Deep within the quiet waters of Stillmere lives a community where everyone has a special gift to share. Some Lakefolk listen. Some build. Some protect. And Finnel? Finnel nourishes the hearts of those around him, one homemade meal at a time. From his warm and welcoming Hearth, he seems to know when a friend needs a comforting bowl of soup, when wonderful news calls for cake, or when the best thing he can offer is simply a warm drink and a listening ear.

​

In Finnel and the Secret Ingredient, young readers discover that caring for others doesn't always require grand gestures. Sometimes it means noticing when someone's wings are drooping a little lower than usual. Sometimes it's arriving with a basket for a new family, celebrating someone's accomplishment, or sitting quietly beside a friend who doesn't feel like talking. As Finnel gathers, cooks, bakes, and shares his way through Stillmere, one simple truth appears in everything he makes: the best meals begin with care.

​

And Finnel invites readers to join him in the Hearth! The book includes four of Finnel's recipes for families to make and share together: Comfort Garden Soup, Rainbow Gathering Salad, Celebration Honey Berry Cake, and Lakefolk Explorer Trail Mix. More than a children's picture book, Finnel and the Secret Ingredient offers families a way to bring a little piece of Stillmere into their own kitchen while exploring kindness, empathy, creativity, community, and the joy of making something special for someone you love.