Tuesday 9 September 2014

The Baking Life of Amelie Day by Vanessa Curtis

22955520
There was this poem Mum used to read to me when I was six.
Boys were made up of slugs, snails and puppy-dog tails. Girls were made up of sugar, spice and all things nice.
You would have thought that I’d give Mum the evil eye when she read that bit out.
Published by Curious Fox in September 2014
Pages – 168
Summary
My name is Amelie Day and I live to bake. Cupcakes, biscuits, bread, tarts and muffins - flour power! Now I've got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win the Teen Baker of the Year award. But it looks like my stupid cystic fibrosis might get in the way. Will my mum let me go to London to compete?
*****
I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. In fact, I was completely bowled over by it. Where do I start with the abundance of praise I have for it?
Let’s start with Amelie. She is one feisty girl who won’t let her medical condition stand in her way. Even though she is constantly putting her life at risk. Amelie has Cystic Fibrosis. I have to be honest and admit to knowing very little about the illness. Before reading this book, I was aware that it had something to do with the lungs and involved a lot of physio. This book really opened my eyes to the condition and I was surprised by how much I learned while reading.The effects of the disease on the lungs and stomach were eye opening. Poor Amelie, spent most of the book, constantly trying to find enough energy to keep going. Everything we do we take for granted and this book made me appreciate my health.
The story is well written and goes off at a steady pace. There are touches of humour mixed in with moments of sadness, that really bring the book to life. I basically read this book in two days.  I found myself constantly creeping back to it to read it.
I felt the book was extremely in fashion with the interests of society today. With The Great British Bake Off still as popular as ever, it was easy to imagine Amelie being picked to enter a baking competition for kids. I loved the recipes scattered between the chapters. I found myself constantly drooling. This book should come with at least one cupcake, to make reading it easier.
This is the first book I’ve read by Vanessa Curtis but I am positive it won’t be the last. A beautiful blend of humour and sadness.  A book that will have you reaching for your spatula before you know it.

1 comment:

  1. Ooh! I haven't heard of this one but I love how it sounds and baking - perfect! Will go and investigate :)

    ReplyDelete

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