A sweet little treat that's fun to eat... I mean, read.

The Little Bitty Bakery by Leslie Muir and Betsy Lewin is a whimsical and truly fun kids' book-- you know, the old-fashioned paper kind? The story follows a tired elephantine baker who worked so hard that she forgot to celebrate her own birthday. Luckily, she receives a sweet gift from the quintet of mice for whom she always leaves a little cheesecake.

I love the energetic, flowing lines and loose, vibrant use of watercolors, which really show the artist's hand--a rare thing in today's world of digitally created images. The rhymes are catchy and unique and include an array of baking terms and their definitions, which my kids found fascinating. And the recipes on the last page encourage young bakers to make the very birthday treat shared by the elephant and her tiny helpers.

Oh, and did I mention there's iridescent glitter on the cover? It looks just like sugar, which makes me hungry all over again.~Delilah