"Nara arranged bread-making materials.
She covered the cabinet doors with Papa's
notes and her bread drawings.
Nara could feel the kitchen warm and cozy
again like Bread Days. And there was just
one more important thing to do." j
Nara loves bread days. She and her father like to bake together. After wishing her papa a good day, the next thing she does is to say hello to Paolo, the starter they use for their sourdough. She feeds Paolo and watches as the jar fills with bubbles. The day passes quickly with the busyness of bread making. They add flour and water, fold and round out the dough before putting it in the oven. Papa always adds one of Nara's drawings to the top of the loaf before it goes in the oven to bake.
What a treat to share together. Then, Nara begins the wait until they make the next one. When the next day rolls around, much has changed. Papa has died, and there will be no more bread days. The kitchen where they did their baking changes. Nothing is the same without her father.
Then one night Nara leaves her bed to get to work in the kitchen again. She gets everything she needs, puts Papa's notes and her drawings on the cabinet doors and feels the warmth all over again. It's time for Paolo. Paolo looks terrible. Mama knows just what to do. The bubbles reappear; the jar fills with bubbles once again. Paolo is back and so is the desire to recreate the bread days Nara once enjoyed with her father.
An author's note adds the family story that inspired Ms. Chung to write this book, and includes family photos of bread making days.
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