joyfulme 's review for:

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

3.0

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It took me a while to get into this story, disappointed with a sort of unpolished writing style (ending sentences with prepositions!? For shame!) and continuously fighting the urge to contrast it with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The two books share certain plot features but about a quarter of the way through, The Candymakers definitely takes on a life of its own and becomes much richer with changes in point-of-view. This story telling device exposes readers to the way that we make assumptions, in effect teaching us about ourselves and the way that we interpret the world around us. It’s a relatively thick chapter book but captivating and simple enough for a well-read third grader to enjoy. The book is also a clean read, touching on themes such as friendship, grieving, hopes, insecurity, and ingenuity in the framework of a candy-making competition.