Crumble

by Meredith McClaren, Andrea Bell (Illustrator)

A heartfelt and magic-filled graphic novel for fans of Sheets and Real Friends about baking, friendship, and feeling every kind of emotion—no matter the flavor.  Emily, her mom, and her aunt Gina have a very special magical They can bake emotions into the desserts they sell at their family bakery. Need a dash of confidence? Try their millionaire shortbread! Want relief after a stressful day? The cheesecake will lighten your spirits! There is only one Never bake a bad feeling.     Every day after school, Emily and her best friend, Dae, make tried-and-true recipes, while she and Aunt Gina brainstorm new ones. But when Aunt Gina dies in an accident, Emily’s life is turned upside down. Not knowing what to do, Emily breaks the rule and bakes  her bad feelings into. . . a crumble. It looks gross. Dae says it tastes gross. But they can’t stop eating it. Neither can Emily’s classmates. And with her grief and pain baked into the crumble, Emily gets the comfort of being at least a little numb. So even though she’s not supposed to, she makes it again, and again, and again.   But baking (and eating) bad feelings doesn’t really make them go away . . .  

Praise for Crumble
★ "Deliciously cute, funny, and touching." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ "Equal parts love and heartbreak.... Unique and poignant." —BookPage, starred review

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Childrens, Food, Fiction, Comics

Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2025

About the author

Meredith McClaren is an illustrator and cartoonist who has no business doing either.

She sometimes entertains the idea of drawing the fourth book in Jen Van Meter’s Hopeless Savages series. And her journal comic Scraps indulges her closeted narcissism.

Supposedly she has a postal code in Arizona, but really, she could be anywhere.

Oh.
And don’t touch her stuff.
Seriously.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh man. The grief in this one really hit home. I think that the cover of this one doesn't necessarily do it justice in term of it's impact. While it's a cute exploration of magic and food, the story takes a tough turn when main character, Emily, begins to attempt to magic the emotions away, but causes more chaos in the instead. At the same time, her mother is also struggling with grief that impacts their relationship. This was beautifully done and had amazing art and I can't recommend it enough.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed Meredith McClaren's Meat Eaters so much I immediately put a hold on this, the only other book of hers I hadn't read at my local library. Unfortunately, I just didn't click with this middle school graphic novel spin on Like Water for Chocolate centered on grief.

Olivia Dash lives in a world where magic and super powers are everyday things. She and her mother have the ability to bake emotions into their desserts, passing on confidence, say, to those who eat their cookies. And after the death of a loved one, Olivia discovers what happens when she bakes her dark feelings into a crumble-topped dish and feeds it to her classmates.

It's drawn and written well, but the downbeat topic and heavy-handed metaphor didn't really work for me.

Several recipes are included in the story, if you are into that sort of thing.

[Maddie Jarvis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crumble is such a cozy graphic novel. I absolutely fell in love with the illustration style. This young baker navigates the emotional journey of love and grief and how her emotions impact others. Not only did the author do a great job at showing the importance of friendship and family but she showed the reality of growing up and dealing with new normals. This was so precious and I would definitely read more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of Crumble in exchange for an honest review!

[el (celestialbronz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

wow didn't expect this cupcake-looking book to contains such grim topic. my fault for not reading the book's description prior but i digress

Emily's family has a magical gift to bake emotions into desserts, as long as it's positive emotions. but one day an accident happened and Emily didn't know when or even if she'd feel better. She tried to bake anyway and came out with "crumble". her friends kept eating it so she kept making it, until she found out why her family shouldn't bake with negative emotions...

the illustrations are super cute, there's some recipes throughout the book too that seemed legit but IDK i'm not a baker. the ending felt unfinished? but maybe the ARC I got was corrupted. will check the finished copy. it was a good book anyway.

[Antonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

We all have hard feelings to deal with at times, and all wish there was a quick fix to boost ourselves up when this happens.

Crumble addresses this in one super sweet, funny, and endearing story about a little girl navigating those big feelings through the art of baking.

Beautifully illustrated, and with copies of the recipes to try, this is my favourite graphic novel for 2024, and I'm so thankful to Netgalley for sending me and ARC.

Everyone needs to read this!

#Netgalley #Crumble

[Patti Sabik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the subject matter of this book is quite heavy, the relatable characters and bright colors convey a strong sense of hope. Tragic loss is address in accessible language, sweet illustrations, and poignantly concise storytelling.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

At some point last year I read this and didn't document it because I swear to gods I've read this already. It's a story about baking your feelings and when tragedy strikes, finding a way to heal.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The grief process for the mom really hit more than the child, although it was well done for both.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange of an honest review.


One of the books I really really wanted to read and I am happy I got it thanks to Netgalley in mid-2024. WHOO!

In this book we have baking, grief/mourning, friendship, and much more. I couldn’t stop reading this one when I started and I just flew right through it. Oh, and I love how the title is fitting with the baking and the loss!

The grief/mourning part of the book was well-written. Especially since they can’t just bake it away (because again bad feelings make for bad bakes), they really have to get through this tunnel of darkness and find the light again. They have to live with the loss and discover new ways to be happy again. I especially felt for Emily, our MC.

Emily’s best friend, Dae, was such a fun character and I love how despite everything they stuck with Emily. Even when things went all wrong.

The art in this one was just so fun and pretty, I love the style. The artist really was able to catch both the sadder moments and the happier ones.

OH, and I gotta mention, there are some recipes as well! Definitely curious to try them out, at least ones in the beginning and at the end, because there are 1 or 2 recipes that are not well readable because of Emily’s emotions at the moment.

I love the idea of infusing your feelings into your baking and that it actually works. At first I thought it was just placebo, but apparently in this world there are people who can bake their feelings into bakes and that instantly transfers to that person when eating something. I could definitely use some relaxing cookies or maybe some more confidence. Maybe get some cookies for my dad with Alzheimer so he can feel more happy and calm.

I am also thanking the heavens that I can just bake whenever I want. Haha. Baking for me is often a way to relief stress or bad feelings. I generally bake when I feel down. Can you imagine my bakes if I had that power? Or if I only could bake during happy times? I would probably have given up on baking. XD

Controversial opinion time. I could understand that mom was having a hard time, but ask for fucking help. Our MC needs someone to support her. To be there for her. To listen to her. To take time for her. To help out. She found no adults that were there for her. So she went for baking. And as she can infuse her feelings into baking.. you may just guess how things went in that regards. Again, I understand that for mom it is also hard. I understand. But ask for help. Get someone in the house to help out with things. To make sure your kid at least has one adult to catch her.

All in all, this is a wonderful graphic novel about baking, mourning/loss, friendship, and more! I would recommend it to all!

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[vaishnavi ☆ﾟ⁠.⁠* · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC
eARC recieved from NetGalley.

I fell in love with the art style as soon as I saw page one. The illustrations are colourful and expressive. You know what a character is feeling by just looking at them.

Crumble gives us a unique, original and intriguing plot, centered around a family with the magic to bake feelings into food. One feature I loved was the inclusion of actual recipes within the narrative! The book is aimed at kids and I bet they'll want to try creating some of their own baked goods using these recipes.

Crumble delves into themes of grief and other emotions that come with the loss of a loved one. And these feelings are hard to explain to a kid. How can you promise them that things will be okay when you yourself don't believe that? You don't know when things will get better but the book handles these heavy themes with sensitivity and doesn't make it scary. I did cry when Aunt Gina died.

Representation is another area Crumble does a brilliant job. The book has a wonderfully diverse cast, with characters of different sizes, colours, and backgrounds, without it being forceful. It's just like the real world. Our MC's best friend uses they/them pronouns and has two dads!

The story was just so lovely and heartbreaking at the same time - and deserving of 5 stars!

[Missie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crumble by Meredith McClaren is a moving graphic novel that, despite its brevity, delivers a powerful emotional experience. The story is a quick read, but it packs a punch, exploring themes of loss, isolation, and the complex emotions that come with it.

One of the standout elements for me was the magical realism woven into the narrative, particularly the way emotions are literally baked into the desserts. This creative approach added a unique layer to the story, making the characters’ feelings tangible and almost tasteable. It’s a clever metaphor that resonated deeply with me.

I also appreciated how the story portrays the well-meaning concern of those around the protagonist. Everyone wants to help or at least understand what happened, but there’s still a palpable sense of being alone and out of sorts. This contrast between the desire to connect and the reality of feeling isolated was captured beautifully and gave the story an added depth.

Overall, Crumble is a heartfelt and thought-provoking read that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page. It’s a testament to how graphic novels can convey complex emotions in a compact, yet impactful way.

[Kait W · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really well done middle-grade graphic novel that explores grief realistically amongst light fantasy that’s used to really a hold a mirror up to the struggle that exists in returning to daily life. The fantasy is minimal, focused mainly on our main character who is able to bake food that influences how a person is feeling, but does imply other characters also have powers or abilities beyond the real world. The recipe inclusions were wonderful and got me excited to try them. I loved the focus on friendship and family and trying to support each other despite struggling yourself. The artwork was also really cute and felt cozy despite the difficult topic. Also, we got significant nonbinary rep in the form of a major supporting character! I’d definitely recommend this title to others.

[Zac · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a real surprise! Sure, it’s about baking, with the magic of adding positive feelings like joy and confidence into what they bake, but it’s also a very emotional tale about grief. I was enjoying the warm fuzzies that I was getting from the story and then the creators punched me in the guts part way through, and the story went in a different direction. The writing and the illustrations are both wonderful and work so well together.

[Xmiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so surprised by how well the feeling of grief was described in this book. The cover is so happy and cute, and I will be honest when I say I didn't read the summary before reading the book. I think it could be very meaningful for a kid who lost someone close to them.

[Guisel Berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

damn aunt gina 😭 i wanted to read this to see if it would be a book my daughter would be into

received this as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review

[Sarah Stubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this from the author.

This was such a perfect way to explain grief and working through it to a younger audience. The art style was cute and I loved that it included recipes.

[Laura Mauro · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather fun one but not enougn to right home about. i liked the idead and loved how it tackled grief for the middle school set!!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel had me weeping and I enjoyed it fully.

[Kayla Zabcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

80%

Grief is a difficult topic for anyone, but it's particularly hard to talk about grief with kids; I think this book did an excellent job covering the topic and how it can affect a person.

[Wren Araneo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, it was pretty good. But I just didn't really understand the backstory, and I feel like they should have explained it a little bit more.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very sweet with an expert analogy around how we sometimes try to avoid grief.

[Makayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

how dare this book make me cry so hard.
addressing grief for kids is hard, but this was a really good job of it. I just happen to relate a little too hard as a person who also bakes her feelings. 5/5

[Leila · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was so sad about Aunt Gina 😓

[Arwa Hamdan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off as the book started getting more fun until the aunt dies in a car crash while the girl is at school and the part that where she can’t bake feelings because she was sad about her personal problems made me feel the people with so much problems are not special

[Tia Mcpherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this graphic novel.
I received this book at the beginning of the month I believe. It was a very quick read with me finishing most of it in about a day.

First I want to talk about the illustrations. They are so clear, vibrant, and overall adorable. From my experience with teaching children and in university, I’ve learned that children flock to books that have clear illustrations that are easy to follow. I believe that this graphic novel will appeal to children, especially little girls.

Crumble follows a girl named Emily and her family that have the unique ability to bake emotions into the treats they sell at the family bakery. The story deals with strong emotions and a tragic family event involving the MCs aunt named Gina. Meredith and Andrea did a fantastic job at portraying the characters emotions throughout the story. However, I wouldn’t recommend this book to children under 9 because of the topics involved.

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this gorgeous graphic novel in exchange for an honest review!

Okay, well this made me cry! Despite my last bereavement being 4 years ago, the pain never truly goes away and this middle grade graphic novel tapped straight into those emotions. This is the book I wish I’d read the first time I experienced loss and will be recommending to everyone going forward.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Crumble" follows the story of a young girl, Emily, who can bake her feelings into cookies, cupcakes and such. When people eat her wonderful bakes, they experience the emotions she baked, such as calmness, relief, and bravery. Everything is going great for Emily, until one day she suffers a tragic loss. Emily is warned that baking with negative feelings will come at a cost, but when the only thing that makes her feel betters is making crumble day in and day out, what will the consequences be?

I thought this graphic novel explored grief and emotional trauma in a way easy for kids to understand. It could definitely be helpful to a young child going through loss and the stages of grief. I loved the artwork and think it would be very appealing to the target audience(kids). It was bright and colorful, and the characters were cartoony and didn't have too many details to overwhelm young minds. I also really loved the inclusion of a non-binary character(Emily's best friend Dae). This graphic novel showed that even adults struggle with loss too and I think that's important for kids to understand.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review. 5/5 stars, recommended for kids/middle grade audience

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Emily, who, along with her aunt Gina and her mom have a magic power that allows them to bake feelings into food. They can only bake feelings. They can’t make them from other things they cook. And people come to their bakery to get a taste of feelings they want.

When Aunt Gina dies, Emily wants to keep baking, but no one wants to eat sadness, and that is all she has inside her. But she keeps trying to bake the sadness out, hoping that someday soon, she will be happy again.

Her mother doesn’t know she is doing this, and the problem with eating sadness is it makes you sick.

It is a good story to explain how grief makes you feel, and how you don’t have to “get over it” on some schedule. I liked how she worked through her feelings, and also the stupid things people said to her after the funeral, because kids will say those things.

Not a fun story, by any means, but sometimes books are good to read to feel things, and this one definitely does that.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out Feb 25, 2025.

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25

Themes / Representation:
Baking
Grief
School
Family
Friends
M/M Side Characters (friends parents)
Non-Binary side character
Magical realism

Content Warnings: Death of a loved one, car crash

A delicious and heartwarming story about dealing with grief and baking.

The artwork and colouring were beautiful, the story had excellent pacing, the characters were so raw and charming.

As someone who loves to bake, I loved seeing the recipes within the book and love the idea of baking feelings (especially positive ones!) into baked goods.

Similar concept to The Happy Shop where feelings are collected in jars and sold to customers, another graphic novel I really loved. I also think this is perfect for fans of Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier.

There’s also some LGBTQIA+ rep with Emily’s friend Dae being non-binary and having two Dads, great casual representation to see in a middle grade story.

Thank you to the publisher Algonquin Young Readers for providing me an e-copy of this graphic novel to review on NetGalley

[des · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crumble was such a cute, and wholesomely drawn graphic novel!! I seriously commend the author for tackling such a serious topic regarding grief and bad coping mechanisms in a way that younger readers and even older people can relate to and understand. I loved everything about it and wished it were longer.