Imagine living inside the doors of a candy factory. Imagine having never met other kids and have never walked beyond your property line. This is the life of eleven year old Logan Sweet in The Candy Makers, by Wendy Mass. This book is about four characters that are in a contest to become one of the greatest candy makers of all time. It sounds simple enough but as you read on you realize the situation is far more complex. The book is filled with surprises and lots of suspense. It will also give you the inside scoop on what goes on in a candy factory.
The four contestants Logan, Daisy, Miles and Philip are competing against each other at the Life Is Sweet Factory to make the most creative dessert. Logan lives at the Life is Sweet factory and is extremely nervous to meet other kids his own age. Daisy, the second contestant has a way of making you feel attracted to her. She is hysterical, open, and cheery. Miles, the third contestant, is self-conscious and has never had a best friend or someone that he can rely on. Lastly, Philip the fourth contestant pretends he is a mature adult. He doesn't get attention at home so he feels he needs to be the center of it everywhere he goes. These contestants all have been accepted for the experience of a lifetime. Factories all over the world have decided to start a candy competition for eleven year old kids. All four contestants have something to hide from each other and a strong desire to win. Breaking the rules can get you kicked out; yet some of the characters seem willing to take the chance.
Wendy Mass leaves clues at the end of every chapter to keep the book interesting and dedicated each chapter to a different character. This allowed me to really understand the characters' points of view on a situation. I could really feel what they were feeling and how they react to the competition. The end of the chapter's always left me hungry for more. However, I grew to enjoy this. I believe that it gave me the opportunity to interact with the book and I felt connected to it. I also liked how different the characters were from one another. They all had something fun or unique about their life and backgrounds. I especially liked how not all the characters got along. The mystery and suspense between the characters is a great way to keep the readers interested in the book. I was astonished when a connection developed between the characters. All four characters discover they are connected in some way and had even known or seen each other before.
I was entertained by the way Wendy Mass described the chocolate. Every time the characters walked into the room my mouth watered. This book reminds me of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Just like in Willy Wonka, the setting is in a candy factory. However unlike in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, no contestant gets hurt or blows up. Because of my love for mystery and candy I would rate this book a five out of five stars. This book was like a puzzle in which all the pieces were slowly put together. I recommend this book to candy lovers and anyone that enjoys a fun and suspenseful book!