The fishmonger and the pastry chef by Sophie Masson and Cheryl Orsini
A wonderful story of love and friendship, told within the enticing framework of a small French seaside town which has a pastry chef, Lucas’ aunt Violette, and Cyprien the fishmonger at the local market. Lucas loves visiting his two friends, the pastry shop where he can indulge his love of cakes and pastries, and the fish market stall where he sometimes helps with cleaning and mopping. But both of his friends have sad eyes. They are always pleased to see Lucas but behind the welcome, Lucas senses a tinge of sadness.
Cyprien visits Violette’s shop each Saturday to buy a pastry to take home. One day as Violette and Lucas are talking, he asks her to relay her happiest memory. She tells him of a time spent at the beach when building a sandcastle, a boy handed her a starfish to add to the castle. He asks Cyprien the same question and he tells him of a day at the beach when there was a huge storm and people feared for the boats coming home. A girl gave him a spoon in the shape of a shell when the boats came safely to the harbour. Both adults recall a time when they were happy.
Lucas plans to get both of them to the beach again, to rekindle the time when they were children. At the picnic, Violette builds a sandcastle, while Lucas watches out for the late Cyprien. Finally he arrives, and seeing the sandcastle, makes the link to the silver spoon and Violette. Cyprian has brought along blankets so the group stays on the beach telling stories about their lives since meeting all those years ago.
A friendship is rekindled.
This disarming story will be loved by its readers, sure of the facts that old friendships can be resurrected, knowing that love and friendship is never lost.
The beautiful portraits of Violette and Cyprien will stay with readers as they turn each page showing their current lives, and see some of their past. Lucas succeeds in his aim to making their lives happier, and the soft warm pastel colours used throughout the book underline the companionship felt by all three characters. The delectable pastries and cakes shown in Violette’s shop will certainly grab the attention of the readers, as will the array of fish shown in Cyprien’s window. The seaside town is beautifully shown with the terraces, the walks to the sea shore, and the range of boats that come into harbour. Kids will love spotting the array of things to do at the beach, and plan along with Lucas, a picnic for the pairing of his two friends.
Astute readers will notice instances of French culture show in the book, and all will love the repetition of lines, and the detail shown in the illustrations. I love the view of Violette’s saucepans on the wall, and the array of fish on the fishmongers stand, the view of the little French seaside town from the beach and the boats in the harbour.
Themes: France, Patisserie, Fish, Harbours, Friendship, Romance, Humour.
Fran Knight