Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape

By Author / Illustrator

Martin Stewart

Genre

Mystery & Detective

Age range(s)

Publisher

Head of Zeus

ISBN

9781804549094

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

08-06-2023

Synopsis

The first in a new madcap, hilarious series about Bridget Vanderpuff, whipsmart inventor and amateur sleuth with a taste for adventure. It's a recipe for fun with mystery, villainy, cake and sprinkles of silliness, heart and hope.

Bridget Baxter is the very last orphan at the Orphanage for Errant Childs, left at the mercy of the awful Miss Acrid and her foul-smelling fish sandwiches. Miss Acrid's mission is to make Bridget's life a misery. But Bridget is more than a match for her.

When kindly Mr Vanderpuff arrives at the Orphanage in search of a child to care for, Bridget thinks her luck has finally turned. Mr Vanderpuff is the village baker, and his shop is a world of wonders. But they soon discover that Bridget is absolutely terrible at baking. When Miss Acrid returns for the ultimate revenge, Bridget must open the Locked and Secret Door, navigate Miss Acrid's spiderweb of booby traps and use her unique baking skills to save herself - and Mr Vanderpuff - from certain disaster.

Join Bridget as she dons her chef whites and gets the kwassongs at the ready... Baking isn't such a piece of cake.

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Reviews

Bridget Baxter lives at the Orphanage for Errant Childs, an institution run by the evil Miss Acrid, who does everything she can to make Bridget's life a misery. Although Bridget is more than a match for her, she is delighted when the village baker, Mr Vanderpuff, arrives at the orphanage, looking for a child to care for. Although she is talented at many things, Bridget discovers that she is a terrible baker; however, perhaps her unique baking style is just what's needed to save the day!

I was lucky enough to hear author Martin Stewart talk about Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape at the Federation of Children's Book Groups' Conference last month. His lovely sense of humour and obvious love of cake made for a very enjoyable session and Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape quickly made its way to the top of my TBR pile!

Unique and quirky, Bridget is a heroine like no other! From her thick orange hair full of useful tools to her paraskirt, she is bright and brave, smart and sassy. As she outwits the ghastly Miss Acrid, whose deep hatred of irregular plurals is responsible for the unusual name of the Orphanage, with her crazy inventions, the reader cannot help but cheer her on! Miss Acrid is the most detestable villain with no redeeming features who locks her charges in the dungeons, puts their legs in bear traps and generally seeks to make their lives as miserable as possible, but is no match for the wonderful Bridget!

A series of foot notes, which 'clarify' and expand upon elements of the text add much to the humour of the tale, which bounces along at a pleasing pace. Although I have only read a proof copy, a selection of David Habben's wonderful line drawings are included, giving life to Bridget, her friends and foe!

A splash of silliness mixed with a heap of fun, Bridget Vanderpuff and the Baked Escape is a brilliant read and I look forward to her next adventure, Bridget Vanderpuff and the Ghost Train!

304 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher