Hole in the Middle

November 15, 2019
Grades 4-6 Two weeks before starting middle school, 12-year-old Lindsay reports for her first job, working at the donut counter in her grandparents' restaurant. Family plays a strong role in Lindsay's life. She and her younger brother have five cousins in the area, and since her mother's death two years ago, her grandparents have helped Dad keep everything running smoothly at home. Because she's grown up in a small, Midwestern town and knows every kid in her grade, middle school doesn't seem like a big step to Lindsay, but as the first day approaches, she's not so sure. She finds herself missing Mom more than ever, just when her relatives are rallying to support her. While the many characters, particularly family members (a list or chart would have been useful), can lead to some confusion, loyal readers will get to know them better as the Donut Dreams series progresses. Apparently, the first-person narrator will shift from book to book, as it has in Simon's 32-volume Cupcake Diaries series and newer Sprinkle Sundays series. A light, enjoyable family story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)