I have wanted to read The Baker and the Bard: A Cozy Fantasy Adventure by Fern Haught since I first saw it coming out, which was probably around 2023 for reader copies, and then 2024 for finished editions. Now it is 2025 and I am glad that I read it via an online reader copy as it was terribly short and it had a few open spots that I felt needed to be filled in and while I enjoyed it, I do not want a forever copy.
The characters I might want as friends though as they seem pretty neat. Juniper and Hadley are best friends (and maybe more) when they convince their employer (a baker) to let them go on a journey for a special ingredient for a special client. Of course, they find themselves in a little trouble, but with a little help from each other and some new friends, it will all work out. That was a great concept, but there were pieces missing for me. I was not sure how they got to work for the baker, why people didn’t trust Juniper with making orders, why the owner would be a little hesitant to let them go on the journey. And a few other things. But with that said, as I said, I enjoyed it and liked the illustrations (which are not too busy or too simple; do not have a lot of popping colors but not lacking in that area either). There are several themes touched on, but never fleshed out, still at least ages 10 and up for regular readers, but a strong 8 or 9-year-old reader will have a blast.
There is a mystery, talk about gender and fairies with giant caterpillars. There is a little bit about conservation and learning to work with others. It is therefore familiar, but if you are new to the fantasy genre you will be delighted about how it all comes together. To me it feels like a slightly easier The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill.