Skip to main content

ENCHANTED STORIES: Pie in the Sky


By Remy Lai
New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2019. Fiction.

All growing up, Jingwen has listened to his father talk about his dream to open his very own bakery called, Pie in the Sky. When his father unexpectedly passes away, Jingwen moves to a new country with his mom and brother. Jingwen struggles in school with both his education, and making new friends because he doesn't speak English. It doesn't make it any easier when he is put in charge of looking after his little brother, who seems to get into all sorts of trouble. To cope with his feelings of discouragement and sadness, he begins to bake cakes, the same cakes that his father was planning to include in the menu at his bakery.

This beautiful story includes many pages of illustrations which makes it a perfect choice for both those who love comics and those who love chapter books. Remy Lai writes about Jingwen's experience of moving to a different country in such a captivating and fun way. It opens your eyes to how difficult it is for immigrants trying to adjust to each new situation in a new country. Jingwens's love of baking is heartwarming, along with how he uses it to try and stay close to his father. Each time a new cake is introduced, your mouth will begin to water. A must-read for all. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

An ABC of Flowers

An ABC of Flowers   by Jutta Hilpuesch New York, NY : Philomel Books, [2019] It turns out there really is a flower for every letter. This sweet book has a photograph of every flower and  a sweet cartoon illustration to go along with it. All your favorite flowers are here (forget-me-nots, mums, and sunflowers), along with some you probably haven't heard of before (billy ball, kalanchoe, xeranthemum?).  This is a perfect book for reading together, and readers of any age will enjoy every page. Don't miss this great springtime alphabet book. 

Display: Out of this World Books Found Here

Hello By Aiko Ikegami Berkeley, CA: Creston Books, 2019. Picture book. In this wordless picture book, an alien visits Earth, makes friends with a little girl, and returns to his home planet to share his experiences. - Publisher We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang Toronto: Tundra Books, 2024. Picture book. When three mysterious visitors from "Europe" crash-land in Mr. Li's field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their "car". No, there's nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they "make business", "play sportsball" and "wear hat". As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high. - Publisher Greetings Floof! Written by C.J. Hong Illustrated by A.J. Smith Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2024. Picture book. Floof from planet Ploof has landed! And it...

If You Like...Dungeons and Dragons

Great news for adventurous, imaginative tweens: we are starting a Dungeons & Dragons program! Nine- to twelve-year-olds are invited to join a tabletop role playing quest in the Story Room on Monday September 14 from 6:30-8:00PM. All experience levels are welcome. Registration opens on September 1 at 9:00AM. In the meantime, here are some books to inspire your upcoming campaign!  The Lionharts Written and Illustrated by Mike Lawrence New York : Abrams Fanfare, 2026. J Comic. 233 pages. The Lionhart family is in the business of adventuring. Alder and Flynt are desperate to be included in the dragon-fighting and monster-slaying quests. When their parents Lenna and Gerard go missing after accepting a mysterious job, the boys set out to save them, soon followed by their famous questing Grammy and Baba to help keep Alder and Flynt out of trouble. The journey brings challenges and opportunities, magic and mystery, but it also reveals a troubling family secret that threatens to tear th...