Cecile is the youngest of five girls. Her sisters go to the market every week but Cecile stays home. They think she’s too little to go with them. Every week, while her sisters are gone, Cecile bakes pies and cheesecakes and tarts and cakes for her family to share when her sisters are home again. One day she finally gets the courage to ask if she could go too. She wants to sell her tarts and cakes and pies and cheesecakes at the market. However, no-one seems interested in a little mouse’s cooking. Then a royal visitor comes to the market and something wonderful happens. Even little, unimportant people can achieve great things.

This is a delightful story with beautiful illustrations that younger readers will love to read (or have read to them) over and over. There is even a recipe in the back for children who enjoy experimenting in the kitchen.

The only disappointment is that at times the rhythm of the poetry suffers a little, for the sake of making it rhyme. However, I’m sure young readers won’t mind that at all.

Reviewed by Merle Morcom

Age Guide 4+