Title: The Welcome Cookies Author: Kaye Baillie Illustrator: Kirrili Lonergan Publisher: EK Books Publication Date: September 2024
Mabel loves visiting Miss Plum’s Sugar Plum Café and drawing pictures for the arty-smarty wall. But one day, Mabel finds the café under renovation by someone new. She misses her favourite café, and she misses Miss Plum’s smiles. One day, the café reopens, and Mabel reluctantly visits there with her mother. Will this new place provide Mabel with the same joy she felt in the old place? And how will Mabel accept its differences?
Editorial Reviews This story shows how changes can be good for us, and it also shows the importance of accepting differences. And it includes a yummy recipe to make your own Welcome Cookies!” - In The Good Books Blog “This story, based on the author's daughter's experiences, helps young readers understand that sometimes change is inevitable and we miss what was, often the new can be as good as the old, perhaps even better. So while what was can be a precious memory, there are new memories to be made and we can actively make these.” - The Bottom Shelf = Teacher Librarian “This is a sweet (pardon the pun) story for 4 to 8-year-olds to remind us that changes happen in life and there can be positives in the new.” -Buzz Words Magazine “Covering important topics of adapting, new beginnings and community, this book certainly opened up conversations with my kids about emotions and coping with change. Mstr 6 & Mstr 5 “love the cookies” and the book has a big thumbs up from them..” -@Kat_Bookworm Love Four Reading (via Instagram) “There’s a cookie recipe included on the last page. This is a sweet story with themes of friendship, community and change” - Love Four Reading (via Instagram) “I love the emotional element to this story and how that changes for Mabel. The characters are endearing and of course, I love that there is cookie decorating! The recipe is even included in the back.” -Get.kids.booked “Together, the text and artwork offer sensitivity, emotion, warmth and hope for young and older readers, inspiring us all to try new things, accept change, and cherish;our favourite places and people.” -Magpie’s Magazine “This is an uplifting and empowering story for 4- to 8-year-old and though there is a reasonable amount of text on each page, the heartfelt story and sensitive illustrations provide a lesson in having an open mind to life’s changes.” -StoryLinks “With sensitive illustrations that give life to Mabel's emotional responses, The Welcome Cookies will have young and old alike wanting to visit their local cafe to taste the welcome cookies.” -Midwest Book Review From the Publisher