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As publishing folk, we love all of our children equally-each as their own work of genius, humor, instruction or sheer entertainment. The years have taught us the art of extolling all of the books on our list, from the front list blockbuster to the midlist gem. Yet, once every season or so, there's a book (or books) that you think of just a little too often, that creeps into your thoughts time and again like a middle school crush. After 10 years of being in this business, it's always amazing when you fall just a little bit in love all over again (and again, and again).

The most recent object of my affection isn't a gripping memoir, or stunning fiction debut. That's not what we do here at DK. It's a cookbook-and more specifically a baking book. I don't even like to bake, and am certainly not very good at it, but I am confident that Nick Malgieri's The Modern Baker will save me.

At the end of this coming September, home cooks are going to be introduced to a new way to think about baking. With recipes designed to be completed in an hour, for everything from pies to cookies to breads and savory treats, The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri is going to have everyone falling in love with baking again! The staff at DK and friends will also be giving you a chance to take a peek at our kitchen skills as we attempt to become modern bakers with the launch of the Modern Baker Blog later this summer! Follow us through our triumphs (and possible tragedies) along the road to baking mastery. Look out for it. It should be a lot of fun.

One of the most unique things about DK is that we publish both adult and children's books. Coming from an adult publishing background, learning about kids' books during my two years here has been an adventure. I'm lucky to have a job where I'm simultaneously exposed to James Beard Award Nominees and the coolest visual reference books for kids in the world. I'm no children's expert, but I DO know that all the fun we'll be having with The Modern Baker in the kitchen is not reserved only grown-ups (and I'm pretty sure there's some young bakers with skills far superior to mine).

Crumbs: Bakeshop in a Box may just be the most clever book and kit for junior bakers out there. Written by Mia Bauer, the owner of the Crumbs® Bakeshop chain (if you haven't had a Crumbs® cupcake by the way, you MUST either march yourself to the closest location or order one online-they deliver!). This clever package promotes both reading and baking as a family. Following the book's main character, Lolly LaCrumb, on her cupcake adventure, kids can bring her story to life as they create their own cupcakes. The adorable package includes wipe-clean recipe cards, measuring spoons and decorating stencils featuring characters from the book. Before you know it, you'll have your own mini modern baker right at home! It's a far cry from my easy-bake oven days, that's for sure. By the way, these recipes won't disappoint the most discerning adult palates either.

We're not spending all of our time in the kitchen this fall though. There are so many wonderful books coming that if I tried to blog about all of them, well, I'm certain you'd stop reading. All I can say is that if you love animals, history and historical facts for kids, super cool gadget guides, beer, comics, Scrabble and more, DK is the place to be!

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