Summertime and the living is easy – the hustle and bustle of the school year is over, and the hot weather and slower pace mean more time for dessert! There’s nothing quite like licking a refreshing ice cream cone while walking down the sidewalk on a sunny day, except for maybe curling up with a good book and a cookie while sitting on the porch. Either way, books and food go hand in hand, and there are various kinds, ranging from cookbooks to stories about cooking contests, friendships forged in the kitchen, and more. Whichever you choose, the following list is guaranteed to make you smile and immediately head to the kitchen to whip up your own delicious summer dessert.

To find more books about sweet treats, try searching the catalog using a combination of subject terms like “juvenile fiction” for fiction books or “juvenile literature” for nonfiction books along with “baking,” “cooking,” “bakeries,” “cooks,” or other food related terms.

Cali, Davide.
Good Morning, Neighbor. 2018 (Picture Book)
One morning, a mouse wanted an omelet, and went to ask his neighbor Blackbird to borrow an egg. However, Blackbird didn’t have one either, instead producing flour and suggesting that they go ask his neighbor, Dormouse, for an egg so they can make a cake. And so the delicious dream is born, and readers follow along as the ever-growing parade of animals ask their neighbors for the needed ingredients. With soft illustrations created in earth tones and repetitive narration, this soothing book about sharing helps readers see the power of what can happen when you contribute to the greater good of the group.
[S-Collection Q. SE. C12823go]

Good Housekeeping.
Kids Bake! 100+ Sweet and Savory Recipes. 2018 (Nonfiction)
This very accessible cookbook provides recipes for young bakers who are ready to whip up some delicious treats. The introduction goes over basic baking rules, like the types of equipment, common ingredients, measurements, nutrition information, vocabulary, and safety in order to make sure that kids are ready to go in the kitchen. The mouth-watering treats shown in beautiful photos include Swirl Brownies, Raspberry-Lemon Pound Cake, Fluffy Apple-Cheddar Biscuits, and more. Your taste buds better be ready for a rollercoaster of flavor with these recipes!
[S-Collection S.641.815 K541]

Hopkinson, Deborah.
Independence Cake: A Revolutionary Confection Inspired by Amelia Simmons, Whose True History is Unfortunately Unknown. 2017 (Picture Book Based on a Real Person)
The details of Amelia Simmons’ life are “lost, simmered away in the pot of time,” but we do know that she was the author of America’s first cookbook. This picture book imagines the details of her life, where perhaps she was orphaned and sent to help Mrs. Bean around the house with her six sons, who gratefully lets Amelia experiment with the cooking to her heart’s content. The bright pastel colors and fun turns of phrase related to the colonies and cooking bring Amelia’s dreams to life, and the cherry on top is when she is chosen to bake a cake for President Washington’s inauguration. The recipe for Independence Cake and an author’s note only add to this delectable delight of a book.
[S-Collection Q. SE. H777i]

Janowitz, Jessie.
The Doughnut Fix. 2018 (YA Novel)
Tristan loves to cook, with the added bonus that he is better at it than his “Gifted and Talented” younger sister Jeanine. Life is pretty good, especially with chocolate chip cookies, but when his parents decide that they’re moving to the middle of nowhere, all seems hopeless. Things start looking up when Tristan sees a sign that says, “Yes, we do have chocolate cream doughnuts!”, but even that betrays him when he discovers that the owner hasn’t made them in years. Tristan feels like the only thing he can do to make things better is get the recipe, make the doughnuts himself, and have his own doughnut stand. Can he run a successful business all on his own?
[S-Collection S. J2643do]
If you like this one, look for the sequel, The Doughnut King!

Leone, Dee.
Dough Knights and Dragons. 2017 (Picture Book)
In this rhyming picture book that is perfect for a read aloud, a knight discovers a hidden kitchen in the forest with unique ingredients, so naturally he can’t resist making a stew. When the dragon owner returns, he asks for a share of the dinner, beginning a forbidden friendship founded on their love of cooking and creating new recipes. However, tradition states that when they come of age, a knight must kill a dragon and a dragon must eat a knight. When the unlikely pair discover a unique loophole to their terrible predicament, they work to bring the two feuding species together through food, for they know that the best friendships are forged in the cooking fire.
[S-Collection Q. SE. L5537d]

Nelson, Suzanne.
Cake Pop Crush (Wish #1). 2016 (Middle Grades Novel)
Alicia Ramirez loves baking, and her specialty is cake pops. Unfortunately, her traditional father disapproves of the trendy treat and refuses to serve them at the family bakery, Say It With Flour. However, when new kid Dane McGuire shows up and his rich CEO father opens a new branch of a fancy chain coffee shop across the street, Alicia hopes that her father will see how she can help keep the family business alive. The coffee shop is threatening their business, especially with Dane’s homemade treats. A bake-off challenge begins as Alicia and Dane fight not only for the title of cake-pop master, but for their family businesses as well. Readers will love the heaps of drama and cooking excitement, the realistic and heartwarming family relationships, and the dash of romance.
[S-Collection S. N3314c]

Neuschwander, Cindy.
Sir Cumference and the Off-the-Charts Dessert: A Math Adventure. 2013 (Teaching Picture Book)
Part of the Sir Cumference Math Adventure series, this delightful picture book is full of math puns and wordplay, helping kids learn without realizing it. Sir Cumference and Lady Di of Ameter need to select a dessert for the Harvest Faire, and so begins a baking contest between Pia of the French city of Chartres and Bart Graf of Germany. The townsfolk vote on their favorites, and Pia and Bart experiment with different methods of collecting their data to see who wins. This fun, fictional origin story of pie charts and bar graphs will entertain readers while exposing them to math concepts.
[S-Collection S.516 N398siro]

Remington, Laurel.
Secrets and Scones. 2018 (Middle Grades Novel)
Scarlett hates being star of her mom’s popular parenting blog, so she secludes herself, ending friendships and stopping activities so that there is nothing for her mom to write about, but it gets boring really fast. When an unfortunate accident leaves an elderly neighbor recovering in the hospital, the screech of a hungry cat lures Scarlett to the empty house and the most amazing kitchen she has ever seen. Unable to resist, she is soon baking a batch of scones from a handmade cookbook she found and forming a secret cooking club with a new friend. This exciting read follows Scarlett as she tries to keep her baking and friendship a secret from her nosy mom while also exploring her own identity.
[S-Collection S. R284se]

Simon, Coco.
Sunday Sundaes (Sprinkle Sundays #1). 2018 (Middle Grades Chapter Book)
Allie, Sierra, and Tamiko are best friends, but when Allie’s parents get divorced and she moves a town away, she’s scared of losing their friendship. So when her mom fulfills her dream of opening an ice cream shop, Allie thinks it would be a fantastic idea for her, Sierra, and Tamiko to work there together on Sundays to be able to spend some time together, and the Sunday Sundaes are born. However, it’s still hard dealing with new classmates and teachers, and readers will resonate with Allie’s realistic middle school feelings about change, friendship, and loneliness. This fun story is full of book references from bookworm Allie, delicious ice cream flavors to make your mouth water, and fantastic friendships both old and new.
[S-Collection S. Si531sssu]
Be sure to check out other books in the series, also found in the S-Collection! Cracks in the Cone #2, The Purr-fect Scoop #3, Ice Cream Sandwiched #4, and Sprinkles Before Sweethearts #5.

Strohm, Stephanie Kate.
Love à la Mode. 2018 (YA Novel)
Rosie Radeke is from East Liberty, Ohio, and while she loves to bake, never dreamed that she would be good enough to attend celebrity chef Denis Laurent’s cooking school. Henry Yi, on the other hand, grew up in the kitchen of his dad’s restaurant in Chicago and dreams of being a professional chef one day. They embark on the adventure of a lifetime, full of challenging cooking and academics, new friendships, and the amazing sights of Paris, desperate to prove themselves while navigating their newfound feelings. Readers will discover that if you take two teenage chefs and add an amazing opportunity at an elite cooking school in Paris where delicious food, pastries, and possibilities are everywhere, then you have the perfect recipe for romance.
[S-Collection S. St873lo]