Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

A baker and a bard must journey to another town to pick up a special ingredient for a customer's order. A very light-hearted "cozy" adventure, that was charming, and very low stakes. This graphic novel is short and sweet, but too simplistic for my taste. The plot was very basic, and the dialogue also felt rather jejune. The nonbinary representation and accompanying simplified explanation of what NB is were nice. It was a short and straightforward explanation. The art style was cute, but again, was much too simplistic for me. This is marked as a Teen/YA book, I think honestly it would be better as a Middle Grade book.

3 stars

A cute cozy fantasy with charming art. However I felt I didn’t really get to know the characters that well, especially Juniper. I wish it had been longer so there could have been more time spent getting to know the characters and establishing their relationships before the adventure started.

True to name, Fern Haught's debut graphic novel is coziness incarnate. Haught's illustrations are soft and inviting, while their story blends fantasy and slice-of-life to create a tale that's as whimsical as it is relatable. The Baker and the Bard is the perfect young adult graphic novel for fans of Wendy Xu and K O'Neill.

The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught shared the story of a young baker and a young bard who set off on a journey to find some glowing mushrooms to bake with (and along the way, experience an adventure worthy of writing songs about). The two find a mystery that they sidetrack to solve - meeting a new friend, learning about the environment and yes, ultimately getting those mushrooms.

The artwork is beautiful in this graphic novel and the simple storyline has a lot to share with the reader. I loved the nonbinary representation in the book and how it was just part of the storyline, not the focus.

Overall, this was a lovely little read with gorgeous illustrations that will be well-received by middle grade readers.

Juniper and Hadley are on an adventure! Setting off on an errand for the bakery they come across a fey and their family that needs their help.

This was a quick and soft read. I appreciated the queerness and how it played into the story, but wasn't the conflict. I love when the art matches the tone of the story and I think this graphic novel did a great job of that, Juniper's design was my favorite!

Thank you to NetGalley for making this available in exchange for an honest review!

That was weird. I think this was a me issue. And just not for me. I did not connect with any of the characters. And the dialog was very one dimensional.

Thanks @netgalley for the eARC!

Will I continuously be rereading this graphic novel every time I need a cozy pick me up? Yes, yes I will. The characters are fantastically lovable and wholesome. The story and plot are simple but get the job done with a sweet little adventurous mystery and fun along the way! Plus the illustrations are some of my absolute favorite! If you’re looking for something to set the perfect vibe, this is definitely it.

Juniper and Hadley go on a quest for glowing mushrooms, and along the way they make some new friends and solve a mystery together.

This book was so cute! The artwork is fantastic, fitting well with the style of the book. The story itself is amazing, weaving in tales of friendship, how to live alongside people different from us, and more. It was just a really good graphic novel. The only problem I have is I don't know any fey that can let me ride on their butterlies!

I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley.

Two friends—an apprentice baker and aspiring bard—set of on an adventure to gather ingredients to fill a special order at the bakery they both work at in this delightful little cozy fantasy read. I think that it would be excellent for kids, especially. I loved the non-binary rep and the fact that the art was so cute and accessible. I appreciated how the main plot focused on the interconnected web of life.

this story was cute and heartwarming. it made me happy as I read it, it was a unique world that this story was set in, I quite enjoyed all the characters that were introduced and the graphics of them added very much to the story. overall, this story is a cute story of a quest between to whimsical best friends who encounter a cities problem and solve it with new friends. I quite enjoyed my read of this and look forward to more from this author and will certainly purchase this graphic novel for my shelf when it is available.

I loved this book! It reminded me of "Crumbs" and "Life of Melody." It was a short, quick read that I devoured in one sitting. I already have it on order for my library!

On a quest to find glowing mushrooms, Juniper and Hadley encounter a mystery- something has been coming out of the woods at night and eating local crops. When the investigation ensues, they meet a little fey named Thisle who needs their help to protect their home. This graphic novel epitomizes a “cozy fantasy” while exploring themes of identity, home, and friendship.

THE ART IN THIS IS ADORABLE!!!! It's pastel and gorgeous and gave me the coziest of feelings. I do think this could have been a tad bit longer to explore some more, but it was lovely and wholesome. It’s not a storyline that would entice me to reread it, but I’m happy I got to read it! If you’re in need of a sweet cozy story, pick this one up!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends for gifting me a copy in exchange for my honest review!

It is a very cute book, and the art is pleasant. I don't think I'll be recommending this one to the library though.

The level of story feels like it wanted to be middle school and it fell closer to toddler levels. It read to me like a one-shot for a D&D game (Or other TTRPGs). Everything is easily fixed and set to rights, it feels like the conflicts don't really matter.

Like I said, the art is pretty, the story is there, it's just about as deep as a puddle, and I think our young readers are looking for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's for the e-arc!

I was intrigued by this book after I saw that it was recommended for fans of Legends & Lattes and Animal Crossing. I was pleasantly surprised when it exceeded my expectations. This slice of life story is about a baker and a bard going on a journey. The journey has some sense of urgency but the progression of the story is short and sweet. It also touched on gender identity and environmental issues which is always a plus! Overall, I would recommend this for fans of the aforementioned properties.

This was such a cute graphic novel, and cozy mystery combined. I am a big DND fan, so having a bard as the main character was super fun and interesting. I loved the little banter between Hadley and Juniper - but I especially loved FERN! Super easy to read, got through it super quick because once I started I did not want to stop reading. I can't wait to visit this world again someday!

(3.5 stars) This is just as it is billed…a cozy fantasy story told through gentle graphics. There’s not a lot to it, but it should be pleasing reading for middle grade students and younger young adults.

Fern Haught's debut graphic novel, The Baker and the Bard, really captures the essence of cozy fantasy. It's a charming and engaging story about a dynamic duo on an enchanting quest for a rare ingredient. The book's fast pace makes it a delightful read that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Personally, I'm looking forward to checking out more of Haught's works.

This was SUCH a lovely, calm, cozy, and queer graphic novel! I thought the trans rep was very well implemented, and the illustration style was beautiful. I would have loved to see a little more chemistry and romantic build up between the two characters (friends to lovers) as it happened a little quickly. Otherwise this was great and I highly recommend for a light, short read!

🌈 Queer rep: queer main couple (nonbinary/female), agender side character

The Baker and the Bard is a cute graphic novel with a very charming art style. It has a lot of heart and centers around understanding and accepting others even when their priorities are at odds with one's own. The characters do a great job of learning about one another in compassionate and empathetic ways instead of hating each other's differences. It was a nice story with a good message, and I really liked the art!

An absolutely beautiful and heartwarming gentle fantasy quest story!
This title incorporates environmentalism and gender expression.
The environmentalism comes in when Juniper and Hadley are trying to solve the mystery of a town’s missing crops that are being eaten. The local giant caterpillar had their food source taken away and were eating the town’s crops.
I appreciated the scene when Hadley, who is non-binary, talks to a fairy, Thistle about how fairies don’t have a gender and it’s a very affirming moment for Hadley (and likely will be for readers).
This is perfect for fans of the Tea Dragon Society and I can’t wait to see more from this author!