The Bakery Dragon
Devin Elle Kurtz
Walker Books

Like all his fellow dragons, Ember loves gold more than anything else but his small stature prevents him from scaring anybody in the village enough to get it. Come dusk one day as the other dragons fly home with their latest spoils, Ember wanders into the foggy village led by a gold glimmer, only to discover that it’s a streetlamp. Continuing on his meandering he comes upon the window of a bakery and there, blanketed by warm light, falls asleep. During his slumbers a storm blows up and a kindly baker offers him shelter inside. She then proceeds to teach him her trade,

something that suits him very well. Ember can hardly believe his eyes at the product: trays of glowing golden toasty loaves of various shapes and sizes. The baker gives a tray to the little dragon and he flies back home where he lies atop his loaves, absorbing the wonderful aroma but feeling sad about missing the bakery.

This baker’s rich, buttery gold tastes even better than it smells and before long the delicious smell has attracted other dragons and their reactions to its delectable taste, gives Ember an idea. He returns to the bakery and after careful consideration, Ember and the baker establish what proves to be a very successful business arrangement. Finally, Ember has found his true gold and as we read on the final spread: ‘… baking gold is better than taking it. And sharing it is best of all.’

A feast for the eyes assuredly and one can almost smell the wonderful aroma emanating from the latter pages of the book and hear the soft crunching as everyone in the village sinks their teeth into the loaves: a truly tasty book.