Bella's Recipe for Success; Ana Siqueira, Geraldine Rodriguez

Bella's Recipe for Success growth mindset book review

Summary: Bella’s Recipe for Success

Bella’s Recipe for Success is about a girl who can’t seem to figure out what she’s good at. Her brother plays piano excellently and her sister is a brilliant gymnast, but Bella can’t do either of those things well. She decides, though, that she’s going to bake, but it turns out baking isn’t that easy and her first recipe is a bust. But just before she gives up, her abuela steps in to teach her and Bella learns that learning new things — and becoming good at them — takes time and effort.

The Good

I loved this story! I even tweeted about it a few days ago. Bella, like most of us, feels a bit useless because she’s comparing herself to her older siblings (who work hard at their craft). She can’t seem to figure out what she’s good at and then when she tries her hand at baking, she’s so bad at it the first time that she feels ready to quit.

But she realizes that working harder at things is often the way to succeed at them. She also learns that people who seem to be great at what they do also put in the work behind the scenes. So Bella puts in the work and actually starts to get better at baking!

Books like these are great reminders for kids and adults. I loved seeing all the things Bella makes and also seeing the Spanish words thrown in throughout the text. The writing in this story is very enjoyable and minimal enough for newer readers to enjoy.

Finally, Bella’s relationship with her abuela and the bond they form over food is sweet.

Overall: Bella’s Recipe for Success

Bella’s Recipe for Success is a poignant growth-mindset picture book for kids facing new challenges. With a relatable protagonist and lots of Spanish words throughout the text, this book is perfect for kids interested in learning Spanish. It also features lots of Spanish desserts and warm family dynamics. I would highly recommend this to all picture book lovers.