Jingwen, his mother and his pesky little brother, Yanghao, have just moved to Australia. It’s noteasy starting a new life in a new country and Jingwen feels like an alien. This book is part novel and part comic with indecipherable symbols used cleverly to represent English words that Jingwen doesn’t yet understand. Jingwen finds comfort in cakes and the boys really miss their dad, who had dreams of starting his own fancy cake shop.

While their mum is at work they secretly start to bake all of the epic cakes that their dad had planned to sell in his shop, even though Mum has told them not to use the oven. Yanghao is cheeky but their sibling relationship is charming and this book is as funny as it is moving. Their passion for cakes is truly endearing. Thankfully there’s a recipe for rainbow cake included at the end because young bakers will be inspired and all readers will be left craving a big, delicious slice. Looking at immigration, family and grief, this is an exceptionally sweet book, featuring exceptional sweets.

Highly recommended for ages 9+.

Kim Gruschow is the children’s book buyer at Readings St Kilda.