ALA Booklist (Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2021)

A trio of dessert sprites cook up an entertaining history of sweet treats in this candy-colored volume. Peri leads the way through desserts grouped by type e cream, cakes, cookies, pies, and so on d within each explanation, she covers legendary origin stories for treats, key figures, popular examples, recipes, and occasionally science concepts. Though it's a touch wordy, there's a lot of material to cover on this topic, and Elliott admirably covers an impressive array of global cuisines, cultures, and history, from ancient Egyptian cakes to mochi ice cream, Turkish delight, and Toll House cookies. Food is an inherently political topic, of course, tied up as it is in the history of colonization and slavery particularly, and while the book doesn't get into it comprehensively, Elliott mentions it enough that it's a consistent, sobering undercurrent to the otherwise cheery narrative. That reality doesn't take away from the joyful celebration of sweet treats of all kinds, though, and the cheery cartoon artwork, sugary atmosphere, and delectable depictions of desserts keep the mood airy.

Kirkus Reviews

Sugar and spice and all things nice are the focus of this eye-catching and educational graphic nonfiction title.Enthusiastic, food-loving sprite Peri and her friends and fellow sprites, Fee and Fada-a racially diverse, colorfully coiffed trio-offer readers an overview of the history of desserts, insights into the science behind cooking and baking, and a few tempting recipes. The first chapter, focusing on ice cream, covers frozen dishes from ancient Rome and the Middle East, 19th-century European ice cream carts, and the Japanese American inventor of mochi ice cream, with stops along the way including sorbet (and its varying incarnations), the supposed invention of the waffle cone at the St. Louis World's Fair, and modern Korean variations on the classic shaved ice dessert bingsu, among other topics. Other sections follow a similar format as they look at cakes, brownies, doughnuts, pies, gummies, cookies, and macarons. World maps inserted throughout help readers understand where various food items originated. Sections labeled "Story Time" concisely and colorfully explain how certain dishes came to be; when the stories are more legend than fact, the real history immediately follows. Elliott presents readers with delectable morsels of knowledge: The immersive, interactive feel and the vibrant and creatively detailed illustrations that evoke an old-fashioned candy shop will sustain readers' attention.Scrumptiously entertaining and informative. (bibliography, profiles of food sprites) (Graphic nonfiction. 8-12)

School Library Journal (Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2021)

Gr 6 Up-A small, winged, green-haired, brown-skinned, bespectacled "food sprite" called Peri is an enthusiastic tour guide through the world of dessert history, accompanied by two other sprites: light-skinned, pink-haired Fee, who adores stories, and brown-skinned, blue-haired Fada, who loves science and chocolate. The narrators' tiny size allows the desserts to take prominence; chapters are devoted to ice cream, cake, brownies, doughnuts, pie, gummies, cookies, and macarons. Peri's history of each type of dessert is sprinkled with stories (such as "The Legend of the Waffle Cone"), interview corners, and science labs, each of which has a different colored background to set it apart from the main narrative. Most chapters are preceded by a world map indicating where that dessert has appeared throughout history; Elliott does not shy away from the role of trade, colonization, and enslavement as she discusses how certain foods spread across the globe and baked goods were adapted to local tastes. The book is full of entertaining nuggets on an appealing topic, and recipes are included, complete with a list of ingredients and equipment and step-by-step instructions. Back matter includes a bibliography. VERDICT As Peri muses dreamily, "You ever just think about cake?" Great British Baking Show fans, as well as those who love to eat, bake, and share desserts, will devour this sweet treat of a nonfiction graphic novel. Jenny Arch, Lilly Lib., Florence, MA