Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

One day. One moment in time. That’s all it takes for a tragedy, a sorrow that will seep through the soul of a child forever. The memories that fill this tiny space of eternity are enough to make the reader weep for the child who couldn’t find the love she craved, certainly not from her parents. And, for the child who must give up so much for others: the taste of fresh milk meant for sale or for the piglets, the cherished doll that she willingly bequeaths to another child who needed its love more, and the crushed egg that would never secure her the much-desired tasty bun. Her parents may not love her, but her brother did and so did her aunt, whose words of wisdom stayed with her: “You cannot change things now, but you can always change your life when you grow up.” It is a harsh world where a child learns at an early age that “Life is erratic. It isn’t easy.” Meshed in the hardship and harsh realities, a young child can learn, prosper and rise above his or her current circumstances, and the most important life lesson of all is to “love the person next to you if you want to be loved in return.”

Award-winning author Olga D'Agostino takes the reader to a different time and place where daily life was a struggle at best. Her novella, A Taste of Bread, explores the power of love and how it affects children. Taking a simple story of a fresh egg saved to trade with the bread man on his daily delivery, the author explores the many poignant memories that lead up to the race to catch the bread man. Through it all, a little girl learns to accept God’s will, even when it’s not her own, discovering the love she craves in the most unlikely places. A powerful story.