The Cupcake Queen

September 28, 2009
What begins as a formulaic novel about Penny, a 13-year-old girl who’s uprooted from Manhattan to the podunk town of Hog’s Hollow (population 5,134) after her parents’ separation, quietly evolves into an endearing and poignant story about standing up to adversity and finding peace in what is, rather than holding out for what could be. Penny’s friendship with Tally, an outspoken free spirit and proud founder of the cheeky RPS Society (as in rock, paper, scissors), boosts Penny’s confidence (she’s being picked on by the popular clique at school) and teaches her that getting used to new surroundings takes effort—as well as a propped-up sense of humor. Penny’s burgeoning bond with Marcus, a cute boy with a troubled past and a shared propensity for working through problems while stargazing during moonlit walks on the beach, lends a touch of romance while remaining refreshingly true to age—Hepler (coauthor of Jars of Glass
, among others) favors linked pinky fingers over sloppy kisses. And the trio’s various relationships with fill-in adults (Penny’s grandmother, Tally’s aunt) as confidantes is a welcome ingredient that makes for layered teen reading. Ages 12–up.

September 15, 2009
Grades 6-9 Penny misses her old life, before her parents separated and she moved from Manhattan to a small seaside community. All summer, she works in her mothers new cupcake bakery, helping out, but also hiding out from the local kids she dreads meeting. Besides confrontations with a mean girl, high school brings an unexpected friendship and more chances to see Marcus, the enigmatic boy she first met on the beach. This first-person novel records Pennys impressions of people in her new town, her experiences at her school, and her tentative steps in getting to know her first real boyfriend. Her looming fear of her parents divorce, exacerbated by their reluctance to communicate with her, makes her a sensitive observer of the other family relationships she finds around her. While there may be too many stock characters here, Pennys a likable protagonist and the book has a bit more substance (yet no less humor) than the tipping tower of pink cupcakes on the cover might suggest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2010
To Penny, there's nothing great about Hog's Hollow, where her mom decided to move and open a bakery. Penny misses city life, struggles with her parents' separation, and is tormented by mean girls. Eventually--and predictably--she makes some friends (one a cute guy), and learns to appreciate small-town life. Though the story lacks originality, descriptions of Penny's cupcake creations are a treat.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)