The Cookie Crumbles
Tracy Badua and Alechia Dow
Quill Tree Books
Published June 11, 2024

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About The Cookie Crumbles

The Great British Bake Off meets Knives Out in this fun and propulsive middle grade novel following two best friends who must solve the mystery behind a baking competition gone awry.

Laila gave Lucy a cupcake on the second day of kindergarten, and they’ve been inseparable ever since. But the summer before eighth grade, they find out that since they live on opposite sides of town, they’ll go to different high schools. Yuck!

Then Laila’s invited to compete at the Golden Cookie competition, which awards its winner admission and a full ride to the prestigious Sunderland boarding school, and it’s the perfect opportunity. Sunderland doesn’t just have an elite culinary program; it’s also home to an elite journalism track, if only newscaster-hopeful Lucy could build up a strong enough portfolio to impress the scholarship committee.

But when one of the celebrity judges collapses after sampling Laila’s showpiece, rumors of foul play swirl, with Laila rising to the top of the suspect list. Even worse, a major storm has effectively cut off all access to the outside world.

Can the girls find the real culprit and clear Laila’s name before it’s too late?

My Review

This is the first of Tracy Badua’s writing I’ve ever read, but I enjoyed Alechia Dow’s middle grade debut last year, and I love her young adult sci-fi, so that was enough to make me jump at the chance to read this book.

The kids’ baking contest premise is super cute, and it’s clear that the authors know their way around a kitchen. The descriptions of the fancy cookies the kids bake were mouth-wateringly great. It made me want to visit a bakery immediately.

I thought the baking contest and the mystery investigation plots worked well together and were really well-balanced in the book. I never forgot what was going on with either one, and I never really felt like one got awkwardly shoved aside for the other.

The story alternates between Lucy and Laila’s points of view. Most chapters begin with a journal entry from one or other of the girls as part of their investigative process. I enjoyed both viewpoints and found both of the girls engaging.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Laila is Black. Lucy is also BIPOC. Two girls hold hands and explain they’re dating. One character has two dads.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Two girls hold hands and explain they’re dating.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
A person has angry outbursts and mistreats others. A man collapses with an apparent choking or heart problem. The story explores whether someone tried to murder him.

Drug Content
None.

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