The Bake Shop Ghost [Hardcover]

Jacqueline K. Ogburn (Author), Marjorie A. Priceman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Cora Lee Merriweather baked the best pies and cakes for miles—fluffy meringue pies, flaky strudels, layer cakes, sheet cakes, and cakes with frosting finer than Irish lace. But now Cora Lee haunts the shop she used to own.

When new bakers arrive to take over her empty bake shop, Cora Lee scares them away, each and every one. Then Annie Washington comes to town . . .

Jacqueline K. Ogburn and Marjorie Priceman combine their talents to give us an enchanting baker’s battle in this story about how to unlock the secrets of the perfect recipe and a lonely heart.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3–The best cakes in town are made by Miss Cora Lee Merriweather, and when she dies, her ghost comes back to haunt the bake shop and harass any new owners until they leave. Years later, the establishment is bought by Annie Washington, the best baker ever to have worked on the Sea Star cruise ships. The ghost tries to scare this young woman into leaving as well, but to no avail. When Annie asks what she can do to be able to work in peace, Cora Lee asks for a cake so rich and so sweet, it will fill me up and bring tears to my eyes. A cake like one…no one ever made for me. Annie bakes one good cake after another but doesn't discover the right one until she does some research at the library. Finally, Annie produces a birthday cake, and her present to Cora Lee is to call the shop Washington & Merriweather. Annie is an African-American woman with pluck who uses intelligence and kindness to win over a grouchy ghost. Priceman's illustrations are charming, with dashes of color and humor and a sense of action in each one. The art surrounds the text on most pages, causing readers to feel immersed in the plot. With two such wonderfully strong female characters, this is a delightful story with a satisfying conclusion.–Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 1-3. Bakery proprietress Cora Lee Merriweather is a sour old spinster, and after death she haunts her shop to ensure that no one will fill her kitchen clogs. But she meets her match in Annie Washington, a pastry chef with cocoa-colored skin and a bold demeanor, to whom the badly behaving ghost proposes a challenge: "Make me a cake . . . like one I might have baked, but that no one ever made for me." In attempting to satisfy Cora Lee's discriminating sweet tooth, Annie finally concocts a successful recipe that blends compassion in with the standard batter. Caldecott Honor Book illustrator Priceman keeps things meringue-light, indicating Cora Lee's ghost with a few fierce strokes and filling the rest of each spread with lines and colors that swirl like ribbons of icing and suggest the expressive styles of Bemelmans and de Brunhoff. Read this irresistible tale alongside Patricia Polacco's Thunder Cake (1990) and Carmela and Steven D'Amico's Ella Takes the Cake (2005), and be sure to plan an activity that revolves around cake consumption (perhaps using the included recipe as inspiration). Mouths will water just as surely as hearts warm at the story's touching conclusion. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children; None edition (July 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618445579
• ISBN-13: 978-0618445578
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,347 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Writer Jacqueline K. Ogburn recently received her 15-minutes of fame when Daniel Pinkwater read the text of her most recent book, The Bake Shop Ghost, on the Weekend Edition - Saturday program on National Public Radio. "Delicious" said Daniel Pinkwater. "It's a yummy book."

Because of the broadcast, Ms. Ogburn was contacted by composer Jonathan Schwabe about turning the story into a musical. The two collaborated on the project and the play premiered at the Maud Powell Music Festival in June 2007.

The book was also made into an independent short film by Lorette Bayle and is being shown at film festivals, both nationally and internationally. The Bake Shop Ghost film stars Kathryn Joosten as the ghost of Cora Lee Merriweather and Mary Anne Jeanne Baptiste as Ann Washington. It premiered at the Seattle Film Festival in May 2009.

A North Carolina native, Ms. Ogburn received a bachelor's degrees in English and Philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. For ten years, she worked in New York book publishing, primarily as a children's book editor. She is the author of eight picture books. Her previous book, The Magic Nesting Doll, received a starred review from "Publishers' Weekly" and has been translated into Greek and Korean.

In addition to her writing, Ms. Ogburn worked as a speech writer and public affairs specialist for the NC Department of Cultural Resources and was president of a small non-profit press. She has also taught writing at several venues, including the Friday Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. She currently works for the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University in the Communications Office.

The Bake Shop Ghost combines her passion for stories and dessert. Her family's favorite recipe for birthday cake is the one included in the book. Ms. Ogburn, her husband and two daughters live in North Carolina, in an 85-year-old bungalow with too many books and a deaf cat.

Her website is at www.wincbooks.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adding this one to our list of favorites..., September 10, 2005

By 

Anon. (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bake Shop Ghost (Hardcover)

We have signed out this book several times from our local library, as it has quickly become one of my 7-year old's favorites. The abandoned bake shop, crusty old ghost and determined yet thoughtful heroine make for a very appealing mix. We also love the illustrations, which are somewhat expressionistic(?) and remind me of some of the books I used to read as a kid back in the 60's... It's a little bit longer than the average picture book -- which we consider a plus -- and engaging from beginning to end.
We recommend The Bake Shop Ghost as an ideal bedtime story, especially so for anyone who loves to bake. In fact, the story's cake recipe is provided at the end of the book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Friendship, February 25, 2006

By 

Nana's book shelf (NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bake Shop Ghost (Hardcover)

I too ordered this book after hearing it read on NPR. I enjoyed the whimsical plot, watercolor and ink illustrations and the humorous characterization of Annie and Cora Lee. Annie's pluck and determination make for a satisfying conclusion. One of the central characters is a ghost so the book may not be appropriate for younger readers. Great book for 1st & 2nd grades.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a delicious read, August 24, 2006

By 

Michael A. Samuel "bookworm" (louisville, kentucky) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Bake Shop Ghost (Hardcover)

I have a seven year old daughter who simply "ate up" The Bake Shop Ghost. A scary story appeals to her for the thrill, yet she does not like a story that will result in a nightmare...this story is a perfect balance. Initially, the ghost appears daunting, yet as the story unfolds, you see her endearing side. The illustrations are divine, and there is a wonderful bonus recipe at the end of the book!