The Summer of Cotton Candy

picked for Reading through the Seasons challenge


The Summer of Cotton Candy
Debbie Viguie
A Sweet Seasons Novel, book 1

Zondervan
May 2008
teen fiction
224 pages (trade size: 8.4x5.4)


Candace and her best-friend-since-kindergarten have plans for the summer before their senior year. Plans that DO NOT include working. However, Candace's dad says get a summer job because I won't be giving you any money this summer. Yikes! To make matters worse, the best friend is wealthy and is willing to pay for EVERYTHING if Candace doesn't work.

Candace applies at a local amusement park and gets the 2nd to last job available and it seems that everything goes downhill from there. So many things but finding out what happens & how she gets out of trouble is part of the fun of this book.

Candace, who hates to be called Candy, gets her name tag on her first day of work and it says Candy. Well, Sue's name tag says Mary so at least they kind of got it right. Candace is a church-going girl and her schedule doesn't always allow her to attend services with her family. Church going but not preachy or scripture quoting, just a nice girl who has some bad things happens and prays to God for help.

This book is fun as well as funny. There are many growth experiences and Candace is not the only one doing some growing. This is book one in a series of four and I would read the rest even if they didn't fit in so well with my challenge.

The main character maybe be going into her senior year of high school but I'd let my 5th grader read it if they had the skill. Candace dates, even kisses, but the book is so clean and sweet I'm going to loan it to some church friends & my MIL.