At some point last year I read this and didn't document it because I swear to gods I've read this already. It's a story about baking your feelings and when tragedy strikes, finding a way to heal.

wow didn't expect this cupcake-looking book to contains such grim topic. my fault for not reading the book's description prior but i digress

Emily's family has a magical gift to bake emotions into desserts, as long as it's positive emotions. but one day an accident happened and Emily didn't know when or even if she'd feel better. She tried to bake anyway and came out with "crumble". her friends kept eating it so she kept making it, until she found out why her family shouldn't bake with negative emotions...

the illustrations are super cute, there's some recipes throughout the book too that seemed legit but IDK i'm not a baker. the ending felt unfinished? but maybe the ARC I got was corrupted. will check the finished copy. it was a good book anyway.

This was a very cute and well thought out story for younger people, however I do feel that anyone can read it due to its subject matter. I loved the story and how the authors have dealt with the subject of grief and how this can effect a person and those around them. The art style in this was bright and was one of the things that I really enjoyed after the story line.

This is really sweet, but is more heavy than most books I have in my classroom library. I think it will find it's audience, but I would definitely beware before putting in a classroom library.

The author packs a lot into a short book! There were a lot of big feelings to figure out and work through and I’m proud of Emily for doing that!

The illustrations are fantastic, colorful and appealing, and are a great compliment to the heavy topics in the book. The baking aspect serves a similar purpose, and I think will help kids naturally gravitate towards this book. I was not expecting so much heartbreak but it was handled well and can help normalize grief for kids.

I love that recipes were included, especially since so many of my kids constantly check out baking/cookbooks, so that plus the graphic novel format will make this a smash for my library. The representation was also phenomenal! Can’t wait to share this one with my kids!

Such a bittersweet story. This covers some heavy topics and and grief in a gently way, and the vibrant, colorful illustrations and magical setting add a sense of hopefulness. This was well done, and the inclusion of the recipes in the story is great and will be a great addition for readers. The cast of characters was diverse and representative of many different communities, which was wonderful. I'd recommend this to my students grade 3 and up!

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for the eARC!

What I love about graphic novels is that they provide a nice break from my normal reading habits, this was no exception other than that this book is SAD. Do not judge this book by its cover - it looks like a fun, cute read about baking, but it's highly emotional. It was done well, and the story is beautiful. This is a graphic novel I'll highly recommend!

Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers and NetGalley for the eARC!

This was so cute and bittersweet! The illustration style is absolutely enchanting, and though the story deals with some heavy topics it delivers them in a way that is perfect for young readers. Any fans of graphic novels will love this story, and I can't wait to add it to my library!

My third grade girls would absolutely love this story. The colorful illustrations will hook them in. The recipes and story line will keep them reading. Perfect!

I received a free copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Funny, colourful and foodie galore! Crumble is a heartfelt tale with a hint of magic to it. A pick me up for a sick day or a need to bake something day. My favourites are my nana’s shortbread [she gave me the recipe for my birthday] the world created felt real especially with the moments of friendship and the really heartwrenching theme of grief throughout. A wonderful new graphic novel up there with Mooncakes and Lumberjanes.

I usually jump on graphic novels to read because they provide a short, but engaging break from reality. I try not to read the synopsis on any book because I like just going along for the story. Based on the cover, I figured I was in for a fun baking related graphic novel (which I LOVE). But this graphic novel is not light-hearted. It is super, super sad to the point where I was crying. Crumble is beautifully haunting in its depiction of grief and healing from a devastating loss of a beloved family member and caregiver. I really thought it was well rendered in its stages of grief and its realistic depiction of how sometimes the ones we need comfort from are lost in their own sorrows too. I highly recommend this graphic novel - especially for anyone who needs to feel they are not alone after a loved one passes.

This darling book shines a light on feelings of grief and sorrow with a bit of magical realism and beautiful artwork. It was a cozy read. The author explores how big feelings can affect those around us and even change ourselves. But with grace the author shows the reader that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Definitely a hopeful story of friendship and family and how we lean on each other and learn to lean back.

This was so cute. I really liked this graphic novel. The art style was adorable, and I loved the idea of quite literally baking your feelings. On top of that I also just think it does a great job talking about grief on the level of the target audience, while also making me (a full grown adult) a bit misty eyed. The conclusion is a bit too quick for me, but for the rest I thought this was great.

Thank you, NetGalley, Algonquin Young Readers, Little Brown Ink, Meredith McClaren, & Andrea Bell for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Crumble is such a beautiful book about grief after the passing of a loved one. Grief can manifest in many ways and in this book, it shows up in the form of magical food with negative emotions. The MC, Emily (and her mom and aunt) can bake their emotions into desserts. After losing her aunt, who she was super close to, the only thing that can make her feel better is baking however, magical baking with negative emotions is dangerous. Despite the magical element, I think the depiction of grief is super realistic.

3 1/2 stars.

Crumble is a special story, but that doesn't make it easy to read. This is one of those instances where I really have no idea how a middle schooler would respond to this story. I also wouldn't recommend this story to anyone younger than 9.

The issue is that this is a story about grief. Those who have experienced the loss of a loved one will love this. It acknowledges that death changes you, that you have to allow yourself ample time to grieve, and that your friends don't always know the right things to say.

Crumble starts in a very lighthearted manner. Emily and her family have special, magical powers that allows them to bake emotions into foods. The one rule is that they cannot bake when they are feeling bad. Fast forward to the grief. Emily's aunt Gina, who she also happens to live with, dies in a tragic car accident. Emily's mom has to come home and neither of them know how to deal with their grief or live with each other. The one thing that lifts Emily's spirits is one that she has been told not to do.

Of course, Emily is a tween and she bakes anyway. It looks gross, it tastes gross, but for some reason her best friend Dae can't stop eating it. The reality is that food can't solve problems and anything that you can't stop eating, even when it isn't the taste you want, has to be bad for you. What needed to happen was for Emily and her mother to actually talk to each other. They both needed to deal with their grief.

The artwork is wonderful and I love the wide cast of characters, I just struggled with such a dark story packaged in graphic novel format. I watch students pull books simply because they are graphic novels, and looking at the cover, I never would have guessed that it was about such a challenging topic. I realize that the topic is needed, it is just a challenging issue.

In the world of Crumble feelings can be baked into treats and passed along to the consumer. Need a boost of confidence for an upcoming presentation? Try a Millionaire Shortbread Cookie (recipe included)! Emily and her friend Dae help her aunt out in the shop, baking (and testing) out the treats she sells. But what happens when tragedy strikes and you no longer have any good feelings left to bake?

This novel started out fun and humorous, with nice bright, eye-catching artwork. Emily felt she had a pretty great life, other than not being able to make marshmallows (recipe included). She had great friends, a great aunt, and seemed to be okay only seeing her Mom in person once a month. They never really go into much detail about how the feelings are baked in - like, do you need to feel confident when you are baking for confidence? - but it is still a fun concept. I also liked that there were several recipes included in the book, although some of them were a bit more involved than I expected - I'm with you Emily, making marshmallows is a pain!

I'm really not sure how I feel about Emily's Mom. She travels constantly for work, leaving the raising of her child to her sister, which seems like a very selfish thing to do. Don't worry, that selfishness 100% carries on through the book as she leaves Emily to try to sort out her own life and feelings without the emotional support of any adults in her life. While I know that that was an important part for the story to move forward, it still didn't sit well with me. That being said, I don't think it will affect the target audience the same way it did me.

Thank you, Net Galley for the chance to read this book. It may not have been my favorite, but it will still end up in my library.

A lovely story of grief and how to cope with this. Our protagonist makes magical food with her aunt that imparts emotions and qualities to people who eat it. But when tragedy strikes, she must navigate this new situation, the grief that comes with it, and how to move forward in life.

This story is as sweet as it is sad, and honestly would probably be a great intro to grief if not yet encountered, or encountered currently. The art style is lovely and the characters are very relatable.

I received this book at the beginning of the month I believe. It was a very quick read with me finishing most of it in about a day.

First I want to talk about the illustrations. They are so clear, vibrant, and overall adorable. From my experience with teaching children and in university, I’ve learned that children flock to books that have clear illustrations that are easy to follow. I believe that this graphic novel will appeal to children, especially little girls.

Crumble follows a girl named Emily and her family that have the unique ability to bake emotions into the treats they sell at the family bakery. The story deals with strong emotions and a tragic family event involving the MCs aunt named Gina. Meredith and Andrea did a fantastic job at portraying the characters emotions throughout the story. However, I wouldn’t recommend this book to children under 9 because of the topics involved.

It's a super cute graphic novel that deals with grief, magic and food. I enjoyed this book and recommend it to my friends and their kids.

Cute graphic novel that suits upper elementary level. This book tackles food, emotions, and growing up, so high interest for many!