Fans of the first effort—and young bakers—will likely enjoy another outing, but it’s nothing more than an average early...
Kylie and her friends, introduced in Peace, Love and Cupcakes (2012), are back for another bakefest.
Founders of a successful cupcake-baking club they call “Peace, Love and Cupcakes,” the girls are now entering fifth grade and have been separated for the summer. Lexi, the focus of this installment, spent part of the summer with her quirky aunt in New York City, but she experiences some jealousy as her friends come back with stories of their own summer adventures. After school starts, she’s attracted to Jeremy, with whom she’s been partnered in the school production of Romeo and Juliet. This makes for some uncomfortable moments as she, with her friends egging her on, searches for a way to let him know she likes him. Meanwhile, the girls are baking at-times vast quantities of cupcakes to fill commercial orders. One weekend they need to come up with 3,500 cupcakes, baked and decorated, which they—remarkably—do! The entrepreneurial aspects of the club seem far beyond the capabilities of a few grade schoolers, however motivated. While most of the interactions and situations (except the baking, and the Shakespeare is a stretch) are typical of the age, there’s nothing terrifically compelling going on here. Appended recipes add an amusing, probably yummy, dimension.
Fans of the first effort—and young bakers—will likely enjoy another outing, but it’s nothing more than an average early chapter book in a crowded field. (Fiction. 8-11)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4022-6452-8
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 28, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2012
Certain to elicit both gales of giggles and winces of sympathy (not to mention recognition) from young readers.
First volume of a planned three, this edited version of an ongoing online serial records a middle-school everykid’s triumphs and (more often) tribulations through the course of a school year.
Largely through his own fault, mishaps seem to plague Greg at every turn, from the minor freak-outs of finding himself permanently seated in class between two pierced stoners and then being saddled with his mom for a substitute teacher, to being forced to wrestle in gym with a weird classmate who has invited him to view his “secret freckle.” Presented in a mix of legible “hand-lettered” text and lots of simple cartoon illustrations with the punch lines often in dialogue balloons, Greg’s escapades, unwavering self-interest and sardonic commentary are a hoot and a half.
Certain to elicit both gales of giggles and winces of sympathy (not to mention recognition) from young readers. (Fiction. 9-11)Pub Date: April 1, 2007
ISBN: 0-8109-9313-9
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2007
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
PERSPECTIVES
Wholesome? Yes. Proper hard work and teamwork values in place? Yes. Paint by numbers? Oh, yes.
Olympic gold medalist Morgan runs down the celebrity-sports-fiction checklist in this series opener: New school? Check. New friends? Check. New boyfriend? Maybe! New soccer team? Check. Inspire said team to take on snooty archrival private school? Check.
Quickly shedding perfunctory initial reservations, Devin sails into seventh grade at Kentville Middle School, makes instant connections in class and at Kangaroos soccer tryouts. She meets requisite bully Mirabelle at the latter, then goes on to be elected team co-captain. After a disastrous start to the season, she helps her team’s members and even the less-than-rigorous coach land on the same winning page. Following a sleepover, a dance, team-building drills and exercises, pep rallies, minor problem-solving and motivational strategizing, Devin prods the Kangaroos into position to beat the haughty Pinewood Panthers in a climactic rematch while also schooling Mirabelle, who has jumped ship to join the rival team.
Wholesome? Yes. Proper hard work and teamwork values in place? Yes. Paint by numbers? Oh, yes. (soccer glossary) (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: May 7, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4424-8570-9
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
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