Young wizard Sage is disappointed when she's apprenticed to a simple baker. She's quickly convinced, though, that the alchemy of baking is a form of magic. Framing the story with wizardry is ironic for a book so devoted to the science behind baking; while there are basic recipes for everything from cookies to scones to pizza dough included here, the lessons about how and why things bake the way they do are the book's raison d'être. Loosely structured as an exploration of the five methods for controlling the amount of air (and therefore the rise) in baked goods, Koch's installment in the Maker Comics series makes plenty of room for pro tips, from the basic (how to separate eggs) to the more esoteric (why you should crowd biscuits together on the baking sheet). Since it's light on actual story, the burden of character development is on the art, and Koch delivers charmingly even as she illustrates loads of baking procedures and anthropomorphized ingredients clearly and specifically. The text is dense, but the recipes are listed in the back for burgeoning bakers.

SCHWEIZER, Chris . Fix a Car . illus. by Chris Schweizer. ISBN 9781250150035 ; ISBN 9781250150042 .ea vol: 128p. (Maker Comics). First Second . Feb. 2019. Tr $19.99. pap. $12.99. Gr 5 Up Taking a resolutely hands-on approach, these two titles explore the ins and outs of, respectively, baking and basic auto upkeep. Each book features a simple plot and a lively, diverse cast headed by an adult instructor. In Bake Like a Pro, apprentice wizard Sage learns from "alchemist and baking master" Korian (and an array of talking ingredients) how to make yummy baked goods, from chocolate chip cookies to cheddar biscuits to sponge cake, as well as the chemical processes that mixing and heating expedite, plus several tricks of the trade. In Fix a Car, several students gather once a week with their teacher Ms. Gritt for an informal Car Club. In addition to learning about the major components of their cars and the essential tools to keep handy, the kids practice changing a tire, cleaning their vehicles inside and out, jump-starting a stalled engine, and more. In both volumes, bright cartoon art consists of figures standing around and talking animatedly, but it's arranged in easy-to-follow sequential panels and only seldom looks squeezed by the narrative. Both entries kick off with safety notes and end with useful back matter: full recipes, side notes, and conversion tables in Bake ; recommended repair manuals to keep on hand in Fix. VERDICT Offering challenging but realistically doable projects and specific explanations of background chemical and physical principles, these engaging guides will leave no wrench or spatula safe from middle and high school students (not to mention more intrepid grade schoolers). John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York