I think the first book I read by Jacqueline Wilson was Candyfloss, a book with a cover so pink and sugary-looking, you would almost think if you licked it, you’d get a sugar rush. I probably read that book three times in one year, it was just so perfect. Recently when perusing books at a library, a books spine caught my eye. Yep, I recognized that illustration on the front. It was so similar to the art on the cover of Candyfloss, and I thought checking this book out might give me a blast from the past.

Reading Cookie did make me feel a bit like I was 12 years old again, except I noticed something while I was reading:  Jacqueline wrote the story was in a quite mature way. If I hadn’t known anything about the book before I started reading, I could have easily been fooled into thinking it was a young adult novel. I don’t often come across books like this so this book would make a great stepping stone for a girl wanting to read something more mature than what is in the juvenile fiction section, but not quite ready for “teen” books yet.

I didn’t feel like I could personally relate well to the main character, Beauty, but I think many young girls will. Having parents who don’t get along, being bullied in school, trying to escape into a fantasy world–these are all things that I hear about a lot, and Beauty has to deal with all of the above daily. Even if a reader can’t relate to Beauty first-hand, this is still a fun story to read, and one that lovers of Abby Hayes will find a fast friend in.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  5 religious exclamations; 5 mild obscenities; 2 derogatory names.

Violence/Gore:  A man is verbally abusive to his family in several scenes; a man slaps his wife; bullying occurs several times (calling names); pet dies.

Sex/Nudity:  Sex is referred to in a song.

Mature Subject Matter:

Bullying, divorce.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

Adults drink.