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Reviewed by Carma Dutra
Title: The Candy Shop War
Author: Brandon Mull
Ages: 8 – 12 years old
Hard Cover: 407 pages
Cover Illustration: Brandon Dorman
Publisher: Shadow Mountain
ISBN: 978-1-59038-783-2
Publication: 2007
The old saying “too much candy can be bad for your health” rings true in this fast paced, action packed story. Nate and his family are new in town, which means a new school and new friends. Nate is not too happy about this but the three young friends he makes will soon become the type that last forever.
One warm afternoon on the way home from school, the four young friends decide to try out the new candy shop. However, they are short on money and are in hopes the owner will give them a sample. Belinda White, owner of the Sweet Tooth Ice Cream Candy Shoppe, offers free candy if they will perform odd jobs around town. Not only is the candy free, it’s magical too!
What kids can resist eating magical rock candy that will make them fly through the air, and sucking on jaw breakers in order to become unbreakable? Throw in a little body shifting, shock bites and talking animals and you have all the ingredients for a wild adventure.
Soon Nate and his friends Summer, Trevor and Pigeon discover the real cost of this addictive candy. Belinda White’s true identity as an evil magician begins to unfold and Nate and his friends try to turn her own power against her. It takes all the wit and imagination the quartet can conjure up with a little help from Mr. Stott the ice cream truck driver who has some magical tricks of his own. The mystery deepens and doesn’t stop until the last piece of candy has been eaten. This magical fantasy story will make any 8–12 year-old turn his imagination up a notch or two.
New York Times bestselling author Brandon Mull travels the country visiting schools, promoting literacy and sharing his message that “Imagination can take you places.” Mull teaches lessons with all his stories by adding a reading guide at the end of each book. Questions like “Between Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon, who would you most want as a friend? Why?” and “What is the best approach for handling bullies?” are designed to stimulate the readers’ deductive reasoning skills.
Also, New Regency has acquired the movie rights for The Candy Shop War so keep an eye out for this exciting project. Visit the author at www.Shadowmountain.com and his website at www.Fablehaven.com.
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Carma Dutra is the owner of Carma’s Word, a creative writing and editing service a freelance writer and children’s writer. Visit her blog at http://carmaswindow.blogspot.com to read about tips on writing, author interviews, and a variety of topics regarding children.