From Scratch

by Gail Anderson-Dargatz, Sabrine Rock (Reading)

Cookie is about to lose her job at the local bakery. She dreams of owning her own bakery but doesn't think she has the skills or money to do it. Most of all, she doesn't have the self-confidence. When she takes a course at the local college, she finds she has much more going for her than she imagined. With the help of her community, she figures out how to make sure no one has to go without her famous doily cookies for long!

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook

Audio CD

Published November 1, 2017

About the author

Watch for Gail's new novel, The Almost Widow, a thriller, released May 2023.

GAIL ANDERSON-DARGATZ’s first novel, The Cure for Death by Lightning, was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and won the UK’s Betty Trask Award, the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize and the Vancity Book Prize. Her second novel, A Recipe for Bees, was nominated for the International Dublin Literary Award and was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. The Spawning Grounds was nominated for the Sunburst Award and the Ontario Library Association Evergreen Award and short-listed for the Canadian Authors Association Literary Award for Fiction. Her thriller, The Almost Wife was a national bestseller in 2021, and her most recent novel, The Almost Widow, is out in May 2023.

Gail also writes young adult and hi-lo books for the educational market. Her book Iggy’s World was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and shortlisted for the Chocolate Lily Book Awards. The Ride Home was short-listed for the Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize, as well as the Red Cedar Fiction Award and the Chocolate Lily Book Award.

She taught for nearly a decade in the MFA program in creative writing at the University of British Columbia and now mentors writers online. Gail Anderson-Dargatz lives in the Shuswap region of British Columbia.

Reviews

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 2 out of 5]

a small business manual disguised as a romance novel. It's slow but practical??? not what I expected.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 3.5 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)

I am a HUGE fan of Gail Anderson-Dargatz, so I will literally read anything by her! Rapid Reads is a collection of short stories written by well-known authors for those learning the English language (ESL Reading guides). I liked this cute story about a single-mother going back to school to learn about small businesses so she can open up her own Bakery/Diner. It is very simple writing but also has Dargatz-Anderson's writing style that sucks you into the story with well written characters and story.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute and exactly what I wanted after reading The Goldfinch

[أسيل · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so lighthearted, sweet, and actually inspiring.

[Derby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Edit: I originally gave this book a 1 star review. However, since then the author reached out to me to let me know that the book is for ESL and/or those with literacy issues. That explains why I found the writing too simple. This critical piece of information was never mentioned when the review copy was requested, nor was it mentioned upon delivery. It also is clearly marked as adult fiction on the ARC. Knowing who the audience is vastly improves my rating and opinion of the book, so I have adjusted my review to reflect that.

Original Review:
To begin with this really isn't a book. I would describe it as a novela. Also, this "book" is being promoted as an adult novel, but the writing is way to simple. It reads like a middle grade book, and had it been promoted as a middle grade book the rating would probably be higher. There was no depth to the story at all. There was a lot of dialog that was unnecessary and used to tell the reader how they should feel rather than using passages that make the reader feel something. Basically it was all tell and no show. The message of not giving up and starting small to work your to success are good themes. But they were delivered in an uninteresting and simplistic way. Again, it would be a great read for pre teens!

I received this book from the publisher via library thing.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Super short read. Cute story. And for those who like them, the receipe is at the end of the book.

[Jenn ~ Smalltown Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Rapid Read.

I picked up a stack of little books from the library, knowing nothing about Rapid Reads. Turns out they’re a collection of easily digestible quick read books. Simple language and concepts. Wrapped up in about 150 pages or less. This one was about a middle aged woman opening up her own bakery. Not a whole lot of depth. Okay book for a really fast read. Great book for ESL students or adult emerging readers.

[Joni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook. This was short and sweet and simple. From the authors note at the end, I learned this was written for those adults learning English but I also feel this book gives a spark of inspiration for those wanting to start their own business but feeling inadequate.

[Jada Boggs · Rating 2 out of 5]

i’ve never finished a book so quickly or been so confused about why i was reading a book

[diarhafsari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eva (atau kadang dipanggil Cookie) sudah belasan tahun bekerja di toko kue milik Diana di area pinggiran kota. Toko kue itu, setelah banyak toko lain di sekitarnya tutup dan/atau gulung tikar, menjadi satu-satunya tempat para warga berkumpul dan bersosialisasi. Namun, karena masalah kesehatan, Diana harus segera menutup bisnisnya.

Sebagai seorang ibu tunggal dengan satu putri yang masih harus ia biayai kuliahnya, Eva memberanikan diri mengambil kelas administrasi demi mempelajari "skill" baru agar bisa mencari pekerjaan lain begitu toko kue Diana tutup. Siapa sangka, justru setelah beberapa lama belajar di kelas itu, Eva malah termotivasi untuk memulai bisnis kuenya sendiri secara kecil-kecilan, yang target besarnya kelak untuk bisa mengambil alih toko kue Diana, sehingga warga akan tetap bisa punya tempat berkumpul.

Bisa dibilang bahwa buku ini adalah panduan memulai bisnis kue yang dibungkus dalam bentuk novel. Novel ini juga merupakan jenis buku "rapid reads" yang sengaja dibuat singkat dan dicetak dalam huruf berukuran besar, yang ditujukan, salah satunya, bagi pembaca dewasa dengan bahasa Inggris bukan bahasa utama mereka.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer's program.

At barely over 100 pages and with good sized text, From Scratch is certainly a rapid read. It only took me about a half an hour to get through.

Unfortunately, the shortness of the story required that events be told very quickly. As a result, I didn't feel like the characters had any depth to them and everything felt rushed.

The book also felt a bit like a lecture on confidence, personal relationships, and how to start a business. Rather than a fictional story with inspirational undertones, the self-help aspect is front and center.

I was actually glad the book was so short so I didn't spend more time on it.

[Pamela Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all my review is probably longer than this book, so if you’re looking for a short read this is it. I think that is why the publisher calls it Rapid Reads: at 104 pages you can read it in one sitting. From Scratch is a sweet story (pun intended) about a mom working in a bakery in a small town. When she finds out she is losing her job she panics, because it’s the one thing she loves and she doesn’t think she can do anything else. She also has to help support her college age daughter who hasn’t graduated yet.
The way she works through her dilemma is perfectly laid out for anyone young or old who needs a little inspiration. From Scratch is a very enjoyable light read, which would be good in e-readers. There is a bonus yummy recipe at the end. 3 stars

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cookie is about to lose her job at the local bakery-coffee shop when the owner decides to retire. With the help of her daughter and some of the bakery regulars, she learns how to start her own small business and makes some new friends along the way.
This book gives some good insight into how to go about starting a small business and was an enjoyable read as well. The characters were likable and believable and the story was engaging.

It is part of the rapid reads series of books , so it is short and easy to read. I enjoy this series, as it allows me to try new authors without investing a lot of time and if I find an author I like, I will go on to read their other books.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting, albeit short, read about a woman whose job working in a bakery becomes threatened when its owner plans on selling it. The book is intended to explain the steps involved in starting a small business through the plot of a novel that could be read by young people or struggling adult readers. It was also meaningful that it took place in a small town in Canada, and it includes a recipe for the cherished doily cookies described in the book.

[Michelle Chenard · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a memoir about an actress who fell in love with a chef in Italy. His family did not accept their marriage because she was not Italian and was black. However after he passed, she and her daughter spent summers in Sicily with her mother in law and was adopted by her community. She struggled after her husband died. The description of the book led me to believe that she learned to find happiness in Sicily. She found acceptance but not happiness. It was okay. I was hoping for more.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's funny the things we stumble upon in our lives. This book was one of them for me. As a high school teacher of Entrepreneurship, this short story basically lays out a semester course in everything you should consider when wanting to start a small business of your own. It also gave great examples of victories and setbacks that can happen to anyone going through the process. If I was still teaching, I might use it as a tool in my classroom.

[PoligirlReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know the goal of the Rapid Read series (to create approachable books for adults who are still learning to read or learning English), then you can appreciate this book. I thought it was sweet (pun intended) and had a lot of heart. It also spoke to the process and challenges of trying to start your own business. I felt invested in the characters and Anderson-Dargatz's writing style kept me engaged.

[Nancy Luebke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this clean romance. I received this book free and I voluntarily chose to review it. I've given it a 4.5* rating. It wasn't a fast moving story but it had a lot of feeling to it. This single mother struggled to do what she thought was right for her daughter. Without giving anymore away, it had a real nice ending.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasant short listen, well crafted by the author. Eva fulfills her wish of owning her own small business with the support of friends and family; and a robust business plan. This book is targeted to adult literacy learners. High interest content with a custom vocabulary and grammar/syntax. An enjoyable story with likeable characters a happy ending held my interest.

[Tariqah · Rating 2 out of 5]

My expectations were low, and rightfully so; there's nothing deep about a woman deciding to (finally) bake and sell cookies to afford a bakery she thought she wasn't worthy of running. However, I enjoyed the perky, all-too-optimistic tone of the short read and recommend it to anyone looking for a very quick, pick-me-up.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got the audiobook of this from a library and found it a slightly bizarre experience until I heard the author's note at the end - this would have been better placed at the beginning as naturally my expectations for a typical short listen are not the same as my expectations for an adult-ESL / basic small business starting guide.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was truly a ‘rapid read’. I started reading it sitting at swim lessons and finished at dance lessons. Cute story of figuring out that you can do it with just the right training and people supporting you. I can’t wait to try the Oatmeal Doily Cookies they give the recipe for at the end of the book!

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent choice for people looking to strengthen English reading and comprehension skills. The story is accessible and engaging, while including some insight into how to start a business. Includes several brief examples of puns, which is a clever way to introduce this type of word-play to English language learners.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, easy read about a woman who didn't finish high school because of an unplanned pregnancy. She works in a bakery and just as her daughter is about done with college, she learns she will be losing her job. Torn between low confidence and learning new things, she gathers the courage and builds a new dream. A good read!

[Ashley Bower · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really searching for a quick read for adults and came across this while browsing at the public library. The cover design caught my eye, and thought I’d give it a try. Enjoyed the book and was happy with how everything ended for the characters. If you’re looking for a quick read I recommend!

[Ericka Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good short novel, but I didn't realize it was meant as a beginners guide to opening your own business, so while I was listening i thought it was very basic and predictable. However, once I finished it, I enjoyed the story more.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice choice if you are looking for a clean, enjoyable book. Word count and vocabulary are appropriate for emerging adult readers. No drugs, death (one character is a widow but it’s only mentioned twice in a description), sex or violence.

[Ramona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not as interesting as the other short stories I have read, in this educational collection. Two people have to learn how to make a connection - with help from some friends and strangers, it is accomplished.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. It was a quick read.

[Melanie McFarlane · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet, rapid read for adult ESL students!