About the Holiday
Familiar stories are part of the glue that keep families together. The months of November and December, when homes can be full of family and friends for the holidays, are perfect for sharing those stories with the youngest members as a way to pass down traditions, funny or poignant memories, and even historical touchstones. Telling these stories can be especially meaningful for children experiencing the loss of a beloved family member and the activities they shared. Today’s book speaks to such loss, recovery, and rediscovering happiness.
Thank you to Astra Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book for review!
Bread Days
By Hannah Chung
For Nara, Bread Days with her father were special. She would wake up early, greet Papa—who was already in the kitchen—and then say “‘Good morning!'” to Paolo, their sourdough starter, before feeding it with flour and water. “One bubble. Two bubbles. Soon, Paolo filled his jar with bubbles.” Nara and Papa loved spending the whole day together, mixing the dough, shaping it into a round loaf, watching it rise, and scoring the top with a design Nara had drawn. Then they sat together and watched the bread bake in the oven.
Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.
“On Bread Days, the kitchen was warm and cozy,” and Nara’s heart felt light as she and Mama and Papa enjoyed the “crunchy crust and pillowy bites.” She couldn’t wait for the next Bread Day. But one week when that day came around, Mama told her that Papa couldn’t do it. Disappointed, Nara put Paolo in the refrigerator to wait for the next time. She waited and waited, but there were no more Bread Days. “Papa was gone.” Soon, even the way Papa kept the kitchen began to change. Nara “missed Papa more than ever.”
Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.
One night, while Mama was sleeping, Nara crept into the kitchen, put up all of Papa’s bread-making notes, got out the equipment, and opened the refrigerator to get Paolo. But Paolo didn’t look right. He was sticky, and floating on top was a brown liquid. Nara was crushed. She thought Paolo was gone too, that Bread Days were over. But Mama was up, and she reassured Nara that Paolo would be fine. As Mama worked with Paolo, the bubbles returned. “Paolo was back,” and for Nara it felt like Papa was there with them too.
Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.
Now Nara and Mama held Bread Days, and although the loaves looked different than the ones Nara had made with Papa, they were just as tasty. Bread Days were still the best days!
Following the story, Hannah Chung includes an Author’s Note about her father, who turned hobby baking into a weekly ritual for the whole family, and how she has continued his tradition after he passed away
Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.
In her moving tribute to her own father, Hannah Chung draws a sweet story of the love between a father and daughter. As Nara feeds the sourdough starter and Paolo bubbles, Nara and Papa shape and score the loaf, and they watch the loaf bake together, the bread symbolizes their love and bonding over this weekly tradition. Papa’s passing may seem sudden to young readers and may need explanation by an adult, but such life-changing events can often feel abrupt and confusing to children.
With changes in the kitchen and Paolo’s development of an unfamiliar layer of hooch, Chung touches on Nara’s sadness and fear that this important connection with her father is gone too. But as Nara and her mother recreate Bread Days and Nara feels the spirit of her father there, Chung reassures readers that, as she says, “love endures in memory, rituals hold us steady, and starting anew takes quiet courage.”
A touching story about loss and resilience, Bread Days offers comfort to any child grieving the loss of a beloved family member and affirms that their memories and continued traditions provide happiness as life continues on.
Ages 4 – 8
Astra Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-1662621017
Hannah Chung is an award-winning designer and entrepreneur in health care design for young patients. She is a frequent guest lecturer at universities and has presented at numerous conferences including TEDx and SXSW. She is the also the author/illustrator of The Most Perfect Persimmon. Hannah spends her time both in Providence, Rhode Island, and Seoul, South Korea. Visit her at hannahchung.com.
Family Stories Month Activity
Text and illustration © 2025 by Hannah Chung. Courtesy of Astra Young Readers.
Bread Days Activity Kit from Astra Young Readers
With this Bread Days Activity Kit from Astra Young Readers, kids can enjoy their own Bread Day! Five activities, including drawing their own bread design, a crossword puzzle, pages for writing about a special day they had and what makes them happy, and a puzzle prompting them to put the steps of bread making in order. You can download it here!
You can purchase Bread Days from these booksellers
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)
Picture Book Review
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