FROSTING AND FRIENDSHIP by Lisa Schroeder

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher. Frosting and Friendship releases on September 24th. It is a follow up to It's Raining Cupcakes and  Sprinkles and Secrets.]

This book could have easily been called "Lily Learns to Be Herself," because that is at the core of the story. Lily wants so badly to be as close to Sophie as Isabel is, that when their mother-daughter book club chooses the name "Baking Bookworms," Lily can't bring herself to tell them she can't bake. When Isabel asks Lily to help her plan the "perfect" surprise party for Sophie, including a rival band's performance and an "amazing homemade desert" made by Lily, Lily just keeps saying yes. But the more Lily says yes to trying to be someone she's not, the more she alienates her other friends and bandmates. Before long Lily will have to decide who she wants to be.

This was a great story with likable characters - my students, especially the ones who liked the first two books will "eat" this one up! For me, as an adult, sensing where the story was going early on, I kept wanting an adult to clue in and help Lily prioritize her choices or learn to say no. But in the end, it was best for Lily to see where her choices led and figure out a solution on her own - which came with some help from her friends.

4 out of 5 stars
The other two books in this series have been leveled at third grade by Accelerated Reader. I think this will appeal to girls in second and third grade and up.

CHAPTER BOOK: The Magic Cake Shop by Meika Hashimoto

Emma, raised by self-absorbed, judgmental, and snooty parents, is as sweet and genuine as can be. But she "fails" her parents at her 10th birthday party, and they punish her by leaving her with her rude, abusive and gluttonous uncle for the summer. The people in her uncle's community recognize Emma's genuinely nice nature, and they nurture and care for her where they can. But Emma's uncle and his business partner are up to no good, threatening Emma's new friends and the bakery where she loves to hang out. Emma will discover the magic of baking in a way she never expected - and she'll have a chance to make her own life a little better, at least for the summer.

Emma's parents and uncle are appalling (for Harry Potter fans, they are the Dursley's and Snape rolled together - cruel and thoughtless and selfish and mean). Readers will have to set aside their revulsion over these characters to get to Emma's story which is a delight. A fun story with food, friendship, baking and magic. There's a set up at the end that seems to make way for a sequel. While this story deals with Emma's awful uncle, her parents are off-stage for most of the book and remain unchanged by the story's end.

4 out of 5 stars
AR reading level of 5.2

Recommended for:  middle and older elementary readers who still enjoy stories with an element of magic and clear good vs. evil.

Cautions: I have talked with students before about stories with parents like Emma's and some students want no part of the story because they just can't stomach parents treating their children in such a verbally abusive way. Such students might benefit from reading this story in a group setting so they can process their frustrations and so they have an opportunity to see the story all the way through to the end.