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bexcapades's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
lenabrary's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ambitiousdelicious's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
thebookishlibrarian's review
Thanks to School Library Journal for a review copy of this book.
Pie in the Sky is the name of the bakery Jingwen’s father had planned to open back home before he unexpectedly passed away. Forced to move to Australia with his mom and annoying little brother Yanghao, Jingwen feels lost and alone, because he can’t speak English very well and he has major culture shock. He tries to cheer himself up by imagining all the fancy cakes his father would have baked. His mother forbids Jingwen or his brother from using the oven without supervision, so when they bake cakes when she’s not home, they make up intricate stories to hide it from her. Fans of Timmy Failure and the Middle School series will love this book, whose format is part prose and part graphic format.
Pie in the Sky is the name of the bakery Jingwen’s father had planned to open back home before he unexpectedly passed away. Forced to move to Australia with his mom and annoying little brother Yanghao, Jingwen feels lost and alone, because he can’t speak English very well and he has major culture shock. He tries to cheer himself up by imagining all the fancy cakes his father would have baked. His mother forbids Jingwen or his brother from using the oven without supervision, so when they bake cakes when she’s not home, they make up intricate stories to hide it from her. Fans of Timmy Failure and the Middle School series will love this book, whose format is part prose and part graphic format.
ma912's review
5.0
Incredible book. Funny, heartbreaking and heartwarming. I read it with my kid and we both loved it.
thebookguru's review
4.0
I really thought this book was gonna be chill BUT IT REALLY HIT ME IN THE FEELS AND TUGGED ON MY HEART STRINGS!!!
it’s a lovely heartbreaking story about moving to a new place, grief over losing a loved one, dealing with all sorts of emotions and the struggle of being an older sibling. So many changes happen for jingwen and baking is the only thing that makes him happy as it reminds him of his dad.
I love the cute illustrations and the cakes did look delicious but I have no idea how they managed to eat the whole cake in one go without just vomiting all the time (AMAZING how much sugar kids can eat tbh).
Poor jingwen and his anxiety...I really hope his mum made him feel extra loved and special and that it definitely was NOT his fault about his dad coz children carrying such guilt is so heartbreaking.
it’s a lovely heartbreaking story about moving to a new place, grief over losing a loved one, dealing with all sorts of emotions and the struggle of being an older sibling. So many changes happen for jingwen and baking is the only thing that makes him happy as it reminds him of his dad.
I love the cute illustrations and the cakes did look delicious but I have no idea how they managed to eat the whole cake in one go without just vomiting all the time (AMAZING how much sugar kids can eat tbh).
Poor jingwen and his anxiety...I really hope his mum made him feel extra loved and special and that it definitely was NOT his fault about his dad coz children carrying such guilt is so heartbreaking.
suzannedix's review
4.0
I can't remember what article I was reading that recommended this book but I'm so glad that I heeded its advice. A completely engaging story of two brothers learning English after a move to Australia while also coping with the loss of their father. It had been their father's dream to open a cake shop called Pie in the Sky with twelve specialty cakes and Jingwen believes he can start to feel better and stay connected to his father by making all of the cakes. Hilarity and heart ensue as Jingwen's younger brother Yanghao joins in and keeps the story from being too sad.
In addition to issues of grief and loss, the novel also addresses the challenges of learning a new language while suddenly immersed in a new culture.
In addition to issues of grief and loss, the novel also addresses the challenges of learning a new language while suddenly immersed in a new culture.
lauriehnatiuk's review
5.0
This book is going to be gobbled up for a variety of reasons; the window and mirror aspect of moving to a new country and the language barriers, the graphics accompanying the text adding humour and reinforcing the difficulties of being new and the connections readers will be able to make with being new at school, the sibling relationship and tackling the tough topic of grief.
Eleven year old Jingwen, his little brother Yanghao and his mother have moved to Australia. The family dream was to move and open a bakery called Pie in the Sky but now the plans have changed as Jingwen’s dad suddenly passed away before they moved. Jingwen is all out of sorts and feels like he has landed on Mars. He is having difficulty adjusting to school, making friends and learning English. His mother works an evening night shift at a bakery and Jingwen is responsible for his younger brother during that time. Feeling lost and frustrated Jingwen feels that if he can reproduce the cakes that he and his father made back home - things will be better for him. The catch is his mother has said not to use the oven and stove. Believing he must make the cakes on their Pie in the Sky menu - Jingwen and his brother make the cakes in the evening which produces some interesting results. Will Jingwen succeed in baking all the cakes making things right in his world?
I love how @remaylai has used humour to deal with an all too familiar situation with many newcomers to our country. I also applaud her for allowing the family to grieve the loss of the dad/husband in different ways and allow readers to see ways that the loss of a loved one is not ignored but dealt with in a sensitive and realistic manner. A must have for libraries and classrooms.
Eleven year old Jingwen, his little brother Yanghao and his mother have moved to Australia. The family dream was to move and open a bakery called Pie in the Sky but now the plans have changed as Jingwen’s dad suddenly passed away before they moved. Jingwen is all out of sorts and feels like he has landed on Mars. He is having difficulty adjusting to school, making friends and learning English. His mother works an evening night shift at a bakery and Jingwen is responsible for his younger brother during that time. Feeling lost and frustrated Jingwen feels that if he can reproduce the cakes that he and his father made back home - things will be better for him. The catch is his mother has said not to use the oven and stove. Believing he must make the cakes on their Pie in the Sky menu - Jingwen and his brother make the cakes in the evening which produces some interesting results. Will Jingwen succeed in baking all the cakes making things right in his world?
I love how @remaylai has used humour to deal with an all too familiar situation with many newcomers to our country. I also applaud her for allowing the family to grieve the loss of the dad/husband in different ways and allow readers to see ways that the loss of a loved one is not ignored but dealt with in a sensitive and realistic manner. A must have for libraries and classrooms.
ljrinaldi's review
4.0
Cake makes everything better
This is a well done Fish Out of Water story, except in this case, it is Martian in Australia.
Jingwen cannot learn English as fast as his brother can, and he is feeling isolated. He knows this is happening, but he is also sad that his father didn’t live to see them emigrate to Australia. The only way he knows how to mourn is to recreate the cakes that his father and he made, that they had planned to make at his shop, that he would one day have.
Jingwen thinks if he can make all the cakes, for the shop that was going to be called Pie in the Sky, that he would feel better about his dad dying.
The voice of Jingwen is quite lovely, and funny at the same time.
This is how he describes his sadness:
All the while I was telling Yanghao about Papa, my nose didn’t burn. Somehow, the sweetness of the cakes takes away the bitter sadness. Somehow, sometimes during the cake making, some of the seashells in my pockets disappear.
A well crafted book that anyone who has started a new school, or had to move, can relate to, even if you know the local language.
This is a well done Fish Out of Water story, except in this case, it is Martian in Australia.
Jingwen cannot learn English as fast as his brother can, and he is feeling isolated. He knows this is happening, but he is also sad that his father didn’t live to see them emigrate to Australia. The only way he knows how to mourn is to recreate the cakes that his father and he made, that they had planned to make at his shop, that he would one day have.
Jingwen thinks if he can make all the cakes, for the shop that was going to be called Pie in the Sky, that he would feel better about his dad dying.
The voice of Jingwen is quite lovely, and funny at the same time.
This is how he describes his sadness:
All the while I was telling Yanghao about Papa, my nose didn’t burn. Somehow, the sweetness of the cakes takes away the bitter sadness. Somehow, sometimes during the cake making, some of the seashells in my pockets disappear.
A well crafted book that anyone who has started a new school, or had to move, can relate to, even if you know the local language.