cover image Olga's Cup and Saucer: A Picture Book with Pictures

Olga's Cup and Saucer: A Picture Book with Pictures

Olga Bravo. Henry Holt & Company, $15.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-8050-3301-4

Bravo, owner of the Olga's Cup and Saucer bakery in Little Compton, R.I., serves up a delectable tale of a girl who's just itching to work at the tiny roadside cafe next door, also called Olga's Cup and Saucer. All summer long Nickel Penny, who with her freckles and carroty braids bears a distinct resemblance to Pippi Longstocking, woos the baker by doing what she can to help out-picking strawberries for the muffins, blueberries and peaches for the cobbler. At last she is allowed into the baker's kitchen, and when a slip-up sends a box of raspberries hurtling through the air, she accidentally invents a new dessert. The angular lines of Bravo's whimsical watercolors teeter across the pages, radiating a quirky energy. Slight but engaging, the story is garnished with a handful of mouthwatering recipes, including Nickel Penny's ""Fresh Raspberry Pizza."" For the recipes, parental guidance is advised-these are full-blown culinary creations. Ages 5-8. (Mar.)