“And what if the treasure was the friendship we solidified along the way?” Arthur asked.
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
Lucy pulled a face. “That’s the worst treasure in the world. They already were my friends. I want rubies.”
Theodore perked up and chirped a question.
“No,” Thalia said through a mouthful of potato salad. Bits of egg and mustard dotted her beard. “No rubies.”
His wings dropped.
“But there is pie,” Zoe said. “Baked especially for you.”
The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is a tender, whimsical, slightly dystopian fantasy. The story follows Linus Baker who works for the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. Linus’s life is predictable. He’s good at his job, he likes his pajamas and records, he has his cat. Then Linus is sent to an orphanage on an island with a very unique group of children.
I adored this book and cannot recommend it enough. I now need to go read everything written by TJ Klune. The characters are charming, funny, and endearing. Linus, entrenched in his dull life doesn’t seem like a likely main character, but ends up bringing so much love and growth to the story.
I had to make pies for the pie the kids eat when they’re on their adventure on the island. And I had to make the pies cherry for Arthur’s favorite flavor. I used Erin McDowell’s all-butter pie crust recipe. And I used Sally’s Baking Recipes’s cherry pie filling. I used frozen, whole sweet cherries and I simmered my mixture on the stove for about 10 minutes. Chill the mixture before adding it to the pie crusts. This can, of course, be done the day before! I baked up the pies in these adorable mini tart pans.
I would love to go visit Linus and Arthur’s island on the sea. It sounds like pure magic. What’s the place you daydream of going?
Check out my Instagram reel for The House in the Cerulean Sea!
Novel Bakery 
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