Still there was bread

Gentle narration and painterly illustrations illuminate the making of a "kneaded and needed" dietary staple across generations in this homey picture book. Grandmother Nana, visiting the child narrator, is going to "show me, her Little Pickle, how to bake our special family bread." Once the pair starts working in the kitchen, unadorned text juxtaposes each contemporary step with one from a previous generation. As the duo gather store-bought ingredients and preheat the electric oven, Nana explains how "her nana had to collect eggs from the chicken coop" and fuel the wood-burning stove. The chiaroscuro of Soman's pen-and-ink and watercolor images contrasts evenly lit situations with theatrically lit, darker-toned flashbacks, communicating how, as Detlefsen writes, amid hardships (the Great Depression, Covid lockdowns), "still there was bread." Protagonists are portrayed with pale skin, while background characters appear with various skin tones. An author's note and recipe conclude. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)

Nana spends a cozy morning teaching her grandchild how to make their family's special pull-apart bread. The recipe for "Nana rolls" has been in the family for generations, and finally it's the grandchild's turn to learn. As they gather ingredients, Nana tells the child narrator--affectionately referred to as Little Pickle--the story of how her own Nana made the bread: She gathered eggs from the chicken coop, milked the cow, and stirred the dough with a wooden spoon instead of using the stand mixer that Little Pickle can turn on with the push of a button. Nana reflects on how the sharing of bread kept the family connected even when they were physically apart. Even through tough times, "still there was bread." Nana and Little Pickle talk about the many reasons people bake together, and Nana lists types of bread made around the world: focaccia, challah, naan, fry bread, and more. Cheerful, immersive pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations bathe Nana and Little Pickle in sunlight and emanate the warmth of the kitchen as they bake. This sweet story is full of heart, spotlighting the importance of intergenerational connections and the comfort of home. The characters read white. A mouthwatering celebration of family, sharing, and, of course, delicious, fresh-baked bread. (author's note, Grandma Moe's recipe for Nana rolls)(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.