The Baker and the Bard

by Fern Haught

Author-artist Fern Haught weaves an enchanting, gentle fantasy tale of friendship, determination, and respecting nature in their debut graphic novel.

Juniper and Hadley have a good thing going in Larkspur, spending their respective days apprenticing at a little bakery and performing at the local inn. But when a stranger places an unusual order at the bakery, the two friends (and Hadley’s pet snake, Fern) set out on a journey to forage the magical mushrooms needed to make the requested galette pastries.

Along the way, Juniper and Hadley stumble across a mystery too compelling to ignore: Something has been coming out of the woods at night and eating the local farmers' crops, leaving behind a trail of glowing goo. Intent on finally going on an adventure that could fuel their bardic craft, Hadley tows Juniper into the woods to investigate.

What started as a simple errand to pick mushrooms soon turns into a thrilling quest to save some furry new friends―and their caretaker, a soft-spoken little fey named Thistle―who are in danger of losing their home.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBT, Queer, Comics, Cozy

147 pages, Paperback

First published March 5, 2024

About the author

Fern Haught is an illustrator and author currently based in Cleveland, OH. They love to tell stories about queer people set in fantasy worlds. Their picture books and graphic novels often incorporate magic and focus on characters and their relationships.

Reviews

[s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all] · Rating 3 out of 5]

An adorable adventure awaits in The Baker and the Bard from author and illustrator Fern Haught, a queer and cozy graphic novel about friendship and the importance of living sustainably with nature for the benefit of all. When baker Juniper and Hadley the Bard set off to gather mushrooms for a major bakery order, they stumble upon a mystery of monster and mayhem and decide to take up the task. Short and sweet—though perhaps a bit saccharine in the absence of much else to balance it out—The Baker and the Bard is as fun as it is gorgeously illustrated.

While shelved as a YA graphic novel, The Baker and the Bard would be just as at home in middle-grade, though adults will still find this tiny little fable to be quite lovely as well. The story is cute though the real star here is Fern Haughts cozy and eye-catching artwork that brings the fantasy world to life. The book will likely garner a lot of comparisons to works like The Tea Dragon Society for its warmth, quiet and food-related coziness as well as a fun similarity to K. O'Neill’s lush art style.

I really enjoyed the focus on nature and the importance of not disturbing animals habitat as well as learning to live sustainably with the land. The inclusion of non-binary representation was lovely, too (shoutout to my fellow Nonbinary friends) with a cute but brief discussion between Hadley and the fae about how the fae do not have a strict sense of gender and how empowering that was for Hadley. Also Hadley has an adorable snake named Fern. This whole this is just cuteness overload.

All in all, The Baker and the Bard is a quick and cozy good time. Its a bit light on story and perhaps a bit too sweet for some readers tastes, but it is just pure good mood and good reading full of lovely messages and art.
3.5/5

[Jan Agaton · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cozy & heartwarming plus there's nonbinary rep!

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cute, so cozy!! bugs, mushrooms, bread!! music and adventure!!

comparisons to the tea dragon society series are apt. i adore sweet, short, comforting reads like these. and in the case of this book, every detail is absolutely adorable, including the super queer character designs, the caterpillar-dappled endpapers, the cozy forest landscapes, and the recipe for mushroom galette at the end of the book!! truly a delight.

the big beautiful moths are my favorite. riding on one of those gentle and majestic creatures? what a dream!

i wouldn't have minded a longer story to get to know the characters better. but i think the brevity is fitting for a simple fable like this one. and perhaps a sequel will follow?

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

Cozy doesn't have to mean boring.

It was fine to pass the time, but the story and dialogue were just a bit too simple, even for being a ya book. I also didn't feel like I knew the characters at all.

[Danika at The Lesbrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like The Tea Dragon Society, cozy fantasy, or gentle and comforting comics, you have to pick this one up. I want a hundred more just like it.

Full review at the Lesbrary.

[Andrea *angiesbookishlifee* · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very, very cute. From the get go this reminded me of Legends and Lattes, which was one of my favorite books of last year. There’s something about cozy fantasy books surrounding baking that I eat up every time (no pun intended). I really enjoyed this, and it was a very quick read!

4.25/5 - READ THIS IF YOU LIKE COZY FANTASY!!!!

[Minna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art style was lovely, but the plot and characters were so simplistic. Definitely should be a middle grade rather than YA.

[Anniek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel fits perfectly into the cosy fantasy trend. Its comps are The Tea Dragon Society and Legends and Latte, and those really hold up.

This is such a quick, lovely read, and super cosy and heartwarming. I'll definitely pick up a finished copy so I can reread this whenever I need a comfort read.

[Gracyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Underwhelming and dare I say too simple? I try to stay away from that descriptor with YA novels as they are obviously meant for a younger audience. In this case, the underdeveloped story and poorly addressed themes do not serve as methods to enhance understanding amongst younger readers but are the result of a lack of understanding for what the story is or could be. What saved it from being a 1 star are the art and characters design. The art is so beautifully crafted and the characters have a lot of potential. With a dialed in plot and maybe more pages to flesh everything out - these characters could easily weave together in a high star read.

[Frida · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

[b ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

kicking off pride month strong with this super adorable d&d style cozy fantasy, featuring a non-binary main character and various queer relationships, as well as a heavy focus on friendship. this graphic novel was so cute! i loved the art, it was so captivating and cozy, and the lowstakes story made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. literally just adorable inside and out, my only complaint is i wish there was more to the story!!

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet and cozy read, very low stakes.. just being kind to each other and helping each other:)

[Maia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet, slight fantasy story focused on friendship. A baker and her friend, an aspiring bard, go on a little adventure into the forest looking for a specific type of mushroom. On the way they encounter some misunderstood magical creatures, a nonbinary fey, and only the smallest amounts of danger and conflict. The gentleness of the story makes it appropriate for, and I believe aimed at, a fairly young audience, definitely middle grade or early reader rather than YA.

[Zachary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art here was lovely--I also found the creatures in this to be strange and ethereal. It's definitely a story for children I think, so I can't appreciate the straightforward nature of it much, but that's alright.

[Jenn ~ Smalltown Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Editing to comb bump because I just met Fern at the Buckeye Book Fair and bought a physical copy for my collection. They were so kind. Even had stickers and bookmarks with their characters! This book needs more love.

Original review:

Cozy fantasy graphic novel? Sign me up.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This is Fern Haught's debut graphic novel. They craft stories set in magical worlds with diverse characters. If you enjoyed graphic novels like Crumbs or Mooncakes, check out The Baker and the Bard. It's a cute and cozy little read, with likeable characters. My favorite part was the recipe illustrations!

[Sana · Rating 3 out of 5]

'I've made TONS of deliveries!! I'm a certified VPDP: a Very Professional Delivery Person.'

Cozy but underwhelming and dare I say, boring? It also reads more middle grade than young adult.

The Baker and the Bard started out fun and all but quickly lost steam. I also would have loved if the gender discussion lasted longer than a page. Loved that the author named Hadley's snake pet Fern after themselves, though. Plus, the art is nothing short of adorable but yeah, that's about it, really.

[Liv · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt like a picture book told with extra pages. I think it’s a sweet story, sure, but it just didn’t speak to me.

[Dani Kline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the softest graphic novel you'll ever read!! 🥰 The illustrations alone are so cute I thought I was going to combust. The character designs are gorgeous, and they work at a bakery and come across magical creatures, and there's beautiful buildings and houses and landscapes and sunsets; what could be more perfect??? It's a simple and sweet little fantasy adventure, but it also touches on friendship and accepting every part of yourself and being confident in who you are, especially around others, and, of course, a small little adorable dose of romance. There is also a recipe included at the end for a baked good that plays a vital role in the story, which I think is amazing. I definitely want to try to make it one day☺️

Oh also, one of the main characters has a tiny snake that travels on their shoulder and this is possibly my favorite thing about this story.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught is very cute and really reminded me of Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. I do wish there was just more to this though. I wouldn't mind revisiting these characters again in a new story in the future.

[Cassidy Washburn · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute!

The Baker and the Bard is a gentle little adventure graphic novel featuring a queer love story between a baker and her best friend, who is nonbinary! The rep is wonderful, the story is precious, and the illustrations are beautiful. So cute!

[Kathleen Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Cozy little story with great illustrations. Made me smile.

[Devin Willson · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute, but there's really not a lot to it

[Rapunzel Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun! Sweet, thoughtful, and beautiful, The Baker and the Bard was comforting in a way I didn’t even know I needed. Although relatively short, I deeply connected with Juniper, Hadley, and this entire world—a fantasy world with a feeling of such normalcy that I immediately was sucked into it. The characters were truly lovely; in particular, Juniper and Hadley’s interactions felt so realistic, and their friendship consistently made me smile. I also loved the queer/nonbinary characters, whose acceptance in this world fit so well and made me think of A Psalm for the Wild-Built.

​The illustrations were bright and fun, and helped make this book a quick read while moving at a relaxing, leisurely pace. I particularly loved the frequent full-page illustrations, which contributed such a sense of place and atmosphere to the story. Although often relatively simple, they were perfectly expressive, and the primarily pastel color palette helped maintain the quiet, open mood of the story. If you love graphic novels or just feel-good reads, this is definitely a book I'd highly recommend!

An e-ARC of this book was provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet little story! I really enjoyed the art style, and the way the world within was brought to life through them. Juniper and Hadley were great main characters to follow along on this quest with, and I had a blast. The food sounded delicious, the atmosphere was cozy, and I found myself wishing I was walking along the paths in the Forest with them. I’m glad I picked up this book, and I can’t wait for more from the author!

[Natalie Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming graphic novel about a lovely adventure

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rounded up from 4.5
Sweet, fun, easy breezy. Wish there was more to follow the characters.

[willow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet, and colorful! I loved the fantasy elements, the small adventure, and especially loved Hadley's character. I almost wish it was longer, though, to flesh out the characters and world even more.

Thanks very much to Netgalley for the earc.

[LGBT Representation in Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger Warnings: snake, coming out

Representation: They/them pronouns, Nonbinary

The Baker and the Bard is a cozy fantasy adventure in the form of a graphic novel in which two best friends set out on a journey for ingredients to fulfill an unusual bakery order and get caught up in matters of ecological destruction in the realm of the fey.

This eARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very cute and very short story. There isn’t much to the plot but a great quick read for anyone into fantasy!

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 // This was such an adorable cozy fantasy! This is perfect for the genre; low-stakes, and yet manages to suck you in! I loved the beautiful nature scenes and the queer characters, as well as the amazing creatures and faeries! This is a perfect addition to the emerging cozy fantasy genre and I will definitely be recommending this is released.

Thank you to NetGalley and F&F for the free eARC in exchange for review.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awwwww, I love it. So cute and sweet. I just wish it had been longer with more detail and time with the characters. I would love a sequel.