesn't have to be separate from eachother. I appreciate the bit of mystery at the end, and I like how the end leaves us open to receive more adventures without feeling like the story was incomplete.

Overall a very easy and cozy read, I can't wait to see more from this author! 4.5 Stars

Thank you to MacMillan, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

Rating: 4
Genre: Fantasy
Thank you Feiwel & Friends for providing an e-copy through NetGalley.

Summary:
Juniper and Hadley have a comfortable life in their small town of Larkspur. Juniper works her craft as an apprentice at a bakery, mixing doughs and selling the wares at markets. Hadley dreams of epic adventures to fuel their songwriting, as they perform as a bard at the local inn. When an ethereal stranger requests a very specific dish, Juniper must journey beyond town to collect the rare glowing mushrooms of the recipe, and Hadley is more than excited to join her. Along the way, though, the pair discover a puzzling mystery: Something has been eating the crops of the nearby town, leaving behind a weird goo. Hadley, seeing the opportunity for new adventures that can inspire their songs, drags Juniper to investigate. The two will have to be clever and kind to solve this mystery while braving the forest, making new friends, singing new tales, and baking the best pastries along the way.

What I Liked:
The Baker and the Bard is a very cozy fantasy with charm, warmth, and friendship. Readers will follow Juniper and Hadley as they embark on this quest with little stakes and fun surprises along the way, letting readers relax as they soak in the tranquil story and setting. The two protagonists are a fun pair, with Juniper calm and collected and Hadley adventurous and funny, and their personalities match well together. The art is simple, with soft line art, minimal detail, and light, pastel coloring that reminds readers of a beautiful sunny day in the countryside. Hadley is nonbinary, and there is a brief discussion about it, which is always nice. Overall, a blissful graphic novel for readers who want a relaxing and delightful story to calm themselves. Best read on a sunny day.

What I Didn’t Like:
Sometimes, the art style didn’t convey the character’s expressions well - It could be hard to tell if someone was angry, frustrated, neutral, inquisitive, or happy because of the simplistic art.

Recommend to: Teens who like cozy, “cottagecore” graphic novels with calm art and low-stakes storyline. Mamo by Sas Milledge, Taproot by Keezy Young, and Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu are good read-alikes.

Review Date: February 13, 2024

This was a short, sweet and beautiful adventure about helping out wherever you can.. I really enjoyed the art, it was so beautiful and every little detail really was made to stand out. The story was good, if not a little too short and rushed. I wish the story was perhaps divided into two separate “quests”, that way the story could have focused a bit more on developing through the characters.

I still really enjoyed this, and the art again was magnificent. I also love the queer representation and how easily it was represented. I would pick up more from this author and continue on the adventures with Juniper, Hadley and Fern.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cozy, gentle but very little plot. It might appeal to readers who liked the Tea Dragon Society books but I felt like those were more in-depth. I really wanted to love it. I like to bake so a baking themed cozy fantasy novel sounded awesome but I found the art and the plot meh. I liked it ok and was easily able to read it on a lunch break but it isn’t one I’d ever revisit.

This is so cute. And sweet. And tender. My one complaint is that it's also too short! I would love nine more of these, please and thank you. Imagine if Ghibli did an episode of a fantasy fairy show. This. If you love K. O'Neill's work, you'll love this. It's soft and sweet and filled with tasty treats, and you will be swept away on a wee lil' adventure filled with gooey goodness and beautiful art. I highly recommend!

This low-stakes, easy-going fantasy was exactly what I needed. I read this graphic novel for a cozy time, and I got just that. I loved the pacing of the story, how the conversations flowed together like a true bard song. The water color paints & color palette of the illustrations really emphasized just how adorable and magical " The Baker and the Bard" really is. Reading a story that mainly has queer, diverse characters made me so happy to see! I would love to gift this to a child of mine one day.

Thank you NetGalley, Fern Haught, and the publisher for giving me an eARC in exchange for a review.

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this book. This cozy fantasy, reminiscent of The Tea Dragon Society, is a quick read about friendship and respect for nature with a bit of mystery. Beautifully illustrated and with a lovely recipe of a mushroom galette at the end of the book, it’s a cute story that would please those who like baking, fairies, and nature.

This is a cozy fantasy a la Legends and Lattes. Juniper and Hadley are two likable protagonists who solve a few minor mysteries, make some new friends, and start fulfilling some of their own goals. Very sweet story with cute artwork. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

There was a lot I liked about this book! The illustrations, the fantasy elements, the cozy feelings were all great. I just don't think there was enough substance to really flesh out the story. It felt very surface level.