Cake Pop Crush

The love for baking comes through so vividly — I wonder what inspired the author to focus on that as a way for the character to grow.

I remember feeling that way in my own childhood, and the book made me nostalgic for those moments of stepping outside my comfort zone. Am I the only one who felt that?

It added a fun, high-stakes vibe to the story but also highlighted themes of teamwork and perseverance. Wonder if that was a conscious decision to appeal to young readers’ love of contests.