Sheryl Berk is an American writer and editor best known as the co-author of the New York Times bestseller Soul Surfer, written with Bethany Hamilton and later adapted into a feature film. She has co-written eight bestselling celebrity biographies, including Heart to Heart, Wise Girl: What I’ve Learned About Life, Love, and Loss, and The Rules According to JWOWW. A graduate of Syracuse University, Berk served as entertainment editor for McCall’s and as editor-in-chief of Life & Style Magazine. She also co-authored three popular children’s and young adult series—The Cupcake Club, Fashion Academy, and Ask Emma—with her daughter Carrie Berk, and is the author of the Dance Divas series, which inspired the off-Broadway musical Dance Divas Nutcracker.
In the third instalment of Sheryl and her daughter Carrie Berk's The Cupcake Club series, in Winner Bakes All (published in 2013 and with Kylie Carson, Lexi Poole, Jenna Medina and Sadie Harris like in the second novel, like in Recipe for Trouble being in grade five), the featured story takes place in the winter (hence a destructive snowstorm) and specifically focuses on Sadie, who is tall, really good at basketball but is also dyslexic (and who in Winner Bakes All is suddenly severely struggling with mathematics as well and that there is equally much tension between Sadie's parents because of financial issues, due to Sadie's father not getting enough clients for his contracting business). And yes, I do very much appreciate that while Peace, Love and Cupcakes (which is what Kylie, Lexi, Jenna and Sadie call their baking club and cupcake catering business) and the four friends making and selling cupcakes from scratch are always front and centre in what the Berks are textually presenting in their series (at least thus far I should say), there are also other issues covered and presented in the Cupcake Club novels (such as for Winner Bakes All, Sadie Harris' struggles with math and her parents' finances based marital problems, that Sadie and her older brothers are worried that their parents are arguing a lot and might therefore be getting divorced).
Now with regard to the four girls' cupcake baking business, while I still think that for a bunch of grade fives, that for a group of elementary school girls, the sheer amount of cupcakes Kylie Carson, Lexi Poole, Jenna Medina and Sadie Harris are constantly baking and selling is a trifle unrealistic, I am glad that in Winner Bakes All, there are also now some financial concerns etc. cropping up (that of course and naturally, if Mr. Ludwig's shop is closed because its roof caved in during that snowstorm, he thus not being able to buy and sell the girls' cupcakes will of course also negatively be affecting them, and yes, that sometimes one has to deal with nasty, entitled and downright impossible clients). But just to say that I also find it quite cheering and refreshing that when Kylie, Lexi, Jenna and Sadie have the chance to be on a TV show for a cupcake baking competition against some big names in the business, they do not automatically get shown by Sheryl and Carrie Berk as winning the top prize (but receive honourable mention and as such a five-hundred dollar consolation prize), although I must admit that the baking competition scenes in Winner Bakes All are a bit over the top and almost inadvertently parodistic for me, and that the fake and exaggerated accent for Fiero kind of makes me personally cringe a bit (although just a bit and I do wonder if I might be overreacting a trifle here).
Three stars in general for Winner Bakes All, recommended and likely fun for young middle grade readers (and in particular girls) from about the age of eight to eleven or so (and of course that I do continue to appreciate how in The Cupcake Club series, the recipes for the featured cupcakes are always included), but that yes, neither the story nor the characters for Winner Bakes All are all that developed (and that this will likely continue with the rest of the The Cupcake Club series). However, because I indeed totally and hugely struggled with mathematics at school, I personally speaking have not only found reading about Sadie Harris' math issues totally relatable, I also really textually adore that Sheryl and Carrie Berk have both Sadie's cupcake baking friends and also her math teacher be nicely helpful and supportive (and not to mention that Sadie's family is for the most part also not negative but positive and encouraging), and that therefore, I am going to up my rating for Winner Bakes All from three to four stars (and that Winner Bakes All is to date also my favourite of The Cupcake Club series).
Sadie and her friends are in the fifth grade and have a business baking cupcakes for the locals. As they experiment with new recipes, they are also learning the ins and outs of running a successful business. With the help of Sadie's older brothers, they manage to make their deliveries mostly on time. Their biggest client, a local shop, has had major storm damage to his shop and Sadie suggests that her father help him out since he has a construction company and business is slow right now. So slow in fact, that money issues are causing a rift between her parents and she fears that they may get a divorce. The other members of the cupcake club help support her both in school and at home.
The girls are also feeling a budget crunch within their business and decide to enter a television baking contest. Even though they don't win, it shows them that they can work on deadlines and think outside the box. This is such a feel good read that will get younger kids thinking about how important your friends are. When Sadie has major issues in math, the girls rally around her and help her think about math in new ways, mainly equating it to baking and cupcakes to get over her fears. When she has fears about her home life, they support her and help her work through her feelings. Even though this is the third book in the series, I had no problem picking up on the characters and their activities. OH! and there are recipes that sound wonderful and I really want to try them!
A fast read sure to beat a day of rain. Sadie Harris is a 5th grader who has dyslexia and owns a cupcake business with her friends. Peace Love and Cupcakes is chosen to compete on Battle Of The Bakers. With money going down the drain, their cupcake business struggles.
This book was an enjoyable thing, but there were references from the 1990s and before that the modern-day child might not easily understand. Divorce was featured as a worry for a child. The story sometimes went off on rabbit trails that distracted from the point of the story.
That being said, I loved the friendships and the baking competition and the community aspects of this book.
My favorite thing about this book in the series was that it was the first book to follow an unconventional female character in the story. Sadie was a tomboy who had no interest in boys, and all she wanted to do was pass her math test so she could remain on the basketball team at her school. I enjoyed reading about her character and perseverance.
Read this one with my kid, who isn't very interested in sports, but she found the plot line about the girls trying out for a TV show entertaining. This book in the series deals with learning disabilities, financial stress, and perseverance. And we were excited about the recipes at the end, like with the previous installments.
WINNER BAKES ALL by Sheryl and Carrie Berk is the third book in the very fun middle grade series The Cupcake Club. The series follows four friends (Kylie, Sadie, Jenna and Lexi) who start a Cupcake Club in fourth grade, that slowly turns into a business. While book one was from club founder Kylie’s point of view, WINNER BAKES ALL is narrated by Sadie (and the girls are now all in fifth grade).
Despite not having read book two, I was easily able to read WINNER BAKES ALL and still highly enjoy my reading experience. It’s great that the series tells each book from a different characters point of view – I liked getting to know more about Sadie. From her fear of ever understanding math (I can relate!) to worries about how much her parents have been fighting lately (divorce??) and the fact that Peace, Love and Cupcakes is slowly making less money, Sadie has a lot on her mind and plate. But she handles everything wonderfully, and is able to help kick butt in the Battle of the Bakers competition that the club enters. I got a laugh out of the descriptions of the competition, the judges and the cupcakes they had to make. And I loved the little nod to Buddy Valestro, the Cake Boss!
This book, and series, is wonderful in how it portrays strong friendships. The girls help each other through their ups and downs and have so much fun. They rely on each other and make a great team. The worries about divorce and learning disabilities like dyslexia in WINNER BAKES ALL (and topics like bullying from the first book) go a long way in helping make the series appeal to a broad range of readers, who will find something and someone to connect with in the stories.
I wouldn’t hesitate to hand WINNER BAKES ALL by Sheryl and Carrie Berk to any of upper elementary students. Most would read it just because a kid like them helped write it! The smooth and descriptive writing, relatable characters and situations and the fun of a group of fifth graders running their own business make this book very approachable. The cupcake recipes found at the end of the book are so tempting to make and a nice touch. A series that combines reading and baking, my two favourite things – how could I not like it? I’m looking forward to book four!
Cute and a quick read is how I describe The Cupcake Club: Winner Takes All!! Sadie Harris is a 5th grader who is part of a club called The Cupcake Club. Sadie and her 3 friends Kylie Carson, Jenna Medina and Lexi Poole, all started this club a year ago, and now they own a business baking and selling cupcakes to people who need them for parties, holidays and all other reasons to eat a cupcake. But now, Sadie's mom and dad are arguing a lot, the Cupcake Club is running low on money and their most frequent customer has stopped buying cupcakes. So Sadie and her friends all enter the most epic cupcake competition, Battle Of The Bakers. Can Sadie and her friends win the competition, and save the Cupcake Club?
This book is an adorably cute and quick read. Sadie is a sporty, math-hating girl, and I can relate to her. I can also relate to Kylie because she doesn't give up easily. Very artsy kids can relate to Lexi, the cupcake decorator and kids with good taste in food can relate to Jenna. A third-person realistic fiction book, the Cupcake Club is a real good book.
Nothing in this book annoyed me. It was a good book through and through. The Cupcake Club were really enjoyable throughout the whole thing. I loved the ending, It was really cute. Even though the story didn't go as you would except, it still had a happy ending and everything worked out perfectly. This is great, because you grow to love Sadie as the book goes on.
The writing style was fantastic. It had a smooth flow and was well written and easy to understand and relate to. I recommend this book for kids from 9-12, because of the thickness and the plot, which is very easy to follow. Any kid who's parents are fighting regularly will be able to relate to Sadie and her bickering parents. This book might inspire kids to make their own Cupcake Club. Overall, The Cupcake Club was a real sweet treat to read.
First off, a HUGE thanks to the publisher for sending me WINNER BAKES ALL for review purposes -- I don't think I would have otherwise discovered this *ADORABLE* series... and I definitely would have been missing out!
Sadie is one of a group of 5th grade girls who have established a special club and business based on their shared love of baking. Although Sadie may be having terrible struggles with math at school and her parents at home, she knows her cupcake girls will always be there for her, through thick and thin -- no matter what!
So, when Sadie overhears her parents fighting about finances and the declining economy, she is sure that they are on the verge of a divorce. And speaking of the bad economy, business is REALLY declining for the cupcake girls -- especially now that their biggest customer had the roof fall in on his bakery, leaving Sadie and her friends worried that their business may not survive!
But, the girls decide to audition for a TV baking show where they will have the opportunity to compete for the $500 prize. Plus, if they can get on television, surely they can gain a few more customers in the process, right?
Can Sadie and her friends really stand up to cupcake professionals when they go for the big prize? And, will Sadie's attempts to fix her parents be enough to hold the family together?
WINNER BAKES ALL was an absolutely adorable and incredibly FUN read that will make readers smile from start to finish, REGARDLESS of age! It was just such a SWEET story that I couldn't stop reading, finishing the book in a single sitting without stopping!
And for those more talented than myself with regards to baking, there are even a few cupcake recipes at the end of the story.
Two happy thumbs up for WINNER BAKES ALL! I definitely look forward to reading more from these cupcake girls in the future!
Mother-daughter writing team, Sheryl and Carrie Berk, are bringing us another adventure for the girls in The Cupcake Club. Winner Bakes All is the next book in this delightful series. Sadie's world is rattled after hearing her parents argue about money. She fears they're heading for divorce. If that's not bad enough, tough times hit the club's finances and they take a big financial hit. To make matters even worse, Sadie is struggling in her math class. However bad times are, they are no match for The Cupcake Club. Sadie's friends vow to help her through any crises, even math. The girls decide to enter a huge baking competition to try to help raise money to continue their club.
The Cupcake Club series is a charming series that would appeal to young girls or cupcake lovers. The girls face realistic problems that would hit home with so many kids. However through the strength of friendship and perseverance the girls face their problems head-on. This is a great series that will leave you with warm, fuzzy feelings as well as hungry . . . for cupcakes. The girls are always creating new and mouth-watering recipes. One of the things I love about these books is that Sheryl and Carrie Berk share the recipes made in the book with the readers. This is a great activity to share with your child. They also have a section in the back of the book for girls who may want to start their own club.
Overall this book, as well as the series, is a win. My daughter and I both love reading these books. We can't wait for the next adventure and to try out the new cupcake recipes! Read more at http://www.2readornot2read.com/2013/0...
Fifth grader Sadie is a busy girl. When not playing basketball, she is mixing cupcakes with her Cupcake Club, Peace, Love, and Cupcakes. Sadie's concerned about her parents. They seem to be fighting all the time and she suspects they may get divorced. Then she is having trouble with her math homework. To make matters worse, the Cupcake business is losing customers and the girls must come up with ways to save the business. She may be a successful business gal mixing and dispensing cupcakes, but Sadie can't seem to understand fifth grade math. Yes, life is hard for a fifth grader. When the Club is chosen to appear in the Baking Challenge on Battle of the Bakers, the Mitts are on as these fabulous bakers put on their aprons and try their hands at winning the competition.
I didn't know this book was geered for teenagers when the title caught my eye...but I have to admit that this is a fabulous book for any young girl who is interested in baking. The book also features a section with cupcake recipes.
Sadie is a fifth grade student who plays basketball, struggles with math, and makes tasty cupcakes with her friends. When her parents begin struggling financially, Sadie's life turns upside down. Sadie is worried about her math quiz, her parent's marriage, and her failing cupcake business, but she refuses to believe anything is impossible. She and her friends enter a TV bake-off called "Battle of the Bakers," and battle for their business to survive. I really enjoyed this story and found myself amazed at the talents of these fifth grade students. It made me realize that kids are not as limited in their abilities as society assumes. This would be a good read to use in class to show kids that they can do anything they put their minds to, and like our friend Sadie says,"Nothing is impossible." I want my students to use Sadie's story as motivation to not let anyone hold them back or tell them they cannot achieve their goals. I want my kids to set high expectations for themselves and work hard to be successful just like Sadie and her friends.
Number 3 in the cute Cupcake Club series. This book focuses on Sadie, the tall basketball playing, math struggling club member. The club gets the chance to be on a TV show for cupcake baking and goes up against some big names in the business. They learn a few things about competition and about opposites as well.
The series tends to follow along some important issues that kids face. Sadie's parents are fighting a lot, and finances seem to be the root of their problems. The book touches on what can happen during hard times, and how that can effect businesses, including their own cupcake one.
Once again, I an annoyed with some of the amounts they getting for their cupcakes. It seems a little insane to spend that kind of money on cupcakes. The club also has an issue with an order, corrects it, but the client refuses to pay them after she takes all the cupcakes. Couple little things, but overall the book was a lot of fun, and I think children will enjoy them.
Winner Bakes All was such a cute read for me. My daughter and I read it together and she loved every minute of it! Sadie is such a hot ticket baking and having her baking club. She has great friends and she loves to bake which is a rarity for her age. Sadie and the club get a chance to be in a bakers competition and they are all excited. The only thing is that things away from the competition are getting out of control. As if being in a baking competition is not enough the gang starts to have some issues they need to work through in order to stay together and focus on the bake off.
What will happen to Sadie and the club? This is such a great read for middle school girls! My daughter loved it and she wanted more. Plus yes we baked cupcakes after reading it and they were YUMMY!
Sadie, Lexi, Jenna, and Kylie, owners, operators, and bakers of Peace, Love, Cupcakes are thrilled to be participants in a nationally televised cupcake-bakeoff, but Sadie is secretly worried that because of stress of her father's faltering construction business they may get divorced.
Sadie and the girls use the theme of 'opposites-attract' in honor of her parents who are uniquely different, but who met, fell in love and married anyway...in this way, she hopes the young bakers' theme will inspire her parents, once again, to fall in love. The girls rise to the challenge and perform spectacularly on the show, but are out-baked by another talented team.
Will the loss destroy their business or even their Sadie's marriage? Baking time will tell!
I really liked this book especially because I love to cook and bake. I watch a show called cupcake wars and this book is just like that show. I got really into it on the first page. It only took me about an hour to read it. It's really exciting and there is never a boring part. It's mostly for girls but boys can read it too. This book is a way easy read. I read it in 1 hour because at the end of each chapter there is a cliff hanger. There are some really cheesy parts but it was still a really good book. The story line was intense and fun. I really liked how you really got to know the characters and feel like you were in their shoes.
Add a little bit of flour,some ink,and top it all with icing and you get a Peace, Love, and Cupcakes book. From basketballs to a real and being on a live television show the girls are always working hard. I enjoyed reading this book because not only does it capture how hard life could be at that young of an age, but it proves that even if you are small you can accomplish big things. Great job authors.
Do you love watching the chopped, cupcakes wars, and all those other shows well this a fun book for you. Join Peace,love, and cupcakes a cupcake club that LOVES to bake cupcakes for anything. So when the girls get accepted into the "Battle of the bakers" a cupcake cooking competition that gives a BUNCH of dollars to the winners. Will they win... find out in "The cupcake club,winner bakes all" LET THE BEST BAKER WIN!!!!!
This book was great it was all boring in the beginning and when I started to read more far it got interesting I would like everyone who love I mean love cupcakes would enjoy this book and that it as a amazing book
Cute, but short chapter book. Second through fifth grade (lower readers) would probably enjoy this book about a group of friends who love to bake cupcakes. And it's a series, so BONUS!
I think this is a really great book about a girl in a cupcake club and they end up being on a tv show! It is inspiring and fun! I hope you like this book.