Cakes, cookies or pie? A rivalry among local bakers is the basis for this deliciously sweet, off-the-wall picture book.
Monsieur Oliphant’s cake shop, the only bakery game in town, has long had customers lining up outside its door for Oliphant’s delicious jelly rolls and marvelous wedding cakes . . . until the day cookie concocter Mademoiselle Fée takes over the old shoemaker’s shop. And it isn’t long before the divine piemaker Madame Clotilde soon moves into the old bric-a-brac shop. Three different bakers all trying to outclass one another means their little cul-de-sac is packed with customers every day and night, so, one morning, when everyone is bumpling and jostling each other with their cakes, cookies and pies, a food disaster — a massacre of cream, a devastation of crumbs — is inevitable! Only one little girl has the drive (or appetite?) to find a solution, but can it last? This madcap tale of frenzied cooks and zany eats (and one very lucky town) will delight readers with a sweet tooth of any age!
- An Amazon.com Best Book of the Month
- A 49th Shelf Most Anticipated Fall 2020 Books for Young Readers
- A Best Books for Kids and Teens 2021 Selection
Buy It Happened on Sweet Street on Amazon.com or at your local bookstore.
Publisher’s link: Penguin Random House
Listen to Caroline’s Canadian Launch Pod interview.
Praise for It Happened on Sweet Street
“French idioms surface intermittently, adding a certain je ne sais quoi. Embedded rhymes contribute to a bouncing, playful narrative too: “He layered them and cherried them and married people on them.” Tension builds as the cul de sac grows more congested with sweet-makers, competition, frustration, and customers. When the inevitable, fantastically messy food fight occurs, an observant child finds a sweet solution amid the delicious detritus. A rollicking tale of rivalry.”
“It Happened on Sweet Street is filled with many build-up events leading to the inevitable climax, and young audiences will delight in each page as they anticipate what is going to happen next. The elements of humour that are sprinkled throughout the story will be amplified when being read aloud with expression. Children will enjoy the writing and illustrations of this story, but don’t be surprised if they are asking for a sweet treat of their own after. Highly Recommended.”
“A charming story, overall, this will have children laughing over the food fight and the incredible dessert created by a smart little girl amid all the chaos. In the midst of madness, good things can come to life. Artful illustrations use exaggerated humor and complement the zaniness of the story. VERDICT: This delectable book is a useful purchase for libraries looking for titles that foster discussion about competition and inclusion.”
— School Library Journal
“If Dr. Seuss’ The Butter Battle Book (1984) met Bob Staake’s The Donut Chef (2008), you’d have the confectionery clash that once went down on Sweet Street… Readers will become quickly invested in the escalating events on Sweet Street and the story’s carnivalesque atmosphere. Jorisch’s sketchy, angular line art is brushed with rainbows, as if placed beneath a prism, and it evokes a jolly gravitas appropriate to a tale of just desserts. Naturally, a sweet resolution lets everyone have their cake—or pie or cookie—and eat it too.”
— Booklist
“If you have a sweet tooth, this is the book for you. Monsieur Oliphant makes mouth-watering and magnificent cakes, but he’s not pleased when cookie concoctor Mademoiselle Fée moves in next door. What happens when this duelling duo find themselves challenged by the talents of pie-maker Madame Clotilde? Sweet Street is caught up in a “Great Sweet Street Bake Off” that ends deliciously. Adderson’s playful text is perfectly paired with Jorisch’s zany illustrations.”
“Monsieur Oliphant’s cake shop, the only bakery game in town, has long had customers lining up outside its door for Oliphant’s delicious jelly rolls and marvelous wedding cakes . . . until the day cookie concocter Mademoiselle Fée takes over the old shoemaker’s shop. And it isn’t long before the divine piemaker Madame Clotilde soon moves into the old bric-a-brac shop. Three different bakers all trying to outclass one another means their little cul-de-sac is packed with customers every day and night, so, one morning, when everyone is bumpling and jostling each other with their cakes, cookies and pies, a food disaster — a massacre of cream, a devastation of crumbs — is inevitable!”
—The Canadian Children’s Book Centre
“Here is a sweet new children’s picture book about ruthless competition and the way to resolve it so that everyone can have her cake and eat it, too…Are delicious cookies and cakes really worth all the conflict? A trip to Sweet Street sets culinary opinions against the harmony of the neighborhood. Who and what will win?”
“The illustrations by Stéphane Jorisch are timeless and inviting. Each character is unique but also very alive on the page. The food is artistic and appealing. The rainbow menagerie of colours bring the reader into the vivid world of Sweet Street. The characters’ actions bring them to life and show off their distinctive personalities. As I read, I was mightily tempted to touch the characters on the pages and try the appealing desserts. This book is fun, artistic and uniquely styled. The images will stay with the reader long after putting the book down. It Happened on Sweet Street would be ideal in a home library, a school library, and a public library.”
“The art is whimsical and funky and the message of the book is positive. We discover that we all have different tastes and that it’s always best to get along and to work and live together in harmony. The author includes a fun, and unexpected twist at the end that kids will enjoy. The book is a celebration of sweets and begs the questions…which one is your favourite sweet?”
Storywraps Rating – 5 Stars
“This zany picture book delivers a tasty treatise on the benefits of keeping the peace–and keeping a variety of desserts at hand! Author of the Jasper John Dooley series, Caroline Adderson’s waggish text promotes the benefits of cooperation over competition in tones as delicate as any Sweet Street confection. Paired with Stéphane Jorisch’s (Betty Bunny series) quirky illustrations, rendered in pencil, ink and watercolor then digitally assembled, the stylish color and line work lends credence to the farcical tone of the piece. The lucky people of Sweet Street cheerfully reap the rewards when their bakers finally get the message: there is always room for more dessert.”
“In Adderson’s It Happened on Sweet Street, a cul-de-sac in a city of whimsy is the microcosm through with kids can have a vicarious gustatory experience while they receive a lesson in the advantages of cooperation and the necessity of adaptation in an ever-changing society… Stéphane Jorisch, a multiple Governor General’s Award recipient, must have had a field day with this assignment. His vivid, over-the-top illustrations are tonally perfect and a delightful complement to the text. Lessons delivered lightly and illustrations executed inventively. Formidable!”