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Bear #3
There Are No Bears in This Bakery
A tough gumshoe of a cat--the name's Muffin--protects his territory: The Little Bear Bakery. But there are no bears here. Not on Muffin's watch.
One night, Muffin hears a suspicious noise. Mouse? Raccoon? Bat? Nope, not the usual suspects. But Muffin hears . . . growling. Could it be? Yup. A bear. Just a cub. Whose stomach is definitely growling. Muffin's got this case solved--clearly this bear needs some donuts.
One night, Muffin hears a suspicious noise. Mouse? Raccoon? Bat? Nope, not the usual suspects. But Muffin hears . . . growling. Could it be? Yup. A bear. Just a cub. Whose stomach is definitely growling. Muffin's got this case solved--clearly this bear needs some donuts.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 8, 2019
About the author
Julia Sarcone-Roach
12 books65 followersJulia Sarcone-Roach's animated short Call of the Wild has shown at numerous film festivals around the world. She attended the Rhode Island School of Design. This is her first book. Julia Sarcone-Roach lives in Brooklyn, New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews
February 15, 2019
My niece read this one to me out loud. She is really getting good at reading. She did well. I love Julia Sarcone’s writing. She has some great turns of phrase and my niece noticed. We also laughed out loud at this book. My niece is quick, let me tell you.
“..after the sun rolled off the edge of the sky..” isn’t that lovely. My niece said, “that’s not the usual way to say things is it. She liked it. Next “I slipped into the darkness like icing melting down a hot cake.” She thought that sounded yummy and she said it was easy to see what she meant.
This next line cracked us up. “It was the biggest mouse I had ever seen.” The cat in the story was talking about a bear cub. My niece was rolling in bed at this description for she could clearly see if was a bear and not a mouse. She thought this was so funny.
I thought the artwork was magical like a fuzzy dream one can barely remember or looking at the city lights through a car window with rain running down them. It’s lovely. It’s also funny and a hoot.
The cat is supposed to protect the shop at night. I won’t spoil this book, but it’s fantastic and you should read it. I had so much fun reading it to my niece that I wrote it up before I read it too my nephew so I don’t know what he thinks of it yet. But me and the niece gave this a whopping 5 stars. It’s just right for our family.
“..after the sun rolled off the edge of the sky..” isn’t that lovely. My niece said, “that’s not the usual way to say things is it. She liked it. Next “I slipped into the darkness like icing melting down a hot cake.” She thought that sounded yummy and she said it was easy to see what she meant.
This next line cracked us up. “It was the biggest mouse I had ever seen.” The cat in the story was talking about a bear cub. My niece was rolling in bed at this description for she could clearly see if was a bear and not a mouse. She thought this was so funny.
I thought the artwork was magical like a fuzzy dream one can barely remember or looking at the city lights through a car window with rain running down them. It’s lovely. It’s also funny and a hoot.
The cat is supposed to protect the shop at night. I won’t spoil this book, but it’s fantastic and you should read it. I had so much fun reading it to my niece that I wrote it up before I read it too my nephew so I don’t know what he thinks of it yet. But me and the niece gave this a whopping 5 stars. It’s just right for our family.
June 23, 2019
Spending my wife's birthday reading through a small pile of picture books together. (4 of 5)
I was so disengaged from this bad book due to all the awful similes that it had to be pointed out to me halfway through that the narration and tone was a crime noir parody. That in no way improved the experience.
I was so disengaged from this bad book due to all the awful similes that it had to be pointed out to me halfway through that the narration and tone was a crime noir parody. That in no way improved the experience.
February 1, 2019
A fun noir mystery featuring an adorable cat detective as orange as fresh-squeezed juice who lives in a town where bats regularly torment people at the barber shop. The text is packed full of similes like a donut dripping with jelly.
June 7, 2024
How could anyone give this gem less than 5 stars? It has excellent illustrations, the story is laugh out loud funny and chaotic, and the characters are as lovable as any child will ever find. The author demonstrates a particularly canny understanding of the average cat.
"There are no bears in this bakery. Not anymore."
I read this online through my library, but I am absolutely going to buy a hard copy to keep around the house. I'd say anyone from 5 to 95 would get a good giggle out of this book.
"There are no bears in this bakery. Not anymore."
I read this online through my library, but I am absolutely going to buy a hard copy to keep around the house. I'd say anyone from 5 to 95 would get a good giggle out of this book.
July 4, 2019
I LOVED this book! It was completely adorable, with the perfect amount of wink-wink humor (I mean, we all know who really ate those doughnuts), and delightful art.
I really loved the art! It has a wonderfully approachable amateurishness to it, but it's not amateurish at all, not really. Her use of color and perspective is spot on. Plus, she fits in some little visual jokes. (For example, the cat is sitting in a box in the beginning. It's got nothing to do with the story, it's just what the cat happens to be doing. Any child who knows cats will love that touch, because we all know how cats love boxes.)
Apparently this is a sequel & I need to read the first book nowwww and then go read all her other books.
I really loved the art! It has a wonderfully approachable amateurishness to it, but it's not amateurish at all, not really. Her use of color and perspective is spot on. Plus, she fits in some little visual jokes. (For example, the cat is sitting in a box in the beginning. It's got nothing to do with the story, it's just what the cat happens to be doing. Any child who knows cats will love that touch, because we all know how cats love boxes.)
Apparently this is a sequel & I need to read the first book nowwww and then go read all her other books.
March 10, 2019
Why can't a cat be a detective? Makes sense to me.
October 6, 2022
I have found the best line ever in this book. “Up close the bear smelled like old socks, cinnamon, and adventure.” This book uses very good descriptive language. I would recommend reading it to students before a writing assignment to discuss descriptive writing.
February 2, 2019
So so fun! This would be great to use to teach simile and metaphor, as the book is chock full of them!
January 29, 2019
This would be a fun one for anyone who does story times. Looking at you, library friends.
January 16, 2019
I don't know that a cat would make that kind of mess...it must have been a bear!
May 14, 2019
A guard cat at a bakery investigates a case of breaking and entering, and takes care of the problem.
Make sure you read this in a Humphrey Bogart detective voice for full effect. The cat thinks of itself as this great guard and investigator. The reader and the baker may have other opinions about the cat's skills. I love the descriptive language and voice for this book. It is told with subtle humor that would be all too easy to miss. (I suspect cat owners will have an advantage here in catching the oh-so-cat attitude of superiority and inability to do anything less than perfect.) Elementary kids will love the entertaining story of bears breaking into a bakery, but middle school and high school teachers need to pick this one up and read it to their English classes for the descriptive language and the voice example. There are colorful similes, anthropomorphism, onomatopoeia, metaphor, and the whole thing has a slight sarcasm to it. (And that detective noir overtone.) It isn't a mystery to the reader for long, but the baker will likely have a mystery to solve in the morning. This is also my early pick for a shiny Caldecott sticker next year. The art style is very unique but it fits the story perfectly. Highly recommended for those looking for a subtly humorous read, animal lovers, and language arts teachers.
Make sure you read this in a Humphrey Bogart detective voice for full effect. The cat thinks of itself as this great guard and investigator. The reader and the baker may have other opinions about the cat's skills. I love the descriptive language and voice for this book. It is told with subtle humor that would be all too easy to miss. (I suspect cat owners will have an advantage here in catching the oh-so-cat attitude of superiority and inability to do anything less than perfect.) Elementary kids will love the entertaining story of bears breaking into a bakery, but middle school and high school teachers need to pick this one up and read it to their English classes for the descriptive language and the voice example. There are colorful similes, anthropomorphism, onomatopoeia, metaphor, and the whole thing has a slight sarcasm to it. (And that detective noir overtone.) It isn't a mystery to the reader for long, but the baker will likely have a mystery to solve in the morning. This is also my early pick for a shiny Caldecott sticker next year. The art style is very unique but it fits the story perfectly. Highly recommended for those looking for a subtly humorous read, animal lovers, and language arts teachers.
December 7, 2019
If you like both bears and cats, this is the picture book for you. Muffin is a cat who encounters two bears at the bakery. This one is delicious 😋 fun. In my opinion, it's a serious 2020 Caldecott contender.
January 30, 2019
Don't miss that the story starts before the title page.
August 17, 2025
I think the story went over the tot's head, but I loved it.
June 24, 2019
Oh, man. Oh, maaaaan. I can't take this level of bad like-like-like-like-like writing, especially as the voice of a ginger tabby cat (I love ginger tabby cats more than myself).
"the air was cool and wet like a dog's nose"
"the window was opened like a crooked smile"
"I slipped into the darkness like icing melting down a hot cake" (?!?!?)
"smooshed like a muffin between the couch cushions"
"warm like a bath mat in the sunshine"
"the sun rose and stretch like a yawn" (I liked this one)
Where's the editor of this book? The story doesn't flow. The writing is either painfully poetic ("light began to nibble at the edges of the window", really?) or painfully unfunny. Above all, there's no understanding whatsoever of the soulful and profound spirit of a cat.
"the air was cool and wet like a dog's nose"
"the window was opened like a crooked smile"
"I slipped into the darkness like icing melting down a hot cake" (?!?!?)
"smooshed like a muffin between the couch cushions"
"warm like a bath mat in the sunshine"
"the sun rose and stretch like a yawn" (I liked this one)
Where's the editor of this book? The story doesn't flow. The writing is either painfully poetic ("light began to nibble at the edges of the window", really?) or painfully unfunny. Above all, there's no understanding whatsoever of the soulful and profound spirit of a cat.
February 7, 2019
The author of The Bear Ate Your Sandwich has returned with a second book about a hungry bear (or two.) Muffin is a bakery cat who solves cases when night falls. He knows all of the night sounds until one night when he hears a “grrrrrrrr” noise. At first he can’t locate the noise, but when he returns to the bakery he discovers the largest mouse he has ever seen! Or perhaps it’s the smallest bear. The sound is coming from the little bear’s stomach. Muffin knows just what to do to solve the problem: he feeds the little bear the bakery treats. Then a second bear shows up, much larger than the first. Could Muffin be in a bear-load of trouble?
Sarcone-Roach writes with exceptional tone and turns of phrase in this picture book. She uses bakery metaphors such as “I slipped into the darkness like icing melting down a hot cake.” The metaphors continue when Muffin meets the bears, giving readers a sense of what they smell like, sound like and even feel like. The story here is clever with a cat whose job might be to solve issues but most likely not by feeding wild creatures.
The art is full of colors with yellows and blues playing against deeper blacks in the shadows. Muffin pops with his orange coat against these colors. There is a playfulness in the illustrations that is particularly effective even with their dark colors and nighttime vibe.
A perfect combination of cat and bears that will leave readers craving sprinkles. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Sarcone-Roach writes with exceptional tone and turns of phrase in this picture book. She uses bakery metaphors such as “I slipped into the darkness like icing melting down a hot cake.” The metaphors continue when Muffin meets the bears, giving readers a sense of what they smell like, sound like and even feel like. The story here is clever with a cat whose job might be to solve issues but most likely not by feeding wild creatures.
The art is full of colors with yellows and blues playing against deeper blacks in the shadows. Muffin pops with his orange coat against these colors. There is a playfulness in the illustrations that is particularly effective even with their dark colors and nighttime vibe.
A perfect combination of cat and bears that will leave readers craving sprinkles. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
June 22, 2019
This was SO disappointing. The cover illustration is a complete bait and switch: if, like me, you are thinking this will be an amusing story about a cat oblivious to the bear that is obviously in the bakery, don't waste your time. This is actually a hard-boiled detective story parody that falls completely flat and is never once funny. There is also a painfully awkward and unnecessary simile on EVERY page that very quickly made me want to throw the book against the wall rather than read it out loud. Finally, the underlying story is stupid and the main character is awful.
September 12, 2019
I read this picture book on recommendation of a librarian friend who said it had outstanding figurative and descriptive language in it, and she was so right. Thanks, Chel! The sentences are few, but the wording is rich. “Last night, after the sun rolled off the edge of the sky, a mysterious new sound tumbled over the windowsill.” The imagery! So much better than, “After the sun went down, I heard a strange sound.” And can you just put yourself inside this bear’s hug? “It was warm, like a bath mat in the sunshine. It smelled like that bath mat needed a bath.”
This is a terrific little book for emphasize descriptive language in writing to elementary and intermediate level students. Students can listen to the examples in the book and play around with great wording of their own.
Oh! And it’s a fun story of a “guard cat” who made sure that the bears in Little Bear Bakery were gone by dawn and all was safe except for quite a mess.
This is a terrific little book for emphasize descriptive language in writing to elementary and intermediate level students. Students can listen to the examples in the book and play around with great wording of their own.
Oh! And it’s a fun story of a “guard cat” who made sure that the bears in Little Bear Bakery were gone by dawn and all was safe except for quite a mess.
February 12, 2019
Fans of detective stories will get a kick out of this cute picture book. Muffin the cat keeps an eye on everything that goes on in the neighborhood. But when a strange noise comes from the open window of the Little Bear Bakery, Muffin doesn't hesitate to investigate. When the cat discovers a hungry little bear in the middle of all of the tasty baked treats, the cat gets busy solving the problem. Young readers will giggle as they see how the cat takes care of the problem. This would be a fun way to discuss conflict and resolution in literature. Young writers might be able to use this as a mentor text to help them create their own detective stories.
February 26, 2019
This made me so happy the entire time I read it! When I read it, the voice in my head was a Sam Spade mystery-style send up sort of voice. My co-worker heard something completely different until I read a bit out loud and now she has it stuck in her head that way too. Haha!
Love the cat and the cat's expressions throughout. Cannot wait to read this with Madam.
Love the cat and the cat's expressions throughout. Cannot wait to read this with Madam.
May 20, 2019
A fun mystery with Muffin, the cat, trying to solve the mystery of an unusual sound. The sound takes her to the Little Bear Bakery which holds a surprise! Illustrations are beautiful, starting with the endpapers that will leave your mouth watering. Mixing animals and sweets in a bakery is a winning combination!
April 16, 2022
Who knew that there was such a thing as the genre of noir-Children’s-picture-mystery-books. Not to worry, Muffin’s on the case. Fun, cute, and entertaining, but nothing really jumped out at me - other than the similarity to my first cat’s name also being Muffin (he once swatted a Doberman Pinscher who was terrorizing me, let me tell you that dog never barked at me again).
March 21, 2019
I will order for next year and do a lesson on similes, I do believe.
May 14, 2019
Clever, cute and funny. A winner to me.
January 29, 2020
I loved this story. There is a lot a teacher could use. Also, the illustrations are great!
March 2, 2020
Delightful characters, fun playful illustrations that meander across the page
September 14, 2021
Told from the perspective of Muffin, the neighborhood's private eye cat, this is a story of suspicious characters, nighttime heists and friendship. I enjoyed Muffin's narration and even more the Sarcone-Roach's vibrant illustrations.
October 10, 2025
It's kind of cute. I liked the rhyming. I guess the story just didn't do it for me, neither did the illustrations.
May 29, 2026
Very cute children’s book.
February 12, 2019
Another cute and funny book of animals with excuses. A cat "bravely defends" a bakery from a bear attack...or so it claims. This book is better suited for slightly older kids who will pick up on the subtle humor. I might have liked the bear ate your sandwich slightly more, but I am a dog person. Still, this is pretty great fun.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 309 reviews