August 1, 2011
Gr 4–7—-Imagine living in a world full of sweet, rich, delectable candy. That's what 12-year-old Logan does every day in this novel (Little Brown, 2010) by Wendy Maas. His family owns and lives at the Life Is Sweet factory. But being the descendant of a famous candy-making family has its disadvantages. Logan feels he must win the annual Confectionary Association's Best New Candy contest. He dreams of perfecting his idea for a Bubbletastic Choc-Rocket. In preparation for the contest, three competitors show up for practice at the candy factory. Miles, a boy obsessed with something from his past, likes to speak backwards. Daisy, a kind girl who likes romance novels, shows athletic prowess, and arrives at the candy factory on a horse. Philip isn't afraid to be abrasive or secretive. It's not long before strange things start happening, and it becomes apparent that there is a spy among them. This delicious story unfolds through the four different points of view of the contestants. Clever and fun, each character contributes to the adventure with a flawed but likeable uniqueness that is full of surprises. Mark Turetsky does a flawless job of creating different voices for each character. Fans of Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (1964) and mysteries will be charmed by this delectable treat.—"Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL"
Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.