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All You Knead Is Love
Tanya Guerrero's All You Knead Is Love is a contemporary middle grade coming-of-age novel about a twelve-year-old multiracial Filipino and Spanish girl who goes to live with her grandmother for the summer, gaining confidence through a newly discovered passion for baking, perfect for fans of Hello, Universe and Merci Suarez Changes Gears .
Sometimes you find home where you least expect it.
Twelve-year-old Alba doesn't want to live with her estranged grandmother in Barcelona. She wants to stay with her mom, even if that means enduring her dad's cutting comments to them both.
But in her new home, Alba forms a close relationship with her grandmother, gains a supportive father figure and new friends, and even discovers a passion and talent for baking. And through getting to know the city her mother used to call home, Alba starts to understand her mother better―and may just be able to make their family whole again.
Sometimes you find home where you least expect it.
Twelve-year-old Alba doesn't want to live with her estranged grandmother in Barcelona. She wants to stay with her mom, even if that means enduring her dad's cutting comments to them both.
But in her new home, Alba forms a close relationship with her grandmother, gains a supportive father figure and new friends, and even discovers a passion and talent for baking. And through getting to know the city her mother used to call home, Alba starts to understand her mother better―and may just be able to make their family whole again.
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 30, 2021
17 people are currently reading
1753 people want to read
About the author
Tanya Guerrero
6 books266 followersTanya Guerrero is Filipino and Spanish by birth, but has been fortunate enough to call three countries home—the Philippines, Spain, and the United States. Currently, she lives in a shipping container home in the suburbs of Manila with her husband, daughter, and a menagerie of rescued cats and dogs. She has volunteered for animal welfare organizations since 2008, focusing on Trap/Neuter/Return and Rescue/Foster/Adopt. In her free time, she grows her own food, bakes, and reads. Farrar, Strauss and Giroux BYR has published three of her middle grade books, How to Make Friends with the Sea (2020), All You Knead is Love (2021) and Adrift (2022), which have been nominated for state awards, been selected for the Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, and been awarded the Gourmand Award for Best Food Fiction. Her adult debut, Cat's People, which she describes as the cat book of her heart, will be published by Delacorte/Penguin Random House on April 1, 2025.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
August 7, 2021
I swear the bread lover in me was so excited to pick up this book and it didn't disappoint. It's such a beautiful novel about love, family, acceptance, and self-discovery. Heart-wrenching in so many different ways, All You Knead Is Love is the middle grade story I didn't realize I needed4.5 Stars. CW: emotional abuse, discussion of physical abuse, child abuse.
All You Knead Is Love focuses on Alba who is sent to Barcelona to live with her grandmother as her mother attempts to leave her abusive father. While her mother is trying to navigate leaving this abusive relationship, she's cold and standoffish towards Alba which leads to emotional abuse. As a result, Alba doesn't feel as though anyone wants her and she feels extremely awkward going to stay with a grandmother she doesn't know that well. However, as time passes Alba realizes that she is beginning to enjoy being in Barcelona. She finds solace and a sense of routine in the local bakery with her mother's childhood best friend. It's through these routines that she learns more about her mother and life that she once lived before she met her father. There are so many things at play in the this novel in regard to family dynamics. When her mother makes it to Barcelona, Alba has a difficult time reconciling with who her mother was while they were in America and the mother she wants to be while they are in Spain. And quite frankly, I don't blame her. In order to find love within herself, Alba had to rely heavily on her Abeula Lola and family friends. She not only had to deal with a mother that was emotionally absent, but also a father that was both physically and emotionally abusive. Spain and her abeula became her safe space and it was difficult to allow her mother into that space. Guerrero did such a wonderful job handling such touch dynamics in a delicate, but realistic manner that is accessible to middle grade readers. The relationship that develops between Alba and Abeula Lola was absolutely beautiful. There was clearly a need for strong parental support and Abeula Lola was able to fill that hole. It didn't hurt that she also had so much support from community members.
There are a lot of various elements of representation that I also enjoyed. Alba is a Spanish Filipino American main character. There is discussion of gender identity. And this book is interlaced with Spanish and Tagalog phrases that add such a great element to the reading experience. There is a glossary for all of the terms for readers who are interested in knowing what they mean. This wasn't necessarily a fast paced read because of the heavy content, but it's extremely rewarding to see Alba blossom into such a confident person. She was hesitant and shy at first and ends up becoming this vocal individual that is determined to save the bakery from closure. Even with her mother coming back into the picture, Alba has this wonderful found family. Overall, I thought that this was a powerful and wonderful read and I can't wait to check out Guerrero's other book.
All You Knead Is Love focuses on Alba who is sent to Barcelona to live with her grandmother as her mother attempts to leave her abusive father. While her mother is trying to navigate leaving this abusive relationship, she's cold and standoffish towards Alba which leads to emotional abuse. As a result, Alba doesn't feel as though anyone wants her and she feels extremely awkward going to stay with a grandmother she doesn't know that well. However, as time passes Alba realizes that she is beginning to enjoy being in Barcelona. She finds solace and a sense of routine in the local bakery with her mother's childhood best friend. It's through these routines that she learns more about her mother and life that she once lived before she met her father. There are so many things at play in the this novel in regard to family dynamics. When her mother makes it to Barcelona, Alba has a difficult time reconciling with who her mother was while they were in America and the mother she wants to be while they are in Spain. And quite frankly, I don't blame her. In order to find love within herself, Alba had to rely heavily on her Abeula Lola and family friends. She not only had to deal with a mother that was emotionally absent, but also a father that was both physically and emotionally abusive. Spain and her abeula became her safe space and it was difficult to allow her mother into that space. Guerrero did such a wonderful job handling such touch dynamics in a delicate, but realistic manner that is accessible to middle grade readers. The relationship that develops between Alba and Abeula Lola was absolutely beautiful. There was clearly a need for strong parental support and Abeula Lola was able to fill that hole. It didn't hurt that she also had so much support from community members.
There are a lot of various elements of representation that I also enjoyed. Alba is a Spanish Filipino American main character. There is discussion of gender identity. And this book is interlaced with Spanish and Tagalog phrases that add such a great element to the reading experience. There is a glossary for all of the terms for readers who are interested in knowing what they mean. This wasn't necessarily a fast paced read because of the heavy content, but it's extremely rewarding to see Alba blossom into such a confident person. She was hesitant and shy at first and ends up becoming this vocal individual that is determined to save the bakery from closure. Even with her mother coming back into the picture, Alba has this wonderful found family. Overall, I thought that this was a powerful and wonderful read and I can't wait to check out Guerrero's other book.
October 13, 2021
Absolutely adored this middle grade novel. Read it on the recommendation from a colleague and I wasn't going to because I didn't like the cover, but you know what they say. This was a fantastic book about 12 year old Alba who is dealing with an abusive home life, until her mother sends her to live with her grandmother in Barcelona, Spain. There she discovers a newfound love of baking bread, and hopefully a better life. I will be recommending this book often, it was everything I love in a middle grade novel.
June 12, 2021
ALL MY LOVE. This middle school book managed to make me ravenous, break my heart, heal my soul, and make me come come thisclose to booking a flight to Barcelona. I don’t know if I’ve read a MG book that hit me so hard on all levels ~ this one blew me away. The culture, the relationships, the setting, the BREAD 🥰 I also very much appreciated the gender nonconformity element. The depiction of (remembered) domestic abuse is heartbreaking but not traumatic for the reader and the arc is incredibly healing. I can’t recommend this highly enough for kids and adults like me who want to travel in pages and feel all the feelings.
July 16, 2020
I was fortunate to read an advanced copy of ALL YOU KNEAD IS LOVE and I want to shout from the rooftops for everyone to get their hands on this absolutely brilliant upper middle grade tour-de-force. It’s sensitive, funny, emotionally complex, and extraordinarily well written, and it’s just so vivid in every way—characters, sense of place, food descriptions (!), and emotional nuance. 5 stars, deserves every award, wow. It is one of my favorite books I've ever read. I can't wait to have a finished hardcover on my shelf, cozy beside all the other favorite books I love with every bit of my heart and look to for comforting re-reads.
There is so much to love about it:
-It’s a brilliant character study that also has a satisfying and well-paced plot. Alba, the main character, is a complicated, deeply endearing person who has been through a very difficult childhood in a home where there is domestic violence. Over the course of the book, she gets to know her grandmother, discovers she loves baking bread, develops friendships (and a possible crush), navigates a complicated situation with her mother, and figures out who she wants to be and that it’s ok to risk feeling hopeful. I love that she is gender non-conforming, and confident about herself in that way (beyond stressing about comments from her mother sometimes).
-In fact, ALL of the characters are wonderful and complex and feel real—even the minor ones.
-Guerrero also completely nailed the voice and feeling and tension of being almost 13 in a way that seriously took my breath away. How did she do it?! It’s like she has a photographic memory of the emotions of that age and did such an amazing job of showing it on the page. VIVID.
-Some writers are just really, really talented at evoking a sense of place. They are able to make the setting its own character in the story. This is very hard to do—and Guerrero does it. Wow. I felt like I was in Barcelona and discovering its local communities along with Alba. I loved this aspect of the book so much. Can Guerrero please write about ten or twenty more books like this set in different places? A world tour? I will happily read all of them (or 10 more set in Barcelona or the Philippines, there are many more stories!)
-On top of the masterfully depicted setting, she also does an incredible job at food descriptions. I got so hungry reading this book! Wonderful meals are described (and made!)
I started pulling quotes partway through the book because at a sentence level, there were so many wonderful ones. Here are two (no spoilers):
“My stomach was filled with so many butterflies, I could have called it a butterfly conservatory and sold tickets."
“But the truth is, if you don’t love yourself, it doesn’t matter how much someone tries to love you. They can try and try and try, but at the end of the day, it’ll be for nothing."
I wish I had this book when I was 11-13 (and older). I would have read my library copy five times in a row and cried because I couldn’t buy a ticket and go hang out with Alba in Barcelona. I would have saved up my money and hoped it went into paperback so I could buy it. I would have loved it as much as I do now, and I encourage everyone to get this book for themselves and the kids in their lives.
There is so much to love about it:
-It’s a brilliant character study that also has a satisfying and well-paced plot. Alba, the main character, is a complicated, deeply endearing person who has been through a very difficult childhood in a home where there is domestic violence. Over the course of the book, she gets to know her grandmother, discovers she loves baking bread, develops friendships (and a possible crush), navigates a complicated situation with her mother, and figures out who she wants to be and that it’s ok to risk feeling hopeful. I love that she is gender non-conforming, and confident about herself in that way (beyond stressing about comments from her mother sometimes).
-In fact, ALL of the characters are wonderful and complex and feel real—even the minor ones.
-Guerrero also completely nailed the voice and feeling and tension of being almost 13 in a way that seriously took my breath away. How did she do it?! It’s like she has a photographic memory of the emotions of that age and did such an amazing job of showing it on the page. VIVID.
-Some writers are just really, really talented at evoking a sense of place. They are able to make the setting its own character in the story. This is very hard to do—and Guerrero does it. Wow. I felt like I was in Barcelona and discovering its local communities along with Alba. I loved this aspect of the book so much. Can Guerrero please write about ten or twenty more books like this set in different places? A world tour? I will happily read all of them (or 10 more set in Barcelona or the Philippines, there are many more stories!)
-On top of the masterfully depicted setting, she also does an incredible job at food descriptions. I got so hungry reading this book! Wonderful meals are described (and made!)
I started pulling quotes partway through the book because at a sentence level, there were so many wonderful ones. Here are two (no spoilers):
“My stomach was filled with so many butterflies, I could have called it a butterfly conservatory and sold tickets."
“But the truth is, if you don’t love yourself, it doesn’t matter how much someone tries to love you. They can try and try and try, but at the end of the day, it’ll be for nothing."
I wish I had this book when I was 11-13 (and older). I would have read my library copy five times in a row and cried because I couldn’t buy a ticket and go hang out with Alba in Barcelona. I would have saved up my money and hoped it went into paperback so I could buy it. I would have loved it as much as I do now, and I encourage everyone to get this book for themselves and the kids in their lives.
March 31, 2021
All You Knead Is Love is a heartwarming middle grade novel about identity, family, community, and of course, food. Set in the magical city of Barcelona, this new release is perfect for fans of middle grade books set in Europe! It also features a lovable grandmother, realistically depicted friendships, and a sweet inter-generational friendship. If you enjoy middle grade books about food, come prepared, this one will have you salivating throughout.
Read my full review on the blog.
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Read my full review on the blog.
Many thanks to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
December 28, 2020
This was such a heart print story. I cringed, I was angry, I laughed, and then I cried.
A story of belonging. Acceptance.
A story of being true to who you really are and learning to not settle.
Alba is a main character that everyone should meet. The way Tanya touches on physically abusive relationships allows kids to maybe see themselves or others in that situation, and not to pass judgement. Tanya hit some major issues in middle grade lives without overdoing it and making the reader feel uncomfortable. There was a sense of understanding, and empathy built in.
Can’t wait to get this into the hands of readers.
A story of belonging. Acceptance.
A story of being true to who you really are and learning to not settle.
Alba is a main character that everyone should meet. The way Tanya touches on physically abusive relationships allows kids to maybe see themselves or others in that situation, and not to pass judgement. Tanya hit some major issues in middle grade lives without overdoing it and making the reader feel uncomfortable. There was a sense of understanding, and empathy built in.
Can’t wait to get this into the hands of readers.
June 30, 2022
I really liked this middle grade novel! Following Alba around Barcelona was so much fun! I loved the way the author used bread making to help Alba deal with her stress. I also loved the relationship between Alba and her grandmother. The whole book was just so heart warming and lovely!
April 2, 2021
If you are looking for one more middle grade book to finish off your #middlegrademarch reading? This book just came out and it was fabulous!! It was the first book I read for our #springbreakathon readathon over spring break. It's filled with diversity, culture, and delicious food!!
The story follows a twelve-year-old girl named Alba who is sent away by her mom to live with her estranged grandmother in Barcelona. She is mad at her mom for sending her away, mad at her dad for being an angry drunk, and just feels all around unloved and a bit overwhelmed by her new surroundings.
But once in Barcelona, she forms a close relationship with her grandmother, meets an old friend of her mom's who teaches her to bake, and makes new friends that like her for who she is, not what she looks like. When the bakery that has become a safe place for her is threatened with closure, Alba is determined to find a way to save it. Her and her friends decide a new look and a few new gluten free options may be just what is needed to save the bakery. And while she's at it, she may be able to bring her family together again.
This is a darling story of finding one’s chosen family, accepting yourself, and baking.
The story follows a twelve-year-old girl named Alba who is sent away by her mom to live with her estranged grandmother in Barcelona. She is mad at her mom for sending her away, mad at her dad for being an angry drunk, and just feels all around unloved and a bit overwhelmed by her new surroundings.
But once in Barcelona, she forms a close relationship with her grandmother, meets an old friend of her mom's who teaches her to bake, and makes new friends that like her for who she is, not what she looks like. When the bakery that has become a safe place for her is threatened with closure, Alba is determined to find a way to save it. Her and her friends decide a new look and a few new gluten free options may be just what is needed to save the bakery. And while she's at it, she may be able to bring her family together again.
This is a darling story of finding one’s chosen family, accepting yourself, and baking.
June 1, 2021
"Arból de esperanza, mantente firme." -Frida Kahlo "Tree of hope, stand firm."
All You Knead is Love was such an immersive and satisfying read, even though there were hard-hitting topics intertwined withing the storyline I just couldn't help but relate and root for Alba!
Every single character stood out and felt life-like Abuela Lola, Toni, Marie, Joaquin, Manny, Eduardo, and of course Alba!
Alba is sent to live with her grandmother in Barcelona and this is where her journey of self-discovery begins! A story not only about healing, but discovering family where you least expect it! Found family is one of my favorite tropes and this one showcased it beautiful!
Atmospheric and heartfelt, I felt like I was in Barcelona sharing meals with all the incredible diverse characters, strolling through the streets and talking to strangers, or baking bread with Tony and Alba!
In the city, Alba learns to heal from a childhood of abuse from her parents and how to forgive as well! I really loved that Alba was a complex character but also felt comfortable in her own skin and who she portrayed to the world!
Overall, All You Knead is Love is a beautiful concoction of culture, cooking, and finding yourself where you least expect it!
A few things that stood out are the overuse of onomatopoeia words like one too many within the context of the book. There is a penis joke one that did shock me in a middle grade read. While I understand that cultures are different this might be considered before giving it as a gift. An abusive, alcoholic father is presented in this book.
All You Knead is Love was such an immersive and satisfying read, even though there were hard-hitting topics intertwined withing the storyline I just couldn't help but relate and root for Alba!
Every single character stood out and felt life-like Abuela Lola, Toni, Marie, Joaquin, Manny, Eduardo, and of course Alba!
Alba is sent to live with her grandmother in Barcelona and this is where her journey of self-discovery begins! A story not only about healing, but discovering family where you least expect it! Found family is one of my favorite tropes and this one showcased it beautiful!
Atmospheric and heartfelt, I felt like I was in Barcelona sharing meals with all the incredible diverse characters, strolling through the streets and talking to strangers, or baking bread with Tony and Alba!
In the city, Alba learns to heal from a childhood of abuse from her parents and how to forgive as well! I really loved that Alba was a complex character but also felt comfortable in her own skin and who she portrayed to the world!
Overall, All You Knead is Love is a beautiful concoction of culture, cooking, and finding yourself where you least expect it!
A few things that stood out are the overuse of onomatopoeia words like one too many within the context of the book. There is a penis joke one that did shock me in a middle grade read. While I understand that cultures are different this might be considered before giving it as a gift. An abusive, alcoholic father is presented in this book.
November 24, 2020
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and the publisher for an eARC of this book.
I loved the author's debut book, How to Make Friends With The Sea, so I was delighted to get a chance to read this book before its publication date. There are many things I enjoyed about this upper middle grade story, including all the BREAD!
Alba's mother unexpectedly sends her to live with her estranged grandmother in Spain for a while. Feeling rejected, Alba is surprised to arrive in Barcelona and find a welcoming and loving grandmother who accepts Alba's short hair, rock band T-shirts, and desire to dress for comfort rather than fashion. Alba also befriends a baker whom she later discovers was her mother's childhood best friend. He mentors her in the kitchen and gives Alba an opportunity to focus on learning the art of breadmaking while providing support Alba never received from her own father. Just when Alba thinks her life is turning around, her mother shows up and announces that she's left Alba's father, who has been abusing her for several years. Alba struggles with learning about her mom's past, reconciling that with the parent that's raised her, and finding a way to move forward with the one her mother now wants to be. In the midst of all this, the bakery that Alba loves is threatened with closure, and she desperately wants to find a way to hold on to a place that matters so much to her.
I loved Alba's grandmother, Abuela Lola, and her strong, loving presence in Alba's life. Alba blossomed in her home, and the supportive community of people with whom she was connected offered Alba the acceptance and support she so desperately needed. I also really enjoyed how much culture there was in this story, and how beautifully it was described. The streets of Barcelona really came alive for me with the sights, sounds, and smells that were described. Food was a integral part of the story, and not only did Alba connect to her Filipino heritage, but Spanish and Chinese dishes play important roles in fostering community. I appreciated that Abuela Lola asked Alba shortly after she arrived what gender she identified with, and Alba communicated that she identified as a girl but dressed the way that made her comfortable.
I think young readers will find many ways to relate to Alba and her trust issues, while also finding hope from her story.
I loved the author's debut book, How to Make Friends With The Sea, so I was delighted to get a chance to read this book before its publication date. There are many things I enjoyed about this upper middle grade story, including all the BREAD!
Alba's mother unexpectedly sends her to live with her estranged grandmother in Spain for a while. Feeling rejected, Alba is surprised to arrive in Barcelona and find a welcoming and loving grandmother who accepts Alba's short hair, rock band T-shirts, and desire to dress for comfort rather than fashion. Alba also befriends a baker whom she later discovers was her mother's childhood best friend. He mentors her in the kitchen and gives Alba an opportunity to focus on learning the art of breadmaking while providing support Alba never received from her own father. Just when Alba thinks her life is turning around, her mother shows up and announces that she's left Alba's father, who has been abusing her for several years. Alba struggles with learning about her mom's past, reconciling that with the parent that's raised her, and finding a way to move forward with the one her mother now wants to be. In the midst of all this, the bakery that Alba loves is threatened with closure, and she desperately wants to find a way to hold on to a place that matters so much to her.
I loved Alba's grandmother, Abuela Lola, and her strong, loving presence in Alba's life. Alba blossomed in her home, and the supportive community of people with whom she was connected offered Alba the acceptance and support she so desperately needed. I also really enjoyed how much culture there was in this story, and how beautifully it was described. The streets of Barcelona really came alive for me with the sights, sounds, and smells that were described. Food was a integral part of the story, and not only did Alba connect to her Filipino heritage, but Spanish and Chinese dishes play important roles in fostering community. I appreciated that Abuela Lola asked Alba shortly after she arrived what gender she identified with, and Alba communicated that she identified as a girl but dressed the way that made her comfortable.
I think young readers will find many ways to relate to Alba and her trust issues, while also finding hope from her story.
August 13, 2021
This story is like the inside of a loaf of fresh bread--warm and soft. Alba's mother sends her away to her grandmother in Barcelona, who Alba does not know. She feels like she's being thrown away-- her father is abusive and her mother is not demonstrative at all. Alba is 12 and feels totally unloved and lost. Luckily her grandmother is warm, loving, and has her own amazing found family in Barcelona. She owns a Chinese restaurant that is managed by a sweet family, and has the most amazing gay neighbors who are antique dealers with a costume collection! Alba gets to be part of her abuela's found family, and she accidentally meets Toni, who runs a bakery in the neighborhood, where she learns to make bread while she has insomnia in the wee hours. Toni was friends with Alba's mother years ago, and describes her as funny and vibrant-- not the mother that Alba knows at all! So when Alba's mother shows up in Barcelona, they get to know each other as humans a little bit better. There are some kids Alba's age who she befriends slowly, and who accept her unconditionally--and who encourage her genderqueer presentation which has been a bone of contention with her abusive father.
Alba's grandmother is Filipino and speaks Tagalog with friends in the book, and of course there is also some Spanish thrown in. It felt like being immersed in this wonderfully diverse neighborhood in Barcelona. The book is like a warm hug! It felt a big unrealistic that the father doesn't cause more trouble because those abusers always do-- but I suppose that is really more of a problem for the adults to deal with. CW for child abuse and spousal abuse on the page.
Alba's grandmother is Filipino and speaks Tagalog with friends in the book, and of course there is also some Spanish thrown in. It felt like being immersed in this wonderfully diverse neighborhood in Barcelona. The book is like a warm hug! It felt a big unrealistic that the father doesn't cause more trouble because those abusers always do-- but I suppose that is really more of a problem for the adults to deal with. CW for child abuse and spousal abuse on the page.
March 16, 2021
Review originally published 16 March 2021 at Falling Letters. I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
I feel like I have now read enough excellent middle grade books that feature protagonists cooking or baking that I should make a list of them. All You Knead is Love would be the latest addition to that list.
When I read middle grade contemporary, I often do so from a professional perspective. I prefer fantasy; I read contemporary to be aware of great new titles with diverse representation. Rarely do I connect with middle grade protagonists on a personal level. So I was surprised to find myself relating to Alba, even though our experiences differ greatly. Feelings of anger and frustration and sadness and the desire to run away from the problems that cause those feelings? Probably relatable to a lot of readers these days! At one point, I wrote a note, “Kid, I am feeling this”.
This is not to diminish Alba’s personal experiences. The story opens with Alba’s mother loading her onto a plane to Spain, because she doesn’t want Alba around as she tries to leave her abusive husband (Alba’s father). Alba has had a rough go of things, with a fractured relationship with her mother due to the abuse they have both experienced at the hands of Alba’s father. Alba’s parents also take issue with her gender expression. Her father’s downright awful about it; her mother wants her to be more feminine.
Abuela Lola (grandmother in Spanish and Tagalog), on the other hand, takes no issue, asking Alba about her gender identity early on in a poignant scene. Guerrero has noted, “I decided to make Alba non-gender conforming like my own daughter, because I felt there was a void in MG literature when it comes to representation like hers. Both my daughter and Alba identify as she/her, but they do not conform to the traditional mold of what a girl is supposed to be.”
Alba’s relationship with the grandmother she never knew is one of my favourite parts of the story. Throughout the story, Alba contrasts her experiences with Abuela Lola to what she has experienced growing up with her parents. In one instance, as Alba and Abuela Lola sit down to dinner, Alba notes that “Having someone there, and present, was disorienting” (16%), because it’s such a contrast to how she often ate dinner with her mother.
As Alba grows comfortable living with Abuela Lola, baking with her mother’s childhood friend Toni, and exploring Barcelona with Toni’s son Joaquim and Marie (daughter of the Chinese family who owns a restaurant in Abuela Lola’s building),
At almost four hundred pages, there are further strengths in this story that I haven’t commented on. I’ve alluded to other key relationships in the paragraph above, but I haven’t touched on Alba’s experience with the Filipino community her grandmother introduces her to. Different aspects of family (blood, found, repaired, rediscovered) play a central role in the story. Alba and Abuela Lola’s relationship is just one exemplar. Alba also experiences her first ‘romantic’ encounters, in a way that’s entirely appropriate for middle grade and doesn’t overshadow other aspects of the story. I have to say I am glad there was no ‘redemptive’ romantic storyline for Alba’s mother! Overall, All You Knead is Love beautifully explores family, community, and finding belonging.
Oh, and I can’t wrap up this review without commenting on the setting. How nice it would be to wander the narrow streets and bask in the sun on a Barcelona beach right now… Guerrero’s descriptions did a great job at transporting me away from the grey dreary pandemic winter of the west coast.
The Bottom Line 💭:Although a lengthy tale, All You Knead is Love uses every page to tell a full and satisfying story that explores growing up with an abusive parent, expressing yourself in the way you feel most comfortable, and finding both your place in community and your passion.
I feel like I have now read enough excellent middle grade books that feature protagonists cooking or baking that I should make a list of them. All You Knead is Love would be the latest addition to that list.
When I read middle grade contemporary, I often do so from a professional perspective. I prefer fantasy; I read contemporary to be aware of great new titles with diverse representation. Rarely do I connect with middle grade protagonists on a personal level. So I was surprised to find myself relating to Alba, even though our experiences differ greatly. Feelings of anger and frustration and sadness and the desire to run away from the problems that cause those feelings? Probably relatable to a lot of readers these days! At one point, I wrote a note, “Kid, I am feeling this”.
This is not to diminish Alba’s personal experiences. The story opens with Alba’s mother loading her onto a plane to Spain, because she doesn’t want Alba around as she tries to leave her abusive husband (Alba’s father). Alba has had a rough go of things, with a fractured relationship with her mother due to the abuse they have both experienced at the hands of Alba’s father. Alba’s parents also take issue with her gender expression. Her father’s downright awful about it; her mother wants her to be more feminine.
Abuela Lola (grandmother in Spanish and Tagalog), on the other hand, takes no issue, asking Alba about her gender identity early on in a poignant scene. Guerrero has noted, “I decided to make Alba non-gender conforming like my own daughter, because I felt there was a void in MG literature when it comes to representation like hers. Both my daughter and Alba identify as she/her, but they do not conform to the traditional mold of what a girl is supposed to be.”
Alba’s relationship with the grandmother she never knew is one of my favourite parts of the story. Throughout the story, Alba contrasts her experiences with Abuela Lola to what she has experienced growing up with her parents. In one instance, as Alba and Abuela Lola sit down to dinner, Alba notes that “Having someone there, and present, was disorienting” (16%), because it’s such a contrast to how she often ate dinner with her mother.
As Alba grows comfortable living with Abuela Lola, baking with her mother’s childhood friend Toni, and exploring Barcelona with Toni’s son Joaquim and Marie (daughter of the Chinese family who owns a restaurant in Abuela Lola’s building),
At almost four hundred pages, there are further strengths in this story that I haven’t commented on. I’ve alluded to other key relationships in the paragraph above, but I haven’t touched on Alba’s experience with the Filipino community her grandmother introduces her to. Different aspects of family (blood, found, repaired, rediscovered) play a central role in the story. Alba and Abuela Lola’s relationship is just one exemplar. Alba also experiences her first ‘romantic’ encounters, in a way that’s entirely appropriate for middle grade and doesn’t overshadow other aspects of the story. I have to say I am glad there was no ‘redemptive’ romantic storyline for Alba’s mother! Overall, All You Knead is Love beautifully explores family, community, and finding belonging.
Oh, and I can’t wrap up this review without commenting on the setting. How nice it would be to wander the narrow streets and bask in the sun on a Barcelona beach right now… Guerrero’s descriptions did a great job at transporting me away from the grey dreary pandemic winter of the west coast.
The Bottom Line 💭:Although a lengthy tale, All You Knead is Love uses every page to tell a full and satisfying story that explores growing up with an abusive parent, expressing yourself in the way you feel most comfortable, and finding both your place in community and your passion.
April 20, 2021
All you knead is this book. And after you read it, all you'll knead is bread. (Luckily, my boyfriend is a bread fiend, and he's been baking it himself lately.)
I have been looking forward to this book for what feels like months now, and I am so delighted to say that it did not disappoint. The story follows Alba, who is sent to Barcelona to live with her estranged grandmother for the summer while--unbeknownst to her--her mom works up the courage to leave her abusive husband. While she's in the city, Alba connects with her roots and people, perhaps the most important of whom is Toni, her mom's old friend. Toni teaches Alba to bake, something she never expected to be good at, but finds she loves.
But business cannot get by on bread alone, and so Alba--along with her new friends Joaquim, Marie, and some other unexpected help--embarks on a plan to save the bakery that she feels has helped save her.
I loved this book. Aside from the absolutely adorable cover, and the mouth-watering descriptions of food, I also loved Alba herself. She's twelve, feels awkward in tougher/new situations, and works hard when she's found something she likes to do. Has short hair. Honestly, aside from her family background, I could be describing my younger self. But these are not the only reasons I found Alba to be such a great main character: there's also the willingness to learn and grow, to open up and learn to be patient after going through trauma, and especially her determination to make things okay.
The side characters were also excellent. Their diversity is not the only reason they are so great, but it was wonderful to see such a varied cast. My favorites were Eduardo and Manny, who have a Room of Curiosities in their home that includes costumes from a drag-queen version of The Wizard of Oz. And of course, there are the friends, who each have their own niche interests: Joaquim who is in a band and loves David Bowie just as much as Alba, and Marie who wants to be an architect. (The fact that middle grade characters have incredibly specific interests is fascinating to me, and I love seeing what authors come up with for them.) There's a hint of romance, but it's fairly minor, and the characters remain friends when one of them isn't super sure about it.
I also feel like I need to give a shout out to the way Alba's relationship with her mother is portrayed. I haven't experienced anything like what they have, but I personally thought both side of it were done really well, from Alba's hesitancy to trust that her mother is really done with her father, to her mother's difficulty in regaining the sense of self she had before her marriage.
The end of this book, by the way, is so cute and perfect, and really encapsulates the phrase "home is where the heart is." You'll see what I mean.
I have been looking forward to this book for what feels like months now, and I am so delighted to say that it did not disappoint. The story follows Alba, who is sent to Barcelona to live with her estranged grandmother for the summer while--unbeknownst to her--her mom works up the courage to leave her abusive husband. While she's in the city, Alba connects with her roots and people, perhaps the most important of whom is Toni, her mom's old friend. Toni teaches Alba to bake, something she never expected to be good at, but finds she loves.
But business cannot get by on bread alone, and so Alba--along with her new friends Joaquim, Marie, and some other unexpected help--embarks on a plan to save the bakery that she feels has helped save her.
I loved this book. Aside from the absolutely adorable cover, and the mouth-watering descriptions of food, I also loved Alba herself. She's twelve, feels awkward in tougher/new situations, and works hard when she's found something she likes to do. Has short hair. Honestly, aside from her family background, I could be describing my younger self. But these are not the only reasons I found Alba to be such a great main character: there's also the willingness to learn and grow, to open up and learn to be patient after going through trauma, and especially her determination to make things okay.
The side characters were also excellent. Their diversity is not the only reason they are so great, but it was wonderful to see such a varied cast. My favorites were Eduardo and Manny, who have a Room of Curiosities in their home that includes costumes from a drag-queen version of The Wizard of Oz. And of course, there are the friends, who each have their own niche interests: Joaquim who is in a band and loves David Bowie just as much as Alba, and Marie who wants to be an architect. (The fact that middle grade characters have incredibly specific interests is fascinating to me, and I love seeing what authors come up with for them.) There's a hint of romance, but it's fairly minor, and the characters remain friends when one of them isn't super sure about it.
I also feel like I need to give a shout out to the way Alba's relationship with her mother is portrayed. I haven't experienced anything like what they have, but I personally thought both side of it were done really well, from Alba's hesitancy to trust that her mother is really done with her father, to her mother's difficulty in regaining the sense of self she had before her marriage.
The end of this book, by the way, is so cute and perfect, and really encapsulates the phrase "home is where the heart is." You'll see what I mean.
October 23, 2021
I'm not sure I've ever read a book set in Barcelona, so I found the setting of ALL YOU KNEAD IS LOVE to be unique and refreshing. The blend of Spanish and Filipino cultures is a fun story element, giving the story an original flair. I also enjoyed the novel's emphasis on community, family, acceptance, and forgiveness/second chances. Although it deals with some tough subject matter, overall the tale is hopeful and empowering.
I didn't love Alba, who spends most of the story acting self-centered and victim-y. She's sympathetic, but I got tired of everything being about her own pain and suffering. She does grow over the novel, becoming more likable in the end, but I still didn't care for her much. The other characters in the book are colorful and fun, which helped balance out Alba's more annoying qualities.
As far as pacing goes, ALL YOU KNEAD IS LOVE feels slow and overly long. The plot (Alba's quest to save the bakery) doesn't really start until around page 200 and even then, it really doesn't cause THAT much conflict. As a result, the story gets dull in places, sagging with too much detail and too many unnecessary scenes. I hung in there, but I'm not sure a middle grader would.
All in all, then, ALL YOU KNEAD IS LOVE ended up being just an average read for me. While there were a lot of things I liked about the novel, there were a number of things that irritated me, dampening my overall enjoyment of the book.
I didn't love Alba, who spends most of the story acting self-centered and victim-y. She's sympathetic, but I got tired of everything being about her own pain and suffering. She does grow over the novel, becoming more likable in the end, but I still didn't care for her much. The other characters in the book are colorful and fun, which helped balance out Alba's more annoying qualities.
As far as pacing goes, ALL YOU KNEAD IS LOVE feels slow and overly long. The plot (Alba's quest to save the bakery) doesn't really start until around page 200 and even then, it really doesn't cause THAT much conflict. As a result, the story gets dull in places, sagging with too much detail and too many unnecessary scenes. I hung in there, but I'm not sure a middle grader would.
All in all, then, ALL YOU KNEAD IS LOVE ended up being just an average read for me. While there were a lot of things I liked about the novel, there were a number of things that irritated me, dampening my overall enjoyment of the book.
May 10, 2021
Wait....a book that doesn't slam people for medical diets? I might be moved to tears......
Guerrero's story follows Alba, a Spainish-Fillipino-American girl who is sent to live with her Abuela Lola in Spain. Her mother is trying to escape an abusive marriage, and to do so, she felt it was safest to send her young daughter away while she does so.
This is an amazing Middle Grade novel. Alba refuses to bow down to gender norms in a way I've rarely seen - she doesn't hate girly-girls nor does she devalue transfolk. This story celebrates cooking and baking, their power for happiness and healing. It acknowledges that many people can't eat the same food for medical reasons but understands they, too, deserve the same happiness baked goods bring. The story dwells in the dark, difficult topic of abusive marriages and how they can affect children. In the end, though, it is a story of hope, showing there is light at the end of the tunnel. Alba has never felt loved before - but she finds it. Every tyranny will come to an end.
Content Warnings: Abusive father. Also, this book is a bit "naughty" for a MG novel in that there is some swearing and a rather dirty joke. I think it's OK, but you may want to look through it if you're reading to a younger audience!
Guerrero's story follows Alba, a Spainish-Fillipino-American girl who is sent to live with her Abuela Lola in Spain. Her mother is trying to escape an abusive marriage, and to do so, she felt it was safest to send her young daughter away while she does so.
This is an amazing Middle Grade novel. Alba refuses to bow down to gender norms in a way I've rarely seen - she doesn't hate girly-girls nor does she devalue transfolk. This story celebrates cooking and baking, their power for happiness and healing. It acknowledges that many people can't eat the same food for medical reasons but understands they, too, deserve the same happiness baked goods bring. The story dwells in the dark, difficult topic of abusive marriages and how they can affect children. In the end, though, it is a story of hope, showing there is light at the end of the tunnel. Alba has never felt loved before - but she finds it. Every tyranny will come to an end.
Content Warnings: Abusive father. Also, this book is a bit "naughty" for a MG novel in that there is some swearing and a rather dirty joke. I think it's OK, but you may want to look through it if you're reading to a younger audience!
May 13, 2021
This book touches on various issues, from dealing with family’s abandonment, finding one-self, finding new family, to forming a new friendship and saving a bakery shop.
It was done well. It captures the voice of a 13-year-old perfectly: angsty, moody, angry, confused, but also energetic, easy to start new things, fierce, and kind. I currently have a 14yo so I know exactly what it's like to be a tween, or to live with one. Reading Alba's story is like reflecting on my own kid's journey. It's raw and in some part, painful, but it's all a part of growing up. Love that the author didn't shield the readers away from the real issues in the real world. There was a hint of abuse in the story background, enough to show us the trauma it caused, but elegant enough to still give our young readers hope. This is the true meaning of MG genre, isn't it? To give our young children hope and courage so they can march out there and leave their marks in the world.
If you're a Primary/Secondary teacher, or parents with tween, this is a perfect book for your children. I don't rate MG books often (I'm extra choosy with MG), but when I do like an MG book, trust me it's good!
It was done well. It captures the voice of a 13-year-old perfectly: angsty, moody, angry, confused, but also energetic, easy to start new things, fierce, and kind. I currently have a 14yo so I know exactly what it's like to be a tween, or to live with one. Reading Alba's story is like reflecting on my own kid's journey. It's raw and in some part, painful, but it's all a part of growing up. Love that the author didn't shield the readers away from the real issues in the real world. There was a hint of abuse in the story background, enough to show us the trauma it caused, but elegant enough to still give our young readers hope. This is the true meaning of MG genre, isn't it? To give our young children hope and courage so they can march out there and leave their marks in the world.
If you're a Primary/Secondary teacher, or parents with tween, this is a perfect book for your children. I don't rate MG books often (I'm extra choosy with MG), but when I do like an MG book, trust me it's good!
May 21, 2021
Tweleve year old Alba doesn't want to leave New York to go live with estranged grandmother in Barcelona even though life at home isn't great with her dad's abusive comments towards her and her mother. But soon Alba finds that she likes living with her grandmother and the city of Barcelona itself; she starts making friends, building a family, and discovers her passion for baking bread. But when the bakery Alba has been assisting in is in danger of closing and her mother finally leaves her father Alba's world is shaken again. Unlike the old Alba this Alba is determined to find a way to save the bakery and find a way to have a relationship with her mother.
This book reminds me a lot of Summer of a Thousand Pies which I also loved. This book did a great job of showing how trauma can affect youth without being overbearing about it. I loved all of the bread making and the mixing of cultures. A great recommendation for a reader who likes baking/food, books set in another place, and/or books about overcoming a struggle.
This book reminds me a lot of Summer of a Thousand Pies which I also loved. This book did a great job of showing how trauma can affect youth without being overbearing about it. I loved all of the bread making and the mixing of cultures. A great recommendation for a reader who likes baking/food, books set in another place, and/or books about overcoming a struggle.
October 30, 2021
This book is such a gift. 💕 It is so beautiful and powerful. It took my heart and wrapped it in a sweater knit by Abuela Lola and fed it sourdough bread and showed it around Barcelona and then put it back into my body feeling soooo goood. Ahhh, this book. 🥰
The thing I loved most was the characters. They are all diverse, kind, and genuine. I love them ALL. And Alba!! She is so real.
Also, the writing in this story is beautiful. The intricacies of the people, the city, Alba’s thoughts… it is all so warm and inviting.
This book is magic. Pure magic. I loved it with all of my heart. ❤️🧡💛
The thing I loved most was the characters. They are all diverse, kind, and genuine. I love them ALL. And Alba!! She is so real.
Also, the writing in this story is beautiful. The intricacies of the people, the city, Alba’s thoughts… it is all so warm and inviting.
This book is magic. Pure magic. I loved it with all of my heart. ❤️🧡💛
August 19, 2025
This was very cute! If I didn't already want to go to Spain, I definitely would after reading this. I appreciated Guerrero's approach to handling parental domestic abuse in this middle grade. There is no denying what is going on, but we never directly see it happen (except for one flash back scene). The subtle queerness in this book was so interesting, I haven't read a middle grade book before where the main character seems quite comfortable and grounded in their gender, but because of their presentation most adult characters are the ones struggling. The two things that I wish I had seen in this book are Alba in therapy (immediately), and any attempt on Alba's part to learn Spanish. Alba is continuously triggered throughout the book and prone to flashbacks and probably anxiety attacks, and I'm sorry but even beautiful Barcelona isn't going to cure that. And even when she is insecure about being an American with no grasp of the language, she never says more than a few basic words in Spanish. Ultimately though I would recommend this book, and also I think Joaquim is beautiful and wonderful.
February 3, 2022
I loved everything about this book. Alba is a character that will live with me for a long time. Rich in emotional brush strokes of loss, loneliness and uncertainty and broader strokes of love, personal growth and triumph. From the very start I was rooting for Alba and I could feel my young 13 year old self relating to her emotions and new experiences. At the same time, the mother in me just wanted to hug her and help her on her journey of self discovery. I loved her relationship with her Grandmother and their relationship reminded me of mine with both my beloved Grandmothers. This book was a great example of balance of story and background, culture and characters and dialogue and environment to bring everything together seamlessly on every single page. Young and old would find inspiration while reading this book but most of all, you’ll find some part of yourself relating to Alba and her loving and supportive family and friends in this delightful and heartwarming story.
February 22, 2022
Three favorite topics, beautifully wrapped in a deep story.
All You Knead is Love is a deep middle-grade fiction that chronicles a young teen’s acceptance of herself as she transitions from an abusive and broken family dynamic with her parents into the warm, kind and vibrant arms of her grandmother’s world in beautiful Barcelona. This story has captured three of my personal favorite things: music, baking, and travel. The author masterfully “kneads” these ingredients into a delicious page-turner that has me digging up my favorite David Bowie playlists, baking country loaves of bread, and dreaming of my next trip to Barcelona. The only reason why this book didn’t earn 5 stars from me is because I didn’t love the writing style. It felt a little too “stream-of-consciousness” for my taste, but luckily the story was so captivating that I didn’t notice the writing too often. Well worth reading!
All You Knead is Love is a deep middle-grade fiction that chronicles a young teen’s acceptance of herself as she transitions from an abusive and broken family dynamic with her parents into the warm, kind and vibrant arms of her grandmother’s world in beautiful Barcelona. This story has captured three of my personal favorite things: music, baking, and travel. The author masterfully “kneads” these ingredients into a delicious page-turner that has me digging up my favorite David Bowie playlists, baking country loaves of bread, and dreaming of my next trip to Barcelona. The only reason why this book didn’t earn 5 stars from me is because I didn’t love the writing style. It felt a little too “stream-of-consciousness” for my taste, but luckily the story was so captivating that I didn’t notice the writing too often. Well worth reading!
June 15, 2023
O matko, jakie to było urocze i wzruszające! Momentami trochę mi się dłużyła, kilka elementów nie łączy mi się w głowie w całość, ale ostatecznie spłakałam się na końcówce i patrząc na całość - cudowna! Chwilami prawie czułam w dłoniach ciasto i już chciałam lecieć do kuchni, żeby upiec coś pysznego, totalnie jestem fanem opisywania wypieków w książkach. W całym tym cieple książka porusza trochę trudnych tematów - chociażby przemoc w rodzinie i trudne relacje rodzinne. Co prawda trochę czasu mi z nią zeszło i po drodze nie miałam ochoty na słuchanie jej, ale nie wiem czemu, bo to naprawdę cudownie ciepła opowieść :).
April 10, 2022
Sweet story. I’m glad I had the audio and the print edition for this one - especially for the sprinkles of the Spanish and Tagalog languages. The first chapter gave me reason to continue reading - why did Alba’s mom ship her off to her grandmother’s house? Then “Abuela Lola” was intriguing to me - she’s Spanish and Filipino. Alba was still lost at first in Barcelona, and as soon as she ran away to an alley and met Toni, the owner of a bakery, she became enamored with baking (and he provided support her abusive father did not). I liked watching Alba find herself, find who her mom really was, and figure out her relationship with others, yet I thought this went a bit quickly. I didn’t really have a sense of how much time had passed - including the flashbacks Alba had - so that could be why.
October 5, 2023
A captivating story about a girl navigating her way through a difficult family situation.
Middle-grade books are tackling tough subjects and making them understandable for all ages.
Middle-grade books are tackling tough subjects and making them understandable for all ages.
Audiobook source: Libby
Narrator: Becca Q. Co
Length: 8H 52M
August 3, 2021
3.5 stars
August 13, 2022
A Maine Student Book Award Nominee for 2022|2023
When Alba is forced to move halfway across the world to live with her grandmother in Spain, she’s feeling abandoned, adrift and unloved. While there, she learns so much about herself and her new community. This was a beautiful story about found family and finding yourself.
When Alba is forced to move halfway across the world to live with her grandmother in Spain, she’s feeling abandoned, adrift and unloved. While there, she learns so much about herself and her new community. This was a beautiful story about found family and finding yourself.
August 3, 2021
[3.5/5]
A warm, filling book with decadent food descriptions and a trilingual glossary; what more can you ask for? Our main character feels very real and distinctly pre-teen in her emotions. Alba's habit of running away and her easily flipped emotions feel not only very 12 years old but very child living through trauma. It's pretty amazing to me to see how much more deeply middle grade books cover the tough stuff and how much more representative of all groups they can be from when I was young.
I wish we had gotten to spend more time with Alba and her mom talking through what it meant for Alba specifically to live through an abusive situation. I feel trauma like that takes a lifetime to recover from and wish at times that had a bit more time to steam. I will say, I appreciate the total absence of the father from the book which really makes this a great piece about healing. I feel like many young reader books dealing with abuse have a second act where a sense of violence returns, and I really love that instead, we get to just live in Alba's head while she grows up and finds her footing.
This definitely feels like a more mature middle grade book, whatever that means to you. I'm not going to tell an 11 year old what to read, but it does feel like it skews older with it's references to finding a passion, romance subplot and the pop culture references. But, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read with a whole lot of heart.
[2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge #33- A book featuring three generations (grandparent, parent, child)]
A warm, filling book with decadent food descriptions and a trilingual glossary; what more can you ask for? Our main character feels very real and distinctly pre-teen in her emotions. Alba's habit of running away and her easily flipped emotions feel not only very 12 years old but very child living through trauma. It's pretty amazing to me to see how much more deeply middle grade books cover the tough stuff and how much more representative of all groups they can be from when I was young.
I wish we had gotten to spend more time with Alba and her mom talking through what it meant for Alba specifically to live through an abusive situation. I feel trauma like that takes a lifetime to recover from and wish at times that had a bit more time to steam. I will say, I appreciate the total absence of the father from the book which really makes this a great piece about healing. I feel like many young reader books dealing with abuse have a second act where a sense of violence returns, and I really love that instead, we get to just live in Alba's head while she grows up and finds her footing.
This definitely feels like a more mature middle grade book, whatever that means to you. I'm not going to tell an 11 year old what to read, but it does feel like it skews older with it's references to finding a passion, romance subplot and the pop culture references. But, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read with a whole lot of heart.
[2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge #33- A book featuring three generations (grandparent, parent, child)]
March 26, 2021
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
TW: domestic abuse
All You Knead is Love warmed my heart. You know that joy of biting into a warm pastry and feeling the warmth in your hands? Of being transported by food to a memory? All You Knead is Love contains all of that. It's an emotional middle grade story about feeling unwanted. About trying to figure out our passions. Alba was such a relatable character, especially as she navigates her relationship with her mother.
As adults, we can observe the ways that Alba is loved and wanted, but that feeling is so relatable. I think it's universal to have felt being unwanted. To have just wanted to be seen and loved for a moment. How, sometimes, we cannot see the entire picture, the love behind gestures especially as the line between parent and child begins blurring. Alba, obsessed with magic, struggles to find a place that feels like home. To find people, a community, and friends.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
TW: domestic abuse
All You Knead is Love warmed my heart. You know that joy of biting into a warm pastry and feeling the warmth in your hands? Of being transported by food to a memory? All You Knead is Love contains all of that. It's an emotional middle grade story about feeling unwanted. About trying to figure out our passions. Alba was such a relatable character, especially as she navigates her relationship with her mother.
As adults, we can observe the ways that Alba is loved and wanted, but that feeling is so relatable. I think it's universal to have felt being unwanted. To have just wanted to be seen and loved for a moment. How, sometimes, we cannot see the entire picture, the love behind gestures especially as the line between parent and child begins blurring. Alba, obsessed with magic, struggles to find a place that feels like home. To find people, a community, and friends.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
July 7, 2021
Really loved the side characters, the baking elements, the setting, and the exploration of tough issues. Reading about the way Alba has grown up in an abusive household made me sick and angry, despite the fact that most of it is shown off-page. This book is a great example of how really heavy issues can be handled in a way that is appropriate for a younger audience while not sugar-coating anything.
I do think I wanted a little more discussion/exploration regarding Alba's mother: I think there is a way to acknowledge what she went through as a victim without completely ignoring the way she emotionally neglected her daughter, and I'm not sure this book quite engaged with that.
Overall though, a really solid story that handled a lot of issues really thoughtfully, and one I'd definitely recommend.
CW: Child abuse, domestic abuse, emotional neglect/abuse, anxiety/panic attacks
I do think I wanted a little more discussion/exploration regarding Alba's mother: I think there is a way to acknowledge what she went through as a victim without completely ignoring the way she emotionally neglected her daughter, and I'm not sure this book quite engaged with that.
Overall though, a really solid story that handled a lot of issues really thoughtfully, and one I'd definitely recommend.
CW: Child abuse, domestic abuse, emotional neglect/abuse, anxiety/panic attacks
September 26, 2022
I've been really excited to read ALL YOU KNEAD IS LOVE (#WeLoveMGLit 's July pick) because I loved Tanya Guerrero's debut middle grade, How to Make Friends With the Sea.
And I'm happy to report this book is just as good as the first! 🥰 This sweet story has:
🍞 a filipino spanish american MC
🍞 the absolute sweetest abuela
🍞 all the bread baking
🍞 spain setting
🍞 complicated family dynamics
🍞 chosen family (!)
🍞 convos about gender presentation
🍞 queer rep
🍞 spanish, tagalog, and catalan
🍞 a happy ending!
🍞 (CW: domestic abuse)
Have I convinced you? Because seriously, you should read it and then join me and @naturemamareads on zoom at the end of July!
Be prepared, though, because this book made me want to shave my head again and take up bread baking. 😂
And I'm happy to report this book is just as good as the first! 🥰 This sweet story has:
🍞 a filipino spanish american MC
🍞 the absolute sweetest abuela
🍞 all the bread baking
🍞 spain setting
🍞 complicated family dynamics
🍞 chosen family (!)
🍞 convos about gender presentation
🍞 queer rep
🍞 spanish, tagalog, and catalan
🍞 a happy ending!
🍞 (CW: domestic abuse)
Have I convinced you? Because seriously, you should read it and then join me and @naturemamareads on zoom at the end of July!
Be prepared, though, because this book made me want to shave my head again and take up bread baking. 😂
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