The Bread Pet: A Sourdough Story

Cora is excited when her Uncle JB comes for a visit. He is on his way west and needs Cora to take care of his fish and his bread pet. He explains that his bread pet is a sourdough starter that must be fed twice every day because it is a living organism. But Uncle JB forgets to tell Cora a couple of very important things: how much the bread pet will grow and that keeping it in the refrigerator could help to control that growth. But Cora, her mom, and her mama all learn a good deal about the bread pet, baking bread, and how sometimes it really does take a village.

Author Kate DePalma has written a fun text that will not only engage youngsters but also teach them some important science as well. Illustrator Nelleke Verhoeff has a fun and very original cartoony style that conveys a lot of movement and activity. It’s the perfect complement to DePalma’s story. The bread-baking lesson and recipe at the end make this book more of an experience than just a story. Kids will love it.