It is 1911. Crammed into a three-room flat in a Mott Street tenement, the large Taglia family needs all the help they can muster. Spunky songbird Lily wants to help by baking Daily Bread at the bakery like big sister, Margaret. But Margaret says Lily is just a little kid, and there is more to baking Daily Bread than height and an artist’s heart. Lily learns to navigate in a grown-up world when facing bullies, disasters, dotty bakers, and treacherous streets to cross by herself.
*As a person who’s been on every tour at the Tenement Museum in NYC, I absolutely love this subject and thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It’s fascinating to see all the customs and daily rituals that went on in every day life and the author did a great job of recreating this historical fiction. -Amazon review by Lorraine 5.0 out of 5 stars
*Excellent storytelling. Antoinette Truglio Martin’s story is filled with both heart warming and heart breaking moments. I fell in love with sisters Margaret and Lily as we learned about the challenging times for children, especially immigrant children. – Christina Deckert, Author
*Really captures the era and tenement living. -Amazon review by Peter C 5.0 out of 5 stars
*Profoundly moving and compelling fiction that brings to life the images in Jacob Riis’ photographs. – Malve von Hassell, author
Curriculum Connections
Mark My Place/Rate My Read
Use this handy bookmark to record quick notes for each reading session. Be sure to print on both sides. Cardstock paper works best.
Tic-Tact-Toe 3 Reflections in a Row
Use the Tic-Tac-Toe sheets for discussion topics and writing reflection prompts to the story.
The Heart of Bakers and Artists Vocabulary and Expressions
Learn the unique words and sayings from the Lower East Side, 1911.
The Heart of Bakers and Artists Page Hugger
Fold your very own Page Hugger to hold your place.
Extra Resources for the Becoming America’s Stories set
Download recipes for Daily Bread and Mrs. Goldberg’s Knot Surprise. Get to know the characters in Becoming America’s Stories by downloading Becoming America’s Stories Who’s Who.
Library of Congress Vintage Recordings: Search the archives and set the mood with early 20th century recordings of Sleeping Beauty, Take Me Out To The Ball Game, America the Beautiful, and Christmas carols. Refer to the Library of Congress article Songs of Unionization, Labor Strikes, and Child Labor and the search results for The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire.
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Also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and your local Indie Bookstore.
Stories Served 