This heartwarming chapter book follows Tilly, Jada, Eleanor, and Mateo, four sixth-graders who feel isolated despite being surrounded by peers. Their chance encounter at the library leads to an impromptu cookie baking business, which, despite numerous failures, becomes their unexpected path to connection. The story beautifully explores themes of loneliness, social anxiety, and the challenges of middle school, highlighting how shared purpose and mutual support can build strong friendships and resilience. It's an ideal read for children navigating social dynamics and self-discovery during their pre-teen years.
Do you love cookies? Have you ever felt alone in a room full of people? This novel is for you. It’s the summer after sixth grade when a group of classmates turn up at the library at the same time. They know each other, but they’re not friends. The truth is, they each spend a lot of time alone. Which is why it’s so unexpected when Tilly, Jada, Eleanor, and Mateo create a cookie baking business together. It just kind of happens. The problem is their plans keep falling apart. But each failure only makes them more determined to make something—anything—work. Because what they need more than anything is an escape from the loneliness and anxiety that comes with middle school. They want to be a part of something. And in the end, the one thing that goes right is their decision to count on each other.