Member Reviews

I absolutely loved this little graphic novel. I even knew what was coming and it still wrecked me! (I cried ugh). It's a sweet & emotional middle grade story about loss, grief, friendship, and family. It's told in a very thoughtful and approachable way for young readers. It would be a great read for anyone experiencing loss, but could also help with teaching empathy around the subject. It isn't too complex, but instead gently leads you down the path of hard times & let's you make the connections. I also loved the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters, including the MC's best friend who is nonbinary. Highly recommend!

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Crumble will tug at your heartstrings as the protagonist, Emily, navigates grief, friendship, and love.

I really loved this graphic novel. From the beautiful and vibrant colors to the way themes are addressed and navigated with raw authenticity. This is one to add to your collection!

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I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about Emily, who can bake emotions into desserts. When her favourite aunt and baking mentor passes away, Emily bakes all her sadness into a cumble, and eats it away, it numbs her, and she does it over and over again. But soon, she learns, emotions can't just be tucked away...

The mix of magic, baking and real emotions makes this book very special. My daughter loved it even more because she shares the main character's name. This is a heart- felt story about love, loss and healing.

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The art in this graphic novel was the real selling-point. The storyline was cute and fun, and then for a while it was a bit tragic and emotional, understandably. I liked the characters, but the art was really beautiful and gave "kawaii" vibes for me. Very visually entertaining.

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A fun lighted hearted story that magical cooking effects your emotions. The story deals with the loss and grief. Emily deals with loss and grief and using her magical cooking to deal with her emotions, her family, and friends.

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I loved the art style and story line of this adorable graphic novel! I will continue to read all of the books from this artist!

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At some point last year I read this and didn't document it because I swear to gods I've read this already. It's a story about baking your feelings and when tragedy strikes, finding a way to heal.

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wow didn't expect this cupcake-looking book to contains such grim topic. my fault for not reading the book's description prior but i digress

Emily's family has a magical gift to bake emotions into desserts, as long as it's positive emotions. but one day an accident happened and Emily didn't know when or even if she'd feel better. She tried to bake anyway and came out with "crumble". her friends kept eating it so she kept making it, until she found out why her family shouldn't bake with negative emotions...

the illustrations are super cute, there's some recipes throughout the book too that seemed legit but IDK i'm not a baker. the ending felt unfinished? but maybe the ARC I got was corrupted. will check the finished copy. it was a good book anyway.

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This was a very cute and well thought out story for younger people, however I do feel that anyone can read it due to its subject matter. I loved the story and how the authors have dealt with the subject of grief and how this can effect a person and those around them. The art style in this was bright and was one of the things that I really enjoyed after the story line.

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This is really sweet, but is more heavy than most books I have in my classroom library. I think it will find it's audience, but I would definitely beware before putting in a classroom library.

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The author packs a lot into a short book! There were a lot of big feelings to figure out and work through and I’m proud of Emily for doing that!

The illustrations are fantastic, colorful and appealing, and are a great compliment to the heavy topics in the book. The baking aspect serves a similar purpose, and I think will help kids naturally gravitate towards this book. I was not expecting so much heartbreak but it was handled well and can help normalize grief for kids.

I love that recipes were included, especially since so many of my kids constantly check out baking/cookbooks, so that plus the graphic novel format will make this a smash for my library. The representation was also phenomenal! Can’t wait to share this one with my kids!

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Such a bittersweet story. This covers some heavy topics and and grief in a gently way, and the vibrant, colorful illustrations and magical setting add a sense of hopefulness. This was well done, and the inclusion of the recipes in the story is great and will be a great addition for readers. The cast of characters was diverse and representative of many different communities, which was wonderful. I'd recommend this to my students grade 3 and up!

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for the eARC!

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What I love about graphic novels is that they provide a nice break from my normal reading habits, this was no exception other than that this book is SAD. Do not judge this book by its cover - it looks like a fun, cute read about baking, but it's highly emotional. It was done well, and the story is beautiful. This is a graphic novel I'll highly recommend!

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Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was so cute and bittersweet! The illustration style is absolutely enchanting, and though the story deals with some heavy topics it delivers them in a way that is perfect for young readers. Any fans of graphic novels will love this story, and I can't wait to add it to my library!

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My third grade girls would absolutely love this story. The colorful illustrations will hook them in. The recipes and story line will keep them reading. Perfect!

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I received a free copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Funny, colourful and foodie galore! Crumble is a heartfelt tale with a hint of magic to it. A pick me up for a sick day or a need to bake something day. My favourites are my nana’s shortbread [she gave me the recipe for my birthday] the world created felt real especially with the moments of friendship and the really heartwrenching theme of grief throughout. A wonderful new graphic novel up there with Mooncakes and Lumberjanes.

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I usually jump on graphic novels to read because they provide a short, but engaging break from reality. I try not to read the synopsis on any book because I like just going along for the story. Based on the cover, I figured I was in for a fun baking related graphic novel (which I LOVE). But this graphic novel is not light-hearted. It is super, super sad to the point where I was crying. Crumble is beautifully haunting in its depiction of grief and healing from a devastating loss of a beloved family member and caregiver. I really thought it was well rendered in its stages of grief and its realistic depiction of how sometimes the ones we need comfort from are lost in their own sorrows too. I highly recommend this graphic novel - especially for anyone who needs to feel they are not alone after a loved one passes.

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This darling book shines a light on feelings of grief and sorrow with a bit of magical realism and beautiful artwork. It was a cozy read. The author explores how big feelings can affect those around us and even change ourselves. But with grace the author shows the reader that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Definitely a hopeful story of friendship and family and how we lean on each other and learn to lean back.

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This was so cute. I really liked this graphic novel. The art style was adorable, and I loved the idea of quite literally baking your feelings. On top of that I also just think it does a great job talking about grief on the level of the target audience, while also making me (a full grown adult) a bit misty eyed. The conclusion is a bit too quick for me, but for the rest I thought this was great.

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Thank you, NetGalley, Algonquin Young Readers, Little Brown Ink, Meredith McClaren, & Andrea Bell for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Crumble is such a beautiful book about grief after the passing of a loved one. Grief can manifest in many ways and in this book, it shows up in the form of magical food with negative emotions. The MC, Emily (and her mom and aunt) can bake their emotions into desserts. After losing her aunt, who she was super close to, the only thing that can make her feel better is baking however, magical baking with negative emotions is dangerous. Despite the magical element, I think the depiction of grief is super realistic.

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