A Baker’s Guide to Robber Pie

Gr 5-8–Evie Baker loves to tell stories; tales of pirates, magic, and trickster crows. On Saint Hart’s Day, Evie and her best friend, Cece, have a plan to venture into the forest to steal their own magic from the legendary Fel. However, as they set out on their grand adventure, a group of robbers derails their plan and Evie and Cece are whisked away to safety by the Queen’s guard. Evie is transported to the capital to stay with a family friend. As a daughter of bakers, Evie takes on the role of baker to the noble Hollow family and is embroiled in a centuries-old struggle between the royal family and the magical Fel. With help from new friends Max and Gisa, Evie embarks on an adventure to catch the Robber Lord and uncover the truth of the Fel. Mistaken identity, trickery, and thievery combine to create a story more elaborate than anything Evie could have ever imagined. Unfortunately, Sangster’s ambitious middle grade debut misses the mark. On the surface it is a fun adventure story; however, none of the plot lines or characters are fully fleshed out. This creates some confusing moments and periods of stagnation throughout. Main characters are cued as white.