Tova’s Sweet Solution: A Picture Book About Food Allergies, Problem Solving, & Growth Mindset
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Happy birthday to Tova’s Sweet Solution, a picture book for children about food allergies, problem solving, and growth mindset.
Tova’s Sweet Solution is about a bear named Tova who learns she’s allergic to a made-up food called honeygrain. Her family bakestorms new recipes, but nothing tastes good until…Tova gets a new ingredient idea and finds a sweet solution!
Filled with adorable art, tasty wordplay, a loving family, and a main character with growth mindset, this book is sure to inspire creative problem-solving and clever wordplay.
I’m so excited to have this book in the world. There are so many more kids with food allergies whether it’s nuts or gluten, and my hope is that this book normalizes being inclusive and kind to kids with food differences.
Please Order Tova for Your Libraries, Homes, and Friends!
Order or request Tova’s Sweet Solution for your school or public libraries!
(ISBN: 9781636551906, Red Comet Press, 4/21/26)
Positive Reviews for Tova’s Sweet Solution
“With grace and whimsy, Taylor has crafted an utterly sweet tale; the use of nonspecific portmanteau names, like oatssava and milletseed, means that the book will reach an audience with any food allergy. Lise-Anne’s illustrations shine with rich shaded colors, expressive compositions, varied page layouts, and fun typographic stylizations. Serves up success!“ – Kirkus
Read the whole review here.
“This adorable picture book would be a good choice for any picture book collection, particularly those needing titles about food allergies.” – School Library Journal
Read the entire SLJ review here.
“A book about solving problems through creativity.” – Betsy Bird, Fuse 8
“TOVA’S SWEET SOLUTION is an empowering tale about a young bear who bakes herself out of allergy woes to discover the power of creative problem solving and delicious inspiration. Tova’s relatable heartache and determination will have young bakers-to-be reading this book again and again. The playful language and original ingredients used in the kitchen of this charming world, matched with fun, vibrant illustrations, are sure to delight readers and bakers of all ages!” – Saki Tanaka
“This engaging story is filled with inventive words like “cinnalove” and “gingermint” that not only sound delicious but are fun to say, and the illustrations are as “toasty-warm” as their bakery. An adorable story that is sure to resonate with readers dealing with food allergies and sensitivities, as well as all lovers of baked goods.” – Andrea Wang
“The book is filled with adorable illustrations and imaginative, lyrical language (like bakestorm, cinnalove, and chocomint), but it also tackles the tough issue of food allergies or sensitivities in a gentle way. Kids will love Tova and her family and will want to bakestorm with them, but for readers who can’t eat certain foods, they’ll see themselves in Tova’s experiences and they won’t feel alone. Highly recommended for all homes, schools, and libraries!” – Jolene Gutiérrez
“What we enjoyed about this story:
The illustrations are the sweetest with amazing end pages of delicious baked goods
We love how the whole family works together to bake new things
Shows that it’s possible to work around a food allergy”
– Lisa, Three Bookworms
“I applaud the author, Melissa Taylor—an allergy mom herself—for her efforts to highlight this important issue and present it in a way that children will understand and enjoy. I recommend TOVA’S SWEET SOLUTION to families navigating food allergies who might benefit from feeling seen. It’s also a wonderful choice for anyone hoping to encourage empathy in this area.” – Reading for Sanity
“Perfect for children with food sensitivities and the people who love them, this is a story about being seen, adapting with courage, and finding sweetness in unexpected places.” – Children’s Book Review
