All You Knead is Love by Tanya Guerrero [MG Review]

Summary 💬

Twelve-year-old Alba doesn’t want to live with her estranged grandmother in Barcelona. But her mother needs her to be far, far away from their home in New York City. Because this is the year that her mother is going to leave Alba’s abusive father. Hopefully. If she’s strong enough to finally, finally do it. Alba is surprised to find that she loves Barcelona, forming a close relationship with her grandmother, meeting a supportive father figure, and making new friends. Most of all, she discovers a passion and talent for bread baking. When her beloved bakery is threatened with closure, Alba is determined to find a way to save it—and at the same time, she may just come up with a plan to make their family whole again.

Goodreads

Review ✍🏻

I feel like I have now read enough excellent middle grade books that feature protagonists cooking or baking that I should make a list of them. All You Knead is Love would be the latest addition to that list.

All the Feelings

When I read middle grade contemporary, I often do so from a professional perspective. I prefer fantasy; I read contemporary to be aware of great new titles with diverse representation. Rarely do I connect with middle grade protagonists on a personal level. So I was surprised to find myself relating to Alba, even though our experiences differ greatly. Feelings of anger and frustration and sadness and the desire to run away from the problems that cause those feelings? Probably relatable to a lot of readers these days! At one point, I wrote a note, “Kid, I am feeling this”.

Relationships

This is not to diminish Alba’s personal experiences. The story opens with Alba’s mother loading her onto a plane to Spain, because she doesn’t want Alba around as she tries to leave her abusive husband (Alba’s father). Alba has had a rough go of things, with a fractured relationship with her mother due to the abuse they have both experienced at the hands of Alba’s father. Alba’s parents also take issue with her gender expression. Her father’s downright awful about it; her mother wants her to be more feminine.

Abuela Lola

Abuela Lola (grandmother in Spanish and Tagalog), on the other hand, takes no issue, asking Alba about her gender identity early on in a poignant scene. Guerrero has noted, “I decided to make Alba non-gender conforming like my own daughter, because I felt there was a void in MG literature when it comes to representation like hers. Both my daughter and Alba identify as she/her, but they do not conform to the traditional mold of what a girl is supposed to be.”

Alba’s relationship with the grandmother she never knew is one of my favourite parts of the story. Throughout the story, Alba contrasts her experiences with Abuela Lola to what she has experienced growing up with her parents. In one instance, as Alba and Abuela Lola sit down to dinner, Alba notes that “Having someone there, and present, was disorienting” (16%), because it’s such a contrast to how she often ate dinner with her mother.

Everyone Else

***The following paragraph contains a spoiler for an event that occurs about halfway through the book.***

As Alba grows comfortable living with Abuela Lola, baking with her mother’s childhood friend Toni, and exploring Barcelona with Toni’s son Joaquim and Marie (daughter of the Chinese family who owns a restaurant in Abuela Lola’s building), Alba’s mother comes crashing back into her life. I didn’t anticipate that to happen (roughly halfway through). It kept the story engaging and pushed Alba to further confront her feelings and how she and her mother might relate to one another going forward.

***End spoilers***

At almost four hundred pages, there are further strengths in this story that I haven’t commented on. I’ve alluded to other key relationships in the paragraph above, but I haven’t touched on Alba’s experience with the Filipino community her grandmother introduces her to. Different aspects of family (blood, found, repaired, rediscovered) play a central role in the story. Alba and Abuela Lola’s relationship is just one exemplar. Alba also experiences her first ‘romantic’ encounters, in a way that’s entirely appropriate for middle grade and doesn’t overshadow other aspects of the story. I have to say I am glad there was no ‘redemptive’ romantic storyline for Alba’s mother! Overall, All You Knead is Love beautifully explores family, community, and finding belonging.

Oh, and I can’t wrap up this review without commenting on the setting. How nice it would be to wander the narrow streets and bask in the sun on a Barcelona beach right now… Guerrero’s descriptions did a great job at transporting me away from the grey dreary pandemic winter of the west coast.

The Bottom Line 💭

Although a lengthy tale, All You Knead is Love uses every page to tell a full and satisfying story that explores growing up with an abusive parent, expressing yourself in the way you feel most comfortable, and finding both your place in community and your passion.

Further Reading 📰

🍂 Read an excerpt
🍂 Author website
🍂 Cover reveal and Interview @ MG Book Village
🍂 Reviews: Kathie @ Bit About Books
🍂 Related: I’ve reviewed a few other middle grade books featuring kids who find solace in cooking/food, though these are all more light-hearted stories: All Four Stars, Love, Sugar Magic, and The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart.

Have you read anything by this author? What about middle grade titles featuring cooking/baking, or vivid European settings?