Candyfloss

Reach for this book when your child is grappling with the heavy weight of a 'loyalty bind' between separated parents or is noticing new financial stress at home. It provides a mirror for children who feel they must choose sides and offers a compassionate look at how love persists even when adult lives become messy or unstable. Floss is a young girl caught between her mother's new, polished life in Australia and her father's struggling, greasy-spoon cafe. When she chooses to stay with her dad, she faces the harsh reality of his business failing and their eventual homelessness. While the subject matter is serious, Jacqueline Wilson uses a 'candyfloss' lens of fairgrounds and chips to keep the story accessible for 9 to 12 year olds. It is a powerful tool for validating a child's resilience when their world feels like it is shifting beneath their feet.