I really wanted to like this book. The concept of showing how the universe was made via baking sounded really fun. However, I feel it was still too abstract for this abstract idea. Maybe if the images were less abstract they would have helped to solidify the abstractness of the concept. But this just didn't do it for me. I could see some people liking it, but I don't think we're going to purchase. I'd rather buy a factual big bang book and a fictional baking book.

This is a fun and educational book with neat illustrations that my kids and I really enjoyed! It describes the formation of the universe in the style of a cookbook recipe. First you start with a whole lot of nothing; just make sure you have enough! The science is digestible and interspersed with light, fun humor like setting a timer for a few hundred million years, and ends on the fun, lighthearted note that we all share this universe, and it (and we) are perfect the way we are. Good book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!

Thanks to Netgalley and WW Norton Publishing for the ARC of this!

This was super cute, informative and very good at keeping interest. There was just the right amount of text for a young child - I think my 5 year old would get a lot out of it, so the 6-8 years intended audience seems a good fit. The illustrations were really fun, and while it was mostly about science there was also kind of a lovely moral message about how the universe belongs to everyone. This will definitely be one I add to a unit study about The Big Bang and the universe.

An amazingly fun book full up spunk, fun, creativity, and science. The illustrations are fun and engaging and go along perfectly with the story. Just enough of everything to keep any reader engaged. Use your imagination and learn how to make your very own universe that belongs to everyone. Love all the scientific facts added at the end to go deeper for kids and adults that want to know more.

How to Bake a Universe is a picture book simplification of the Big Bang theory. Using a baking analogy, the girl in the story attempts to make her own universe by following an outrageously silly recipe. The illustrations and coloring were amazing. There are a solid two pages of dense text at the end going into further detail of the concepts glossed over in the story, which will help answer the inevitable questions. It's a cute, imaginative way of illustrating the Big Bang theory.

Plunk yourself down for this fantastical, quirky, fun read on quarks and the life of our universe in a kid-friendly creative setting. A perfect read while you're waiting for trays of treats to bake in the oven. Open kids' eyes to the wonders of science with this whimsical artwork and cleverly disguised scientific theories. Detailed notes on the science puns and allusions behind the text are given at the end of the book. Glossary and illustrated Big Bang timeline show the flow the time through the pages of the book. An informative and witty book that has extremely high reread-ability.

What a fun, creative way to explain the origins of the universe! This funny, irreverent text explains the Big Bang and the subsequent development of atoms, stars, planets, and us in a clever baking metaphor that is helpful and accessible. The text is further supported by a great reference section at the end that clarifies the scientific principles and has a glossary and illustrated timeline.

I love the riot of color and energy in the illustrations! They are very attractive and engaging. The only thing that gave me pause was trying to determine the appropriate audience for this book. On the one hand, this is some pretty heavy science and the baking metaphor is pretty sophisticated as presented. On the other hand, the picture book style suggests a younger audience. With support, this might be workable for late elementary, otherwise I'd think it's more pitched to middle school kids who don't mind a bit of nostalgia for their younger days.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

I received an electronic ARC from W. W. Norton & Company through NetGalley.
Carvlin's text and Bigg's illustrations take readers through creating a universe by weaving facts with fun. We see a young chef prepare a "heaping pile of nothing" to start the process and then move through time with her as she waits for it to finish baking and then cooling to the right temperature. The brightly colored artwork captures the intense activity involved in such an incredible process.

I thought this was a really fun and playful picture book about how the universe was formed! I especially appreciated the longer descriptions and definitions after the story.