The Cooking Club Detectives
Publisher: Zephyr
Erin and her mum move from their poky flat in north London to the village of Milwood. Inspired by her mum’s love of cooking, Erin joins a cookery class held in rundown Skipton House Community Centre, where she quickly makes friends with Tanya, Frixos and Sam.
The children are devasted when they discover that the dilapidated old building is to be sold, as this could mean the end of cookery club. Even worse, other key services may be forced to close, such as the food bank and breakfast club, which provide a lifeline for many members of the community, particularly those on low incomes.
Determined to save Skipton House, Erin and her new friends form the Cooking Club Detectives. They must piece together the clues to discover the identity of the mystery buyer, but will they be able to stop the sale in time?
This delightful detective story has an engaging plot and likable characters. It subtly explores new friendships, the importance of community and issues of food poverty and online bullying. Easy-to-follow recipes for delicious meals and snacks are dotted throughout the chapters, encouraging readers to develop their own culinary skills.
-
Kindness, compassion and empathy: middle grade
Help your child develop kindness and empathy with these middle grade books that inspire compassion: whether that’s towards animals, friends, or people in very different situations to your own.