A Sprinkle of Kindness


Set on a winding, cobblestone lane in Paris, this heartwarming tale follows a young boy named Pierre who dreams of becoming a baker. When a sweet neighborhood baker named Madeline notices him gazing through her windows, a simple act of generosity changes everything.


Author: Sharan Sagoo

Perfect for Ages 6–8, 10-minute story

Choose to read online, listen to the audiobook, or read the flipbook at your own pace.

At the top of a narrow, winding cobblestone lane in Paris sat a small bakery called Madeline Du Pain, run by a baker named Madeline!

Madeline Du Pain was a real treasure, offering the locals the most delicious treats.

The eye-catching sign above the bakery door read: Madeline Du Pain, Beautiful Treats Served Daily!—and these beautiful treats attracted people from all over Paris.
To stay true to serving delicious treats each day, Madeline worked from morning until night alongside her roaring pastry ovens, baking scrumptious cakes, pastries, tarts, puddings, and flans.
The magical selection of baked goods gleamed and sparkled through the shop windows, making it impossible for passersby not to peek inside—or, even better, buy a sweet treat!
Inside, the bakery oozed with the scent of cinnamon, melted butter, and caramelized sugar. 

Every time the bakery door opened, the sweet aromas drifted down the cobblestone lane, filling Paris with the most incredible pastry perfume!
A little boy named Pierre walked past Madeline Du Pain every day on his way to and from school.

With his doughnut-round cheeks and wide, brioche-like eyes, Pierre would gaze into the bakery window, wishing he could taste one of the scrumptious treats inside.

Mesmerized by the displays of sweetness and the workings of the bakery, Pierre dreamed of becoming a baker when he grew up.
Madeline, the bakery owner, often saw Pierre peeking inside, and she would wave at him with her flour-covered hands.

Pierre always shyly waved back before he and his growling tummy hurried away!

One sunny afternoon after school, Pierre found himself gazing into the bakery windows again. The warm sunlight made the cake displays look even more tempting—baskets were piled high with flaky croissants, shiny berry tarts, creamy caramels, and eclairs.

Pierre’s tummy started to grumble.

His pockets were empty, so he turned to walk away when the bakery door flew open. There stood Madeline, her apron covered in colourful splashes of jam, chocolate, and powdered sugar, looking just like an artist’s palette.

“Bonjour, Pierre!” she cheered. “Why do you look so sad today?”

Pierre looked down at the cobblestones. “I wish I could taste your treats, as I want to be a baker when I grow up.”

Madeline smiled. “Tomorrow is Saturday, Pierre. How would you like to be a baker for a day, in exchange for all the pastries you can eat?”

Pierre’s brioche eyes lit up, and without a second of hesitation, he blurted out a happy, “Yes!”
Saturday came, and Pierre didn’t peek through the bakery windows. Instead, wearing a grin of confidence, he skipped right through the front door!

With not a moment to spare, Pierre and Madeline got to work.

Together, they measured, sifted, and whisked.

They folded, kneaded, rolled, and glazed.

They baked, filled, shaped, and iced.

Every creation was a masterpiece. Pastries were brushed with egg to turn golden in the oven, and sugar was sprinkled on cakes and biscuits, glistening like tiny diamonds.

From dawn till dusk, Pierre’s day was full of learning, tremendous fun, and constant sweet breaks!

By the end of the day, Pierre looked just as wonderfully messy as Madeline. In true baker fashion, his father’s old shirt—which he used as an apron—was covered in colorful splatters of sugar, chocolate, flour, and sprinkles.
Madeline was so pleased with Pierre that she invited him to bake with her every Saturday, in exchange for pastries and ingredients he could take home to practice baking with.

That evening, Pierre returned home with a basket of pastries, a full tummy, and a new set of baking skills!

Pierre could not believe how amazing his day had been at Madeline Du Pain, and how a sprinkle of kindness had started to turn his dream of becoming a baker into reality.
On Monday, as Pierre walked past Madeline Du Pain on his way to school, he noticed that the sign above the door now read: “Beautiful Treats Served Daily, by Madeline & Pierre.”


Click on the box in the top right-hand corner to expand.

Enjoyed the story, audio, or flipbook? Click the heart!