The baker and the Bard is the sweet cup of tea that you need all the after a long day this delightful graphic novel made me giggle and smile in a way that I need it deeply. The characters are well thought out and really made me want to continue reading I would love to see more in this world and get to meet the characters again.

This book is really cozy reminded me of tea dragon society and the moth keeper. I love the art style and it was a cute story . Perfect for an autumn evening with a cup of coffee

The Baker and the Bard is an incredibly cute younger audience adventure. There are low stakes and inventive characters with a sweet and colorful art style. This was a quick read for me but very enjoyable as it had very strong DND adventure vibes which I loved. This would be a great read along for a younger audience

Trigger Warnings: snake, coming out

Representation: They/them pronouns, Nonbinary

The Baker and the Bard is a cozy fantasy adventure in the form of a graphic novel in which two best friends set out on a journey for ingredients to fulfill an unusual bakery order and get caught up in matters of ecological destruction in the realm of the fey.

Very cute and very short story. There isn’t much to the plot but a great quick read for anyone into fantasy!

I would definitely recommend this for fans of the Tea Dragon Society. Magic, self discovery, acceptance, and just a sprinkle of lgbtq-ness.

Cute, wholesome, cozy, sweet, overtly queer, with some low-stakes adventure. Good for kids or adults who like fantasy but are more interested in an adventure to another world than a heavy plot.

This isn't a particularly long graphic novel, and quite a few pages are one scene, sometimes with no dialogue. This gives the book a very laid-back pace. I think the dialogue could be a little stronger, but this is an excellent debut. Very interested to see what Fern Hadley writes next.

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Feiwel & Friends for early access!

I got an ARC of this book.

It wasn't a bad book. It wasn't amazing though. The art was often lacking around facial features. The characters didn't really grow or hook me. The romance felt thrown on. It is ok for queer people to be friends without having to push for physical things out of nowhere. Queer friendships matter.

The plot was cute, but very linear and basic. There was nothing deeper. No real big emotions. It just felt like there was a lot more that could have happened. It was cute, but being compared to the Tea Dragon Books means I have high standards.

This was such a cute read! I found it to be very fun and fresh. The artstyle was also right up my alley, which made it even more fun to read. I would marvel at the drawings for a while before moving on. Can definitely recommend!

The definition of cozy fantasy! From the simplistic artwork to the love able LGBTQ+ characters. It's also a beautiful story of accepting being non-binary (well not accepting gender norms of course), but who expects the fae world to have only 2 genders???? I hope to see more from this author and this lovely world.

This was such an adorable cozy fantasy! This is perfect for the genre; low-stakes, and yet manages to suck you in! I loved the beautiful nature scenes and the queer characters, as well as the amazing creatures and faeries! This is a perfect addition to the emerging cozy fantasy genre and I will definitely be recommending this is released.

The Baker and the Bard tells the story of a baker and her friend setting off to find a rare ingredient for an extra large bakery order.

This was cute but that’s all it was. The story and the characters felt half baked and everything was glossed over and felt very superficial. Even the romance seemed unnecessary and superfluous. This graphic novel so very lightly it flit over every single thing that it felt rushed rather than cozy.

However, the representation was lovely and the art was very pleasing and I do really want to eat the mushroom galette. I would highly recommend this to parents wanting to transition their toddlers out of children's picture books.

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A quick and delightful cozy fantasy in which the art style is vibrant and welcoming for all readers. The Baker and the Bard takes the reader on a journey alongside Juniper and Hadley as they explore for mushrooms to make a recipe from a large and bulk request at their bakery and encounters a mystery along the way. With that said, having a story less than 200 pages can sacrifice elaboration on a well-constructed backdrop on gender expression and inclusion (e.g. side LGBTQ+ characters, more queer inclusivity in town culture, etc.) as well as an expansive setting filled with many types of creatures and its relationships and politics with each other. Regardless, I highly enjoyed myself getting sucked in this charming queer graphic novel.

This graphic was so short! I was hoping there would be more stories with the characters after the first one, but maybe those will be coming in the future!
I really like the art style in this graphic! The colors are soft and the characters are so kind to each other!
I love the little snake, Fern! Such a great little quick read! I hope we will see more of these characters in the future!

This was a beautifully drawn and creatively engaging story. Well done with the plot, the fantasy aspect, the representation, and the adorable details. This book will be featured on an upcoming episode of Your Rainbow Reads podcast.

The art was cute, but the characters didn't show much expression. Also, what little plot there was was resolved in about two pages. Wish there had been more, so I wasn't a fan of this graphic novel. Cute character concepts, but this needed some major character development. There was nothing to get me invested.

This was a cute enough story following two friends on a quest to find some glowing mushrooms for their bakery’s recipe.
A cute little exploration of gender but overall this just felt lacking. The art was adorable and the premise was cute enough but it just didn’t sell or capture me the way I wanted it to.

This is a really short little story but it was very cute. The story was charming and the art was really gorgeous. This made me smile and thats really all I ask of a cozy fantasy.

The Baker and the Bard is a gentle fantasy read that follows two friends, Juniper and Hadley, as they go on an adventure to seek glowing mushrooms for an important baked good. The two get caught up in a mystery along the way and meet some unexpected friends.

I loved the simplicity of this story and the lovely color pallet that kept the mood chill the entire time. It was perfect for a good low-stakes story. I also loved all the characters from their design to their unique personalities, including the fun fantasy creatures they meet on their journey. Even though the story is short, I felt able to root for everyone and get excited for each small victory. This story is perfect for readers who enjoyed the cozy feeling of Legends & Lattes.

What a beautiful little graphic novel! The art style was so cozy and the coloring was very lovely. Cozy story, cute characters, lovely atmosphere.

I appreciate the fact that this book contains non-binary/queer representation.
That is something that we could always use more of in the graphic novel world, especially in the YA/Children’s literature scene.

The recipe at the end was such a cozy touch and I loved seeing the concept art in the back. Definitely adding a physical copy of this book to my collection when it comes out!

This is a delightful graphic novel. It’s classified as YA but I think would be appropriate for middle audiences as well.

Our two main characters are Juniper and Hadley, who are from a magical world. They both are young workers at Mira’s Bakery— June is an aspiring baker and Hadley is an aspiring bard who performs at the bakery. When a mysterious customer requests a large last minute order, they beg their boss Mira to let them go into the forest to collect the glowing mushrooms that the recipe requires. Along the way, impulsive Hadley convinces gentle Juniper to help solve a mystery in a passing town. They end up with magical friends that they could have never imagined!

With a sweet and simple plot and beautifully magical illustrations, this graphic novel is perfect for anyone who wants a quick escape into a fantasy world. It is wonderfully queer, as Hadley is non-binary and there is a little romance between the two characters.