Fibs and Family: KidLit Confections Apple Walnut Pie

I'm generally known as "The Cookie Queen," and most of the #KidLitConfections I share are cookies. But when November rolls around, my thoughts turn to pie and all of the delicious variations of this "easy as..." dessert! 

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

Today's book isn't a new release, but it's one I only discovered recently. (Isn't it lovely the way books don't expire? We can pick up a book that's several years old and enjoy it just as much as one that came out yesterday!) 

The Book:

THE 14 FIBS OF GREGORY K. by Greg Pincus

Description from the Publisher:

Failing math but great at writing, Gregory finds the poetry (and humor) in what's hard.

Gregory K is the middle child in a family of mathematical geniuses. But if he claimed to love math? Well, he'd be fibbing. What he really wants most is to go to Author Camp. But to get his parents' permission he's going to have to pass his math class, which has a probability of 0. THAT much he can understand! To make matters worse, he's been playing fast and loose with the truth: "I LOVE math" he tells his parents. "I've entered a citywide math contest!" he tells his teacher. "We're going to author camp!" he tells his best friend, Kelly. And now, somehow, he's going to have to make good on his promises.Hilariously it's the "Fibonacci Sequence" -- a famous mathematical formula! -- that comes to the rescue, inspiring Gregory to create a whole new form of poem: the Fib! Maybe Fibs will save the day, and help Gregory find his way back to the truth. For every kid who equates math with torture but wants his own way to shine, here's a novel that is way more than the sum of its parts.

My Thoughts:

I relate to Gregory K. in so many ways! I love language and writing, I'm a huge fan of a delicious apple pie, and I also used to tell myself I wasn't very good at math (until one of my math genius friends pointed out how many complicated equations I can do in my head whenever I'm figuring out a recipe)! Math is a subject that a lot of us love to hate (even when we're better at it than we think we are), and I love the way this story explores the fun side to our favorite "worst subject." I'm also a big fan of word play, so the play on words with "Fib" representing the complicated web of lies Gregory K. gets himself tangled up in, as well as the super-fun mathematical poetry he discovers ... well, that made this book a winner in my opinion!

The Recipe:

My great grandmother's apple pie recipe was a coveted family secret. She brought it to all the family gatherings, and for years all the aunts, uncles, and cousins asked her for the recipe, but she wouldn't spill. Then, my mom married my dad, and for some reason, Great-Grandma Wells decided that Mom was the one worthy to receive the recipe. (Probably because Mom was the kind of person who, every time she brought the pie to a family gathering, would proudly say "Thank you, it's Grandma's recipe" to anyone who complimented her. She respected the origins of the pie and gave credit where it was due.)

When I read  THE 14 FIBS OF GREGORY K. by Greg Pincus and saw the subplot wherein Gregory K's best friend's mom making the best apple pie ever, I immediately thought about Great-Grandma Wells, and my mom, and the amazing apple pie recipe that even people who didn't usually care for apple pie would line up to get a slice of.

The Apple Walnut Pie featured here isn't quite Grandma's recipe, because that's not mine to share. But this one is close, with just a bit of a spin to make it my own. And don't worry, it has been thoroughly taste-tested and given an enthusiastic thumbs-up from my test audience.

 Apple Walnut Pie

 2 (9-inch) pie crusts*

3-4 lbs. apples, cored & sliced

¼ c. butter

¼ c. sugar

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

6 Tbsp. instant tapioca**

2 ½ c. walnut halves & pieces

Roll out one pie crust and place carefully in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate, making sure the edges overlap the rim evenly. Keep the other crust covered, so it won’t dry out, and set aside for now. Stir together cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. (Optional: Transfer to a jar with a sprinkles lid, if desired, for easy application of the cinnamon sugar to the pie as you’re building it.)

Sprinkle the bottom of the pie crust with a generous layer of cinnamon sugar. Then add apple slices in a spiraling layer to fully cover the bottom of the pie crust in the dish (about 3 apples worth of slices per layer).

Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. instant tapioca and approximately ¼ of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Dot with 1 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces. Then spread 1/3 of the walnut over it all.

Repeat layers (apples, tapioca, cinnamon sugar, butter, and walnuts) 2 more times.

Add another layer of apples, cinnamon sugar and butter. Carefully spread top crust evenly over the top of the pie, making sure to match up the edges of the top and bottom crusts.

Crimp the edges together, then use a sharp knife to cut a fun design into the center of the top crust to vent steam. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 45 more minutes, without opening the door. Let cool a bit, then serve & enjoy either on its own or with a scoop of vanilla or caramel ice cream.

Serves 8.

* For an easy pie crust recipe, see my blog post for my Super-Simple Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe. When I need a gluten-free crust, my favorite is Chef Alina’s Gluten-Free Foolproof Cream Cheese Pie Crust (not my recipe, but quite delicious!)

**NOTE: This is not instant tapioca pudding—don’t go looking for Jell-o brand—but instant tapioca pearls, like you would use to make homemade tapioca pudding. A popular brand is Minute Tapioca (same brand/logo as Minute Rice)

This recipe pairs well with THE 14 FIBS OF GREGORY K. by Greg Pincus

Printable PDF Recipes

Myths and Magic: KidLit Confections Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies

 Oops! I meant to post this #KidLitConfections pairing nearly a year ago, and I thought I had... but my ADHD brain never actually followed through with finalizing and sharing the post! I only realized this oversight when I tried to share the link to the post with someone ("You have to read this book! It's amazing!! You'll love it!!!")... and the link didn't exist!

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

I discovered this book on TikTok, when I saw a post from the MacMillan Kids account and immediately knew I had to have it for my home library. I tracked down the author (amazing coincidence: he’s local!!) and met him at a nearby indie bookstore where I talked him into signing 5 copies (for me and nearly everyone on my Christmas list)! This quickly became one of my favorite books, and I am still thinking about it a year later! (I also love his second book, which released just over a month ago! I guess this means Craig Kofi Farmer is officially one of my favorite authors.)

The Book:

KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD by Craig Kofi Farmer

Description from the Publisher:

Winner of the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award

Discover a stunning middle grade fantasy about a boy hurled into the Ghanaian underworld to help his grandmother save humanity, perfect for fans of Tristan Strong and Amari and the Night Brothers.

Twelve-year-old Kwame Powell isn't ready to deal with losing his grandmother, even as he and his family head to Ghana for her celebration of life.

He's definitely not ready when he's sucked into a magical whirlpool that leads straight to Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld. There, he comes face to face with his grandmother, who is very much alive, and somehow still...a kid? Together with his best friend, Autumn, and a talkative aboatia named Woo, Kwame must battle angry nature gods, and stop the underworld from destroying the land of the living.

But there's an even bigger problem: Only living souls can leave Asamando. In order to save the mortal world and return home, Kwame will need to find the courage to do the bravest thing of all -- learn how to say goodbye.

My Thoughts:

Fans of Percy Jackson will love this book! It has the same epic fantasy meets the real world vibe, but with the mythology of Ghana instead of ancient Greece. Our family loved reading Rick Riordan’s books together, so just on those vibes alone I knew I would love this one. But I didn’t expect to connect so solidly with Kwame! 

He’s reeling over the death of his grandmother and can’t wrap his mind around the fact that she’s gone. I think anyone who has ever lost a close loved one can relate! But when he gets accidentally sucked into the underworld and has the opportunity to connect with his grandmother all over again? Who wouldn’t jump at that chance?

I love the way this story explores ideas of family and heritage and the way our roots connect us to something so much bigger than ourselves. And this was the bright spark of hope I so desperately needed in a time that sometimes feels overwhelmingly dark. 

I need more people in my life to read this book too so we can talk about it!!!

The Recipe:

As you may have noticed, I love cinnamon rolls. I have several different cinnamon roll kinds of recipes on my website. There’s just something about the warm, comforting scent of cinnamon filling your kitchen cinnamon rolls are baking that can’t be topped. And for some reason, fall just puts me in the mood for a good, gooey cinnamon roll. But sometimes I want the flavor without the sticky, gooey-ness of an actual cinnamon roll. I think that’s where the inspiration for these cookies originally came from. I shared the recipe for the regular version of these a few years ago, before I started cooking gluten-free and it quickly became a family favorite. But when my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease, I stopped making them. This gluten-free version is every bit is delicious as the original, and it’s almost as easy to make, so I'm excited to share it with my gluten-free audience! (The dough is a bit stickier, so it’s not quite as easily rolled up into the cinnamon roll log, but if you press the dough out onto parchment paper, and use the parchment paper to help you manage the dough while you form the roll, it’s basically the same thing.)

Cinnamon rolls play an important part in KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD. They're almost a symbol of the warmth and comfort we find in our family traditions, so I was only a few pages into the book when I knew that I was going to share this recipe along with the book. (In fact, I did share the recipe on TikTok last year. I just forgot to share it here on my website.)

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies

 Sugar Cookie Dough:

2 c. butter

3 c. sugar

6 eggs

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. vanilla

6 c. gluten-free all-purpose flour

Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Dough:

1/3 sugar cookie dough

4 Tbsp. cinnamon

Cream together butter and sugar, mixing at high speed for 2-3 minutes.

Add eggs, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined. Slowly increase speed to high, and beat 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, just to combine.

Scoop 2/3 of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press dough to fill the pan, and chill 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator. Knead cinnamon into remaining cookie dough, until it’s uniformly incorporated. Carefully press this dough into a thin layer on top of the vanilla cookie dough, making sure to cover all the way to the edges of the pan. Carefully roll dough into a long tube, using the parchment paper to help you control the dough if necessary. Return to the fridge to chill for 4-6 hours, or overnight.

Slice cookies approximately ¼ inch thick, and place on parchment-lined baking sheet, approximately 2 inches apart. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, until the bottoms of the cookies are slightly browned. Cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve as-is or frost with your favorite vanilla or cream cheese frosting.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

*Optional: Bake a few cookies & freeze the extra cookie dough. Prepare and slice cookies as directed. Place cookie slices on parchment-lined baking sheet (no space necessary) and freeze for 2-4 hours. Transfer cookie dough to a large freezer bag and return to your freezer. You can bake straight from frozen at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes. Freshly-baked cookies anytime you want!

This recipe pairs well with KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD by Craig Kofi Farmer.

 

Printable PDF Recipes

Happy Halloween!

 Recently, there was a lively #KidLitChat discussion on Bluesky about whether or not Halloween stories need to be scary. As someone who has always loved the magical, imaginative part of the "spooky season" without so much of the "spooky" parts, I emphatically believe that Halloween tales can be a wide range of things. 

Millie the Middling Witch, attempting to spell
(artwork by Philip Bartles)

Spooky and scary? Sure, if that's what you prefer.

Sweet and silly? Absolutely! (Like candy for your brain!)

Heartwarming and hilarious? Why not?

I always love to see the wide range of stories entered in Susanna Leonard Hill's annual Halloweensie Writing Contest... but I always forget about it until the contest opens and then I tell myself I don't have enough time to write something worth posting. "Maybe next year" has been my mantra for the past several years. But this year, I didn't let myself off the hook! This year, I've entered a sweet, silly story that's been kicking around in my brain. It was quite a challenge to edit it down to the 100-word limit, but that's part of the fun of the contest, right?

I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it! Happy Halloween, y'all! May your bags be full of treats and all your tricks be of the magical, wondrous, happy variety.

Miss-Spelled

Millie the middling witch couldn’t spell. 

She mangled the middle of her “prince to frog” spell and he simply got lost in a fog. 

She bungled the beginning of a pricklewort potion and got soft lotion instead. 

And instead of sweets for Halloween trick-or-treats, poor Millie conjured up sweat!

“Buzz off!” she yelled when a bee knocked at her door. “Halloween is ruined!”

But he had a hurt wing and couldn’t fly away.

Millie offered her lotion to soothe the wing, and the Spelling Bee was so grateful that he gave Millie a dictionary.

So she never miss-spelled again!

Layered and Complex: KidLit Confections 3.1415926 Ultimate Pi(e)

Whoever first coined the phrase "easy as pie?" Pie is delicious, but it's not always easy! But like just about everything worthwhile in life, the time it takes to put together a beautiful pie definitely pays off with delicious rewards in the end! 

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

This multi-layered pie (lovingly named 3.1415926 by my family, "because it's the Ultimate Pi(e)!") is both easy and complicated at once. Each layer in the recipe, from the crust to the whipped cream topping, is easy by itself. The complexity comes in the time it takes to make each separate layer and put them together to make one fabulous dessert. Each layer is delicious on its own, and taken all together, the result is amazing. 

I feel like this is an apt metaphor for the way a family works. (Is it just a coincidence that there are 6 distinct layers to this recipe I created for my 6-member family? I'll let you decide!) Each of us is amazing and wonderful on our own, but when we come together, we can work magic. Even if it can be a bit messy to bring everyone together in one cohesive "dish!" So when I read MY PERFECT FAMILY by Khadijah VanBrakle, with all of the lovely messiness that bringing a family together can entail, I immediately knew this would be the perfect #KidLitConfections recipe to pair it with! 

The Book:

MY PERFECT FAMILY by Khadijah VanBrakle

Description from the Publisher:

Sixteen-year-old Leena has always wished for a big family… but when she discovers she has a Muslim grandfather and aunt she never knew, she learns that family comes with tangled histories she may not be able to heal.

“Lonely Leena” is close with her young single mother. Still, she’s always secretly dreamed of more (and, when she was a kid, asked Santa for it). A huge family to cheer her on at graduation. A gaggle of smiling faces at the holidays. But one call from the hospital, and her mother’s hidden past comes to light: Her grandfather is in the ER, and her aunt is with him in recovery. Sorry—her WHO? 

But with family comes family secrets—Leena’s mom’s, and as Leena grows close with her new family behind her mother’s back, her own. Leena’s mom warns that Leena’s grandfather Tariq’s financial generosity doesn’t come without strings attached… like Leena converting to Islam, fighting for a spot at a top university, and adhering to the restrictive rules that she ran from all those years ago. Leena isn’t sure who to trust, yet she’s certain that she adores Tariq and her mom—and that she’s the only one who could heal old hurts. After so many years, is it even possible? And if she can’t, will she have to choose between them?

A big family was the dream, but all this drama isn’t.

Warm, witty, and sometimes serious, My Perfect Family is a poignant intergenerational narrative that gives voice to Black Muslim women. A thoughtful examination of the intersection between gender and religion, Khadijah VanBrakle’s sophomore novel is a heartfelt tale of forging one’s own path… while loving those who stay by your side.

My Thoughts:

I’ve seen this book described as “Gilmore Girls, but Black and Muslim” … And that sums it up really well, to be honest. (Except the main character here isn’t as spoiled as Rory Gilmore.)

Leena and her mom, Asiyah, Have always been super close with the same “it’s us against the world” bond as Rory and Lorelei. And although Leena dreams of having a big extended family with lots of aunts and uncles and cousins… She’s mostly just happy with her mom and her best friend and the life they’ve built together. But win a surprise phone call announces that Leena’s grandfather (who she never knew!) is in the hospital, she jumps at the chance to get to know the family she didn’t know existed. 

Leena’s new family comes with all kinds of layers and complications, starting with why her mom left home and never looked back all those years ago. And how her grandfather’s Muslim faith fits into Leena’s new vision of family. The story touches on many of the same family dynamics issues as Gilmore girls, including the question of whether a girl can maintain a strong, healthy relationship with the wealthy grandparent her mom is estranged from. The question of whether the financial generosity of said grandparent can be trusted to come without strings. And whether those rifts can be healed in and through a new generation.

The story is deep and complex and very relevant today. It explores the difficulties of being black and Muslim in our current society, and the difficulties of messy family life… But once again, Khadijah VanBrakle Has written one of my very favorite books of the year. I finished reading it and immediately wanted to start all over again. And I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

The Recipe:

This pie was something I came up with for Pi Day (3/14) many years ago. It’s been a family favorite for a very long time, and we don’t have it often because it’s time-consuming (it takes at least 2 days to make, because the cheesecake base has to chill and set overnight before adding the mousse layers) and it’s very complex… but when I do make it, it’s an act of love for my whole family. 

The original recipe (found here) was not gluten free. But since my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease several years ago, I have been working on updates to the recipe so she can eat it too. Gluten-free pie crust can be finicky, so it took a while to figure out the right recipe for this chocolate crust... until I realized I don't always have to reinvent the wheel, so to speak, and I could start with another recipe I already use and love to build mine around. It's been a long time coming, but this book about family love and the complexity of the relationships we maintain, and the communities we build, was the perfect excuse to share the updated, gluten-free version of our family favorite recipe with you!

3.1415926 or The Ultimate Pi(e)

GF Chocolate Crust*:

1 c. butter

1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese

¼ c. heavy cream

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt

3 c. gluten-free, all-purpose flour

2-4 Tbsp. cocoa powder

 

Cheesecake Layer:

2 (8 oz.) pkgs cream cheese

¼ c. sugar

½ tsp. almond extract

2 tsp. lemon juice

2 eggs

 

(Optional) Salted Caramel Mousse Layer:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1 ½ tsp. finely-ground sea salt

¼ c. caramel sauce (recipe here, or store-bought)

 

Caramel Sauce:

1 lb. brown sugar

¾ c. corn syrup

¼ c. honey

1 stick butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

 

Chocolate Mousse Layer:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

2 Tbsp. sugar

2-4 Tbsp. cocoa powder

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract

 

Whipped Cream Layer:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

¼ c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

First, make the crust*: In a large mixing bowl, mix together butter, cream cheese, and heavy cream on low speed until smooth. Add sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly. Stir in flour and cocoa powder, just until the dough is combined well enough to hold together in a soft ball. Divide the dough into four evenly sized pieces. Shape each piece into a disk that is approximately 1-inch thick, smoothing the edges. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the dough.

Meanwhile, make the cheesecake batter: In a large mixing bowl, whip cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add almond extract and lemon juice, then beat in eggs, one at a time.

Assemble the cheesecake layer: Place 1 disc of crust dough between 2 large sheets of waxed paper. (Save the other crusts for future desserts!) Roll into a thin circle, approximately 1 ¼” larger all around than your pie tin. Transfer dough to your pie tin and crimp the edges all around.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pour cheesecake batter into the chocolate crust and bake in a preheated oven for one hour, until cheesecake is golden-brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Chill 6-8 hours in the fridge. (Cheesecake may puff up while baking & look like it's going to spill over the edges of the pie plate. Don’t worry! As it chills, cheesecake will settle and deflate, leaving the perfect indentation for the next layers of filling.)

Make the caramel sauce: In a heavy pot over medium heat, melt together sugar and corn syrup, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter, then milk. Return to medium heat and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat immediately, and allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Spread chilled cheesecake with a generous layer of caramel sauce. (You will have quite a bit of the caramel left over. Pour into a glass jar & refrigerate. Makes a great topping for ice cream!)

(Optional) Caramel Mousse Layer: Whip the cream and sea salt together in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Carefully drizzle ¼ c. caramel sauce over the whipped cream. Fold in gently, just to incorporate the caramel. Spread onto pie, on top of caramel layer.

Chocolate Mousse Layer: In large mixing bowl (you can use the same one you used for the salted caramel mousse, if desired), stir together all chocolate mousse ingredients. Whip with wire whisk attachment on your mixer, until stiff peaks form. Gently spoon mousse over salted caramel mousse (or just caramel if you skipped the mousse layer) and spread evenly.

Whipped Cream Topping: In a large, clean mixing bowl, whip together heavy cream, vanilla and sugar until soft peaks form. Gently spread over chocolate mousse layer.

Chill 2-3 hours or overnight, until ready to serve.

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.

 *This Gluten Free Chocolate Pie Crust recipe (adapted from Chef Alina’s Gluten-Free Foolproof Cream Cheese Pie Crust) makes 4 crusts, but you’ll only use 1 for this pie. The extra crusts can be refrigerated for up to four days. Or wrap well and freeze for up to three months. When ready to use your dough, remove from the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, remove from the fridge and let it rest for 15 minutes or so at room temperature before you roll it out, so it’s not too stiff.

 

***Note: Pie can be frozen (whole or by the slice) in an airtight container for future deliciousness. Simply remove from the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

 

This recipe pairs well with MY PERFECT FAMILY by Khadijah VanBrakle.

Printable PDF Recipes

Explosive Energy: KidLitConfections "A Pop of Summer" Cookies

Last year, I stumbled across a post on TikTok from the official Macmillan Children's Books account, with a teaser about an upcoming book that I immediately knew I had to have. I tracked down the author, discovered we live in the same metropolitan area, and promptly bought a copy of his book (that I convinced him to sign for me). And then I came back and bought several more copies, to give to everyone I know for Christmas. And I wasn't wrong about how much I was going to love this book. I haven't stopped raving about it since! 

I was such a fan of KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD I wasn't sure if anything could top it. But a couple of weeks ago... 

(The recipe, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)

Craig Kofi Farmer's newest middle grade novel, A METHOD FOR MAGIC AND MISFORTUNE released, and I may actually love this one even more than his first book! I was extremely privileged to receive an advance copy, so I got to read it before the official publication date (9 September 2025), and I've been telling everyone I know to add it to their TBR ("to be read" list) for months! I even had an idea for the perfect cookie to pair with the book for a KidLit Confections post!! 

But when I sat down to write this post, I couldn’t find the recipe I had hastily scribbled down when I was creating the cookies. Because (fun fact) I don’t have a great system for writing down my recipes as I make them. Usually, the list of ingredients gets scrawled onto whatever notebook, piece of scratch paper, or back-of-a-receipt I happen to have lying around. And I always intend to type it up as soon as I am done baking, but that almost never happens. So sometimes I lose whole recipes and can’t ever quite recreate the magic.

Luckily, this time around, after more than two weeks of frantic searching through every notebook and pile of paper in my whole house, I found my recipe for the slightly-explosive “Pop of Summer” Cookies that I wanted to share with y’all! I will explain why this recipe is so perfect for this story, but first…

The Book:

A METHOD FOR MAGIC AND MISFORTUNE by Craig Kofi Farmer

Description from the Publisher:

A boy discovers magic — along with a hidden darkness — in his town in this propulsive and heartfelt middle grade novel perfect for fans of PET and THE LOST LIBRARY.

Twelve-year-old Marcus Pennrider feels far from magical. He's trying his best to balance school, a part-time job, and looking after his little sister. On top of that, his aunt has moved in with them to be their new caretaker.

But one day, Marcus discovers a secret magic flows through the streets of Grand Park — magic that can make money out of thin air, or control the weather — and everything seems to start changing for the better. Marcus even catches the attention of Mr. O, local corner store owner and beloved leader in the community, who takes Marcus under his wing and teaches him how to use magic.

As Marcus delves into the strange world of Divination, he becomes entrenched in a rigorous magical training program...and discovers that Mr. O may not be who he seems. It'll be up to Marcus to decide who his true family is, and that perhaps the real magic of Grand Park lies much closer to home.

My Thoughts:

Magic is all around us. I don't know if you believe in the hocus-pocus, supernatural, unexplained, fantastical sparkly kind of magic (I still do...), but I think we can all agree that there are certain things and places we experience that just feel *magical* in ways we can't always explain. I love this book on so many levels, and I especially love that, in a book with such obvious threads of Real Magic, there is also a continuous plot thread that emphasizes the magic of hope and community we can experience every day, if we look for it.

I think that's the thing I love most about Craig Kofi Farmer's books. The story doesn't gloss over the difficult, hard, sad, and scary things in life, but even amidst all of the darkness, there is a glowing spark of hope that runs through it all and brightens everything. I especially love the way this story highlights the strongest gift we each possess: our ability to choose for ourselves. That choice, that innate human gift that can't be taken away from us unless we allow it to be, is the reason we're all here. It's what makes us human. It's what drives our compassion and connection. It's the one precious treasure that makes everything worthwhile. And the way this story brought this power of individual choice to light was so powerful! I got chills and warm fuzzies all at once, and I immediately wanted to start reading the book all over again as soon as I finished. (In fact, I bought the audiobook version--which is narrated beautifully--just so that I could do exactly that--and have someone read it to me while I'm doing my chores!)

The Recipe:

This cookie was originally created for one of the missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who wrote me a letter about one of the mini miracles she had seen. (I love bribing missionaries--and anyone, really--to tell me about the good things they're seeing and experiencing in the world. Because there's so much darkness all around us, and my brain tumor causes negative energy to translate into real, physical pain, so I'm always looking for ways to surround myself with light. These letters are one of the best ways I've found to search out the goodness in the world around me.--And this book was such a perfect tie-in to my quest to find the light spots in a sometimes-too-dark world that it felt like it really needed to be paired with one of my "missionary cookies.") 

Missionaries often try to stump me with difficult cookie requests--unexpected ingredients or special non-cookie foods that they want to see interpreted into a desssert. But Sister Haycock gave me the most difficult challenge I'd seen up to that point. She asked me to make a cookie based on her personality! This was before I was regularly attempting to translate the books I read into fabulous desserts. Now, I'm a bit more practiced with translating a person or concept into a signature dessert, but it's still not a task I take lightly--I have to know a person really well before I'll commit to capturing their essence in cookie form! But it was a fun challenge, and one I was excited to tackle. She had a sweet, warm personality, just bursting with energy... so a summery sugar cookie with the unexpected pop of an explosive candy topping was the perfect way to celebrate her personality as a cookie. 

This "Pop of Summer" cookie was the first one I thought of when I read A METHOD OF MAGIC AND MISFORTUNE for obvious (and some not-so-obvious) reasons. 

The Obvious: The first symbol Marcus successfully wields is one that causes a bright explosion of energy. In Marcus' case, this newfound magic causes quite a bit of chaos and destruction before he can figure out how to harness and use it properly. And of course, we wouldn't want a cookie that explodes all over your living room. But the subtle pop created by these little exploding candies is the perfect way to celebrate the spark of magical potential we might find if we, like Marcus in this book, look closely enough at the world around us.  

The Not-So-Obvious: In A METHOD OF MAGIC AND MISFORTUNE, Marcus has to navigate multiple layers of experiences to try to make sense of his world, so a cookie with layers of complementary and contrasting flavors felt fitting.

More Not-So-Obvious: [Redacted] 

Sorry! I'm not going to give any spoilers here. But I had a few reasons from little details in the story that made these cookies feel perfect to pair with this book. When you read it for yourself, maybe you'll find some of those reasons for yourself. Feel free to email me (you can contact me through the contact page on my website) to let me know your thoughts. If you comment below, make sure to tag your spoilers so you don't ruin surprises for other readers.
 

“Pop of Summer” Cookies

 Lime Sugar Cookies:

2 cups butter

1 cup sugar

1 (3 oz.) box lime gelatin

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

¼ cup warm water

4 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour

 

Strawberry Frosting:

1 (3 oz.) box strawberry gelatin

½ cup boiling water

¾ cup cold butter, cubed

Pop Rocks Candy

 

Cream together butter, sugar, and lime gelatin, mixing at high speed for 2-3 minutes.

Mix in soda and salt. On low speed, drizzle in warm water until fully combined. Slowly increase speed to high, and beat 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stir in flour, just to combine.

Scoop balls of dough and place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press each slightly to flatten to approximately ¼-inch thick. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-9 minutes, until the bottoms of the cookies are slightly browned. Cool for 1-2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Stir strawberry gelatin into boiling water and stir to dissolve completely. Transfer to a chilled mixing bowl and start mixing on low speed.

Carefully add cubed butter, 1-2 cubes at a time, and continue to mix on low speed until combined. Gradually increase speed and beat until light and fluffy.

Assemble cookies just before serving by spreading with a generous layer of frosting and sprinkling with Pop Rocks candies. (If you assemble too far in advance, the moisture of the frosting will cause the candy to pop prematurely.)

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

*Optional: Bake a few cookies & freeze the extra cookie dough. Scoop & flatten dough balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet (no space necessary) and freeze for 2-4 hours. Transfer cookie dough to a large freezer bag and return to your freezer. You can bake straight from frozen at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes. Freshly-baked cookies anytime you want!

This recipe, inspired by Sister Haycock (Baltimore, MD mission), pairs well with A METHOD FOR MAGIC AND MISFORTUNE by Craig Kofi Farmer.

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