Brother Jerome and the Angels in the Bakery by Fr. Dominic Garramone, illustrated by Richard Bernal Ages 4-8 32 pages Reedy Press September 2010 Hardcover     A beautifully illustrated book with an important message about faith and the persistence of prayer, Brother Jerome and the Angels in the Bakery is a delightful tale about a monk who opens a bakery to help support his religious community. The baker, Brother Jerome, is always accompanied by his guardian angel, Gus, who encourages him in his baking endeavors. At first, the bakery has no customers, but upon the advice of Gus, Brother Jerome opens the door and lets the wonderful smells of his baked goods out to the streets. At first, only angels fly in, but Brother Jerome continues to keep his bakery open to the public. When the angels take a hat off a wealth passerby, and she enters the bakery as the first customer. Eventually word of the bakery spreads, and it becomes a success. The author, Father Dominic, is a well-known baker and television host. Not based on a true story, Brother Jerome and the Angels in the Bakery was inspired by the author’s uncle. The narrative flows smoothly through the straightforward plot line, utilizing dialog to add interest and insight into the characters. Richard Bernal’s warm-hued illustrations extend the text with cheerful illustrations showing the actions of the baker and the smiling faces of the supporting characters. Although a few of the proportions look a little off, the transparent angels and the obvious faith of the characters, their facial expressions, and use of texture makes up for the slight imperfections. Brother Jerome’s story carries a strong yet simple message about the importance of faith, prayer, hard work and persistence.     web reviews   Kristine Wildner/2011 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)