Cherry Crush: the chocolate box girls by Cathy Cassidy

Puffin, 2010. ISBN: 978 0141335094.
(Age 10+) Recommended. Cherry's story telling abilities see her labeled as a liar by her classmates and by her teachers as having an 'active imagination'. Not having made real friends at her old school, Cherry is delighted by the prospect of moving to Somerset to be part of a real family with her dad's new girlfriend, Charlotte, and her four daughters. Their plan is to continue running Charlotte's B&B whilst her dad, who has given up working at McBean's Chocolate Factory, is hoping to start his own chocolate business. Things never quite work out perfectly, however, and although the three younger sisters, Coco and twins Skye and Summer, are accepting of Cherry, Honey is less than welcoming. To complicate matters even more, Honey's boyfriend Shay Fletcher is somewhat too welcoming of Cherry for her liking.
Cathy Cassidy has the happy knack of providing her stories with all of the essential elements for girls in primary school, friendship, family, pets, boys and conflicting emotions as the protagonist settles into new surroundings. The new ingredient in this story is chocolate! This series will undoubtedly gather many new Cassidy fans as this first title provides an entertaining and engrossing tale. Girls are also likely to enjoy visiting her brightly coloured and well maintained website in which she encourages her readers to read, write, daydream and commit 'random acts of kindness'.
Jo Schenkel