The Cafe at the Edge of the Woods

This enchanting tale follows Rene, an ambitious chef who opens a café on the edge of an enchanted forest. With the help of her quirky assistant, Glumfoot, Rene is prepared to serve a unique clientele of mythological creatures. But there’s a twist: her customers have a taste for peculiar, often unappetising dishes. Faced with these unusual requests, Rene and Glumfoot must get creative to keep the café thriving.

Please’s storytelling is both humorous and heartwarming, carrying a gentle message about embracing the unexpected and adapting to new places and people. His rhythmic, playful text invites young readers to revel in quirky dishes like ‘pickled bats’ and ‘maggot fondue’, while the tone remains lighthearted as Rene navigates her patrons’ eccentric tastes. Complementing the text are Please’s rich, intricate illustrations, rendered in thick lines and a palette that balances warm, earthy tones with vibrant splashes of colour.

With clever framing and perspective, each spread adds tension and warmth, enhancing the whimsy throughout the narrative. Delightful details invite readers to linger, exploring the fantastical elements of the café’s visitors and setting. Expressive characters, particularly the lumbering, tusked ogre and the ever-helpful Glumfoot, add charm and depth, drawing readers further into Rene’s imaginative world.

A lushly illustrated fusion of picture book and graphic novel, it is a welcome ‘beast’ of a story that celebrates creativity, resilience, and the joy of embracing the strange and unfamiliar. A delightful addition to any bookshelf that promises new discoveries with each reading.