3.5/5 ⭐️
This graphic novel is a cute soft queer story that follows a young baker and bard, Juniper and Hadley, as they go on a little adventure to collect a special ingredient for an order at the bakery where they both work. I think the novel fits very well in the cozy fantasy realm focusing primarily on friendships and communication for resolving conflict while adding in some magic flair to help out. I really enjoy that the story discusses the gender binary and existing outside of that binary as well as touches on environmentalism and respecting native animal habitats. I think the soft art style also fit very well with the tone of the graphic novel.
While I overall enjoyed the graphic novel there were a few parts I personally think could have been better. A few instances within the novel the verbiage used felt a bit stilted and inconsistent with the timing in the story. Also where the relationship aspect was sweet it also felt underdeveloped and just kind of thrown in. I'm not sure it was really needed and if so I think more focus should have been given to it. Lastly I think I would have liked to feel a bit more emotionally connected. While I loved the softness within, some areas also fell more flat for me and I would have liked to feel a bit more personally connected with the characters.

Overall I would still recommend checking out this novel especially if you are looking for a sweet soft queer story to enjoy.

While I don’t typically gravitate to graphic novels, I took a chance on this one and am so glad I did. It is cozy fantasy with queer main characters and a beautiful color palette. Important conversations about gender are done in a casual way and never feels heavy. The story line was cute, and while not super complex, I still breezed my way through it and had a lot of fun doing it. This has me considering picking up more graphic novels. Excited for this one to release so I can grab a physical copy.

Appreciation to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hello Again!

Today’s read is another graphic novel E-ARC (thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions). This particular graphic novel I am super excited to chat about. I love fantasy, D&D quests, and baking. So this book seemed like it was going to be right up my alley, and I was absolutely right!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Juniper and Hadley are friends and co-workers but today when they go into work they are going to be taking on a special task. A customer has come in and offered the shop a lot of money to complete a special order in a short amount of time. This would usually not be an issue, but they need a special ingredient that is kind of hard to obtain. But Juniper and Hadley are up for the task!

I was so excited to read this graphic novel. It sounded like such a cozy fantasy with a baking setting (which I love baking) and this graphic novel delivered all of the above and more. I really enjoyed my time with Juniper and Hadley, getting to set out on this adventure with them and see them both learn more about what is around them and what they are both able to do (mostly without knowing they could do it). I am really hoping there are more graphic novel adventures to come with this group. This graphic novel comes out on March 5th, 2024. If you like baking, fantasy, and fun adventures this is a graphic novel for you.

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Baker and the Bard is a cozy fantasy written by Fern Haught. This is their debut graphic novel and it has one of my favorite dedications ever. It just made you feel like you were seen and I loved it. It does give off very Legend and Lattes but for kids vibes. It is a cute story and I loved the art. The only thing I would change is the lettering. The chosen font doesn't quite fit the cozy fantasy vibe. It did take me out of the moment from time to time especially when the page has a lot of dialogue. But I don't think kids will notice. It is a great book and I am excited to see what they do next.

4 stars

It was cute, but mostly fluff. Not much actually happened and it was kind of boring. The colors and designs were nice, but the art was not anything impressive.

There’s a lot to love about this graphic novel. The queer main characters, the imaginative fantasy setting, the delightful color scheme, and the lesson in nature conservation all help create a fun and important tale. However, there were also a few aspects I thought could be improved. The plot, while enjoyable, was also very simplistic and moved along very abruptly. I also thought that the illustration style, while whimsical, didn’t give the characters and settings as much details as they could have had. I think more detail would have given this fantasy world more life.

This book was a wonderfully whimsical adventure. I loved seeing these two explore and have fun. As they explored they met many magical creatures. This is a must read for any graphic novel loving person.

"The Baker and the Bard" was a delightful experience. I breezed through it in less than 30 minutes, and it was time well spent.

This graphic novel is an excellent choice for anyone looking to dip their toes into the world of graphic novels. It's short and sweet, making it a perfect introduction to this genre. The illustrations in this book are simply adorable. The characters and the world they inhabit are brought to life with charming and whimsical artwork. It's a visual treat from start to finish.

What I loved most about "The Baker and the Bard" was its heartwarming storyline. It beautifully delves into themes of friendships, relationships, and challenging gender norms, all while being set in the fascinating Dungeons and Dragons universe. The way the characters grow and connect with each other is both touching and relatable.

While the story isn't super complex, it doesn't need to be. In fact, its simplicity is what makes it perfect for middle-grade readers and those new to graphic novels. It's a story that's easy to follow yet manages to convey important messages.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this graphic novel.

The Baker and the Bard is a super cute graphic novel set in a fantasy world. It follows the story of two friends (the titular Baker and Bard) as they embark on a trip to find some mushrooms and get sidetracked by a small mystery. This was very low-stakes and cozy. It is also LGBTQ+ and has a really nice discussion of gender fluidity and what it means to be nonbinary. In this day and age, with everything going on in US politics, I think it is extremely important for books geared towards a younger audience to have this positive representation. Overall, this gave me a similar feeling to what I had watching an episode of Adventure Time. The art was adorable, the story was low-stakes and cute, it was just very wholesome. I do wish that there was a little more to the story as it felt a little anticlimactic in the end. However, I understand that I am older than the target audience for this graphic novel and that probably impacted my overall feelings. I think younger readers will thoroughly enjoy this.

What a wonderful debut! I look forward to reading more from this author. The Baker and the Bare is a sweet journey where our two main characters must go on an adventure to find some glowing mushrooms for a big order that needs to be prepared at the bakery they work at. Along thus journey they meet fun, interesting creatures and grow closer together along the way. Wonderful non-binary representation and truly a cozy feel that the title promised.

This graphic novel is absolutely adorable! We open on best friends Juniper and Hadley. Juniper works at a bakery and Hadley is on excellent cheerleader. When a mysterious customer comes with a special request, they go on a mission to find the glowing mushrooms they need as an ingredient. Their adventures along the way are so cute and fun, and l just had a great time reading!

3.5 stars**

This book was short and sweet! I loved all of the characters (especially Hadley), the plot, and the LGBTQ+ rep!! The artwork was really great and colorful. I think this book delivered exactly what it was advertising- a cozy fantasy exploring “friendship, determination, and respecting nature.” My only wish was that it was longer and we got to see more from the characters. I can only hope this means there will be more to come featuring Hadley and Juniper!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this arc!!

Thank you Fern Haught, NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, & Feiwel & Friends for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 🥰🫶
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The illustrations in this book are so beautiful and cozy and I’m thoroughly obsessed! 😍 I loved the little adventure our two MCs goes through; it was so much fun! I also really loved the non-binary rep and the conversation about gender. I think it was really sweet and I wish it was discussed so casually in other books! This is a new favorite of mine and I absolutely cannot wait for it to release! I’m sure a lot of you will like this one just as much as I did! 😊 This is such a fun cozy afternoon read and I highly recommend! I can’t believe this is Fern Haught’s first book as it was so incredibly wonderful! I can’t wait to see what they do next! ☺️🫶
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If you liked books like The Tea Dragon Society, Garlic & The Vampire, Life of Melody, Mooncakes, A Tale of Hijinks and Honeydew, or the TV show, The Owl House, then I know you are going to love The Baker and The Bard! One of the MCs, Hadley reminds me a bit of Raine from TOH as they are both non-binary and have magical music! ☺️🎶
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🧡The Baker and The Bard, by Fern Haught comes out on March 5, 2024🧡

A pair of queer young people set off to prove themselves to their boss and stumble across a mystery on the way.

Short and sweet, with themes of found family, the importance of elder queers in the community, and a nice sprinkling of ecology. A lovely low-stakes adventure.

This was super cute. This book has mythical beings and creatures, gender diversity, and is so wholesome. The story follows Juniper and Hadley as they go to collect special mushrooms for the Bakery they work at, and then they get up to adventures. They exemplify open minded kindness.

I highly recommend this story.

The Baker and the Bard is a cozy fantasy graphic novel about an apprentice baker and her best friend journeying to find a rare mushroom for their boss. Along the way, they stumble upon a mystery to be solved: a town’s crops are being ravaged by a mysterious creature. They set out to solve the mystery and find the mushrooms, and maybe a little bit more.

The artwork was cute and the story was just as advertised, a cozy fantasy adventure. Enjoyable for readers of all ages. My only quibble was how fast the subject of gender and relationship between characters came about. There was nothing to really lead us into it, it was just kind of quick.

This was an adorable, cute, and queer graphic novel with a fun and unique storyline, as well as relatable characters. It was silly, romantic, magical, and yet realistic. I fell in love with everyone.

The Baker and the Bard follows Juniper and Hadley (and Hadley’s pet snake, Fern) as they go on an adventure filled with magical creatures. This beautiful story has a strong message of friendship and respecting nature and I loved the non-binary representation. The whole story is sewn together so perfectly and I fell in love with both the characters and the art style. Definitely will be picking up a physical copy of the book when it drops in March 2024!

This book was cute and quaint. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for a soft, lighthearted fantasy that features magical elements but gives adventure in the most calm sense. The art is gorgeous and the character shows grace and kindness throughout. My only complaint is the conversation around nonbinary identity feels shoes horned in and isn't given much room to breath or weave into the story naturally. I loved seeing it, but wanted a smoother inclusion.

I’d like to thank Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for this amazing ARC!

The Baker and the Bard is a heart warming cozy fantasy that I recommend for anyone who enjoys D&D. It’s a low stakes and sweet story about Juniper and Hadley who go on a quest to find items for the bakery they work at. On the way, they encounter a mystery in the town and Hadley becomes determined to solve it. In the background, the two characters gently pine for each other.
As an nb person myself, I was overjoyed with seeing a character like Hadley front and center. They’re charming, fun, and it was wonderful seeing someone like me on the page and talk about their gender. The book strikes a balance between discussing gender queerness without bringing in upsetting topics. If you’re looking for positive representation that is integrated into the story, this is a good book for you.
The art in this book is absolutely stunning, it must be said. The character designs are fun and distinctive and many of the panels have lovely compositions that don’t need dialogue in the slightest. It also has a beautiful color palette with a slightly dreamy quality to it. This is worth getting for the art alone.
Like I said, I recommend this for any D&D fan. Many small worldbuilding details fit into the D&D universe, like bards, druids, fey, and background species. There were even magical moments I could roughly try to map onto spells. The downside is if you’re not familiar with D&D or classic high fantasy, the world building will not get explained for you, but it’s not needed with the story we have.
My only critique is that the dialogue and story felt a tad simplistic and I think both could have had a little more nuance. Juniper and Hadley both have struggles that slightly get touched on, but not for long and some dialogue just felt flat like “I’m nonbinary.” “That’s wonderful”. This was more of a personal issue though and didn’t detract from my enjoyment.
Overall The Baker and the Bard is sweet, relaxing, and reminded me of my favorite game. If you enjoy charming art styles, relaxed plots, and food based stories, you’ll want to check this out.