The Cookie Maker of Mavin Road

Who is making and delivering the wonderful cookies to neighbors on Mavin Road? When Benedict Stanley, an older, cued-white man, finds his neighbors too busy to talk, he and cat Audrey Mae “watch the comings and goings” of the individuals, who have an array of skin tones. A red-haired child, Rory, who takes a shine to Audrey Mae, says they’re due for a visit from the tooth fairy. The next day, Benedict leaves a plate of cookies with gap-toothed smiles on Rory’s doorstep—and the cookie-making venture continues from there. When a kitten is rescued, “cat cookies with currant eyes” appear, writes Lawson. After a tournament, the cookies are decorated like soccer balls. Then the treats suddenly stop, and the mystery deepens: “Where’s the cookie maker?” a neighbor pushing a stroller asks. “Maybe she’s on vacation,” another speculates. But readers are already in on the secret, rooting for the residents to reciprocate after Bernard Stanley falls ill. Loopy, curlicue mixed-media illustrations by Anelli reveal a neighborhood with a glorious variety of architectural styles, blooming flowers, and leafy trees in this winning celebration of community building and quiet generosity. Ages 3–7. (Nov.)