How to use this Page

Katie and the Cupcake Cure. by Coco Simon. May 3, 2011. Simon and Schuster. 160 pages. ISBN: 9781442422766

Katie never spent any of her summer vacation worrying about the start of middle school, so she is more surprised than anyone when her best friend, Callie, ditches her on the first day to join The Popular Girls Club (PGC). Katie is really upset, but she channels her sadness into baking cupcakes, a pastime she and her mom have shared over the years. Eventually, her cupcakes lead her to a group of new friends - Mia, Alexis, and Emma - who join with her to form a cupcake club and business.

Though this book is set in middle school, it’s actually written to appeal to a younger audience. Girls in grades 3 to 5 who enjoy the Baby-sitters Club, How I Survived Middle School and similar series are the most likely candidates to read this one, and their parents will be pleased to have them do it. Not only does the story portray involved moms who are strongly attuned to their daughters’ social lives, but the girls themselves have wholesome interests, positive attitudes, and strong work ethics. They’re not caught up in fashion, cliqueishness or (at least in this volume) boys. They maintain a sense of innocence and focus on the good they can do instead of how to exact revenge on their popular enemies.

The writing in this book is similar to that in other paperback series - mostly generic, with no real frills - but that isn’t necessarily a problem. Everybody needs a little fluff now and then, and younger tweens looking to ease into their summer reading will - excuse the pun - eat these up. Only two things might cause confusion. One is that the series is not written in diary format, even thought it’s called Cupcake Diaries. The other is that there is another series available now that is called The Cupcake Club, but which is not related to this series. It seems that no matter which one I’m searching for on Barnes and Noble’s website, I get the other one, so it’s a good idea to keep track of the authors if you’re looking for these in the bookstore or library.

Katie and the Cupcake Cure was originally published in 2011, followed by Mia in the Mix, Emma on Thin Icing, Alexis and the Perfect Recipe, and Katie, Batter Up. The most recent additions to the series are Mia’s Baker Dozen, published in February 2012, and Emma All Stirred Up, published in April 2012. New books will continue to be published through the end of this year, as follows: Alexis Cool as a Cupcake (June 26), Katie and the Cupcake War (August 21), Mia’s Boiling Point (October 16), and Emma, Smile and Say “Cupcake!” (December 4.)

Visit Simon Spotlight’s Cupcake Diaries page to learn more about the books and view the adorable trailer.

I purchased Katie and the Cupcake Cure from Barnes and Noble for my Nook.