The book I finished late last night is "Close to Famous" by Joan Bauer. This book had me simply drooling over all the glorious cupcakes described and I have learned so much about cupcakes that I am inspired to go and make some and I hate to bake!
I really enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed so many of this author's in the past. In this book Foster is a 12 year old girl, fleeing with her mom in the night to get away from an ugly incident, and finally ending up in West Virginia in a small hiccup of a town. Foster is one of those girls that I admire so much. Not a whiner or complainer or a poor me, well maybe just a little when her pillowcase full of mementos gets lost, but instead she epitomizes the saying "when the going gets tough.... the tough get going".
No job? need money? Not a problem! Foster prepares some of her scrumptious cupcakes and heads over the the town's diner to share her treats. She comes away with orders for the next day and the next... Foster's goal is to be the youngest chef on tv and she is an amazing baker.
But Foster does have a problem or two of her own and the biggest is - she can't read. She is one of those kids who are so good at getting others to read for her but because Foster is that type of kid who is likeable, honest and is a straight shooter she soon has quite a few of the town folks helping her over come this particular obstacle.
The second is "Encore Edie" by Annabel Lyon. Set in Metro Vancouver, Edie is a 13 year old girl who is just having trouble with life; trouble with her sister Dexter, trouble with her cousin who has Down syndrome and has come to live near her, trouble with her new school, trouble with the school play she has involved herself in and even trouble with a boy who likes her.
Life seems very overwhelming for Edie and I think for a lot of young girls today who just get so wrapped up in themselves and forget to look at the big picture. Things do eventually resolve with Edie feeling and acting better but I can just hear the tone and voice throughout..... whatever!
What are you reading today?
