Hole in the Middle

Donut Dreams #1

by Coco Simon

Here's the latest fun, sweet series from the author of the Cupcake Diaries and Sprinkle Sundays series!

Everything’s better with a donut.

Lindsay Cooper is about to start middle school. In her free time, she works at her family’s restaurant, The Park View, handing out the world’s most delicious donuts at the Donut Dreams counter. Her grandmother started the counter as a way to send Lindsay’s dad to college, and Lindsay wants to use her job the same way—to make her dream of going to school far away from her small town a reality.

Home feels different ever since Lindsay’s mom passed away two years ago. And not having her mom around to help her get through the start of middle school doesn’t help her “first day of school” angst. But with her cousins Kelsey and Molly by her side, not to mention her BFF Casey, Lindsay soon discovers family and friends go a long way towards filling any hole in your heart. And life can still be as fun as a pink donut with rainbow sprinkles!

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Food, Chapter Books

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 10, 2019

About the author

Coco Simon always dreamed of opening a cupcake bakery, but she’s afraid she would eat all the profits. When she’s not daydreaming about cupcakes, Coco edits children’s books and has written close to 100 books for children, tweens, and young adults, which is a lot less than the number of cupcakes she’s eaten. Cupcake Diaries is the first time Coco has mixed her love of cupcakes with writing.

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsay's family owns and operates a donut shop. Lindsay's mother passed away, and her dad, grandparents, cousins, and friends want to be sure Lindsay feels loved and supported as she nears a big life transition without her mother: middle school. Before middle school begins, Lindsay will attend a "Spring Fling." Her grandmothers want to make dress selection for the Spring Fling special for Lindsay.
The plot of this book is extremely simple. Lindsay and her family work in the donut shop, they learn to navigate life without Lindsay's mom, and hope Lindsay finds the perfect dress for the dance. Though the plot is simple, the story is sweet. The main theme of the book is family connection. "Hole in the middle" becomes a lovely metaphor for family and community in the story. The story contains zero romance, no mean girl behavior, and the young female characters are focused on school, goals, friends, and family. If you are looking for a sweet, simple read for elementary girls, this is it!
One issue I had is that the girls don't speak like ordinary kids. It felt obvious that an adult author was writing dialogue for young girls. Most elementary-aged girls are not so self-aware, deep, and able to deal with death and life transition so smoothly. It is a nice example for girls to aspire to, though. I would recommend it for girls aged 8-11, but as and adult, I thought it was cute, too. And I ate a donut with sprinkles while I read it.

[Heaven Adore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, this was so adorable! I love how Lindsay lives in a small town, where every knows everything about everyone. That's always a lot of fun to read about. And honestly, I like how it's a widowed dad. A lot of times when it comes to middle grade books and the kid is in a one-parent home, the parent is usually made a mom. I really just love Lindsay's relationship with her dad...it's so sweet, the way they balance each other out and continue to find home after the death of her mother. I also really like how they come from a big family. It was fun seeing all the different personalities and how they all still mesh together. I won't say if I like Donut Dreams over Cupcake Diaries just yet, but I'm definitely going to continue reading the books. It's just sweet!

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an awesome book! Full of fun, love, and of course donuts! It shows that even with change...you can still follow your donut dreams! Third out of 35 books for my goal!(2021)

-Lily M.🍩❤️

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lindsay is finally old enough to start working at the family donut shop. In her small town everyone knows everyone else, and they all get excited about local events like Fall Fest (?), a dance. Lindsay will get to go to the dance this year, but since her mom died, she won’t have the traditional mother-daughter shopping experience. Her family and friends gather together to help her pick out a dress, and she starts middle school with confidence.

There was a lot going on for a shorter chapter book. The storylines didn’t meld as much as I would have liked, but there were threads of an interesting story.

[Noelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the last book in the "So Sweet" book.

I didn't really like this one as much as I liked the previous ones.

This one had the whole "small town" trope, which was fine, but it got repetitive after a while. Luckily, the whole "mean girls" thing was not included in this one. 🙌🏻

This book didn't really have a plot, like the other ones.

It kind of more focused on how her mother died, and how she coped, I guess? Some sentimental stuff I'm not really into.

I felt like this book was set in a different time era, but I guess that could've been because they live in a sMaLl ToWn

[That Library Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hole in the Middle is book one in a series about a large, close-knit family. Lindsay Cooper is featured in the first book. She's about to start middle school and a part-time job as a server in her family's restaurant/donut counter. The book starts with Lindsay's dreams about college and how she plans to earn the money to reach them. From there, it weaves in experiences of living and working around a large, extended, and very close-knit family. The responsibility required in handling a first job is woven in nicely as well. Finally, a main focus of the book is Lindsay trying to readjust to life as the relationship with a best friend begins to change slightly...and even more seriously... trying to readjust to her mom's death two years before. Each book in the series focuses on one of the girls (her cousins and the best friend) as well as the issues being faced. These include jealousy, adoption, growing pains, competition, Internet popularity, confidence, and other family dynamics. Since serious problems are discusses, I think these are appropriate for fourth graders and up.

[Flossmoor Public Library (IL) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

It's the end of summer for Lindsay Cooper and she's about to start two new things: middle school and a job at the donut counter in her family's restaurant. She loves the restaurant because her whole extended family - grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins - is always there, but one person is missing. Lindsay's mom died two years ago, and Lindsay's about to start at the school where her mom was an art teacher, so she'll be reminded of her mom every day. It's the start of reaching milestones without her mom, but Lindsay knows she'll have her friends and family to support her. Plus she'll always have donuts!

This book is the first in a new series by Coco Simon (previous series include Cupcake Diaries and Sprinkle Sundays). I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to reading future titles in the series. It's a cute read perfect for upper elementary students looking for stories about friendship, family, growing up, and desserts!

- Miss Anna

[Julie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I put this on hold and thought it might be good as a read aloud for my little girl, it wasn't. The themes were older than my daughter (age 4) and there were not pictures or graphics in the book. I'm thankful that libraries have adapted and I can put books on hold and pick them up - but it is hard when trying to find read aloud books for a young audience. I still read the books I got, they were good to read while listening to her play - they didn't take much attention at all.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this on a suggestion from one of my fifth graders. It was okay. It dealt with grief pretty well so that increased its score a bit for me but the actual plot was a little boring. There were too many characters for me to keep track of and it was just a lot of description of working in a donut shop haha.

[Samaira · Rating 3 out of 5]

i would give this book a 3.5. i would still continue to read this series. but I do have some issues with this book. for starters the characters are unrealistic. most of the time I was reading this book I would cringe at things the characters would say. like gurl who says that?

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really good and I loved how the story twisted and turned. The dress party was sad that her mom was gone and her dad didn’t understand it. It was nice not to have divorce in her series again.

[DaNae · Rating 2 out of 5]

There will be a certain gender-specific reader for this. But I can't say there was much for me to latch onto. The culmination of the plot was finding just the right dress.

[Megan Mann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was A FANTASTIC look at grief, especially for younger kids. I had no idea that was a main focus when I picked it up, but I’m so, SO glad that it did.

Did make me a want a donut though…

[Amber Greer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute. Perfect for a young girl, about 10-13 years old.

[Kristi Drake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute. It was also kind of sad. It had several cute moments.

[Katie Dennison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome. It is very relatable. From the dance and her Mom.

[Gracelynn Mattos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the hole thing but my favorite part
Is that her dads side of the family works
together and has their own doughnut
shop I love that they work together 🤣🤣

[Crys · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute tween read with a lot of meat in so few pages.

It’s right there with her Cupcake series, which I also recommend for the tween in your life.

[Kiesa Aranta · Rating 2 out of 5]

so what was the real plot again?

[Chelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story! I’ll definitely keep my eye out for more books in this series.

[Eve L-A Witherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lindsay works the counter selling donuts in her family's restaurant alongside her cousin Kelsey.



She dreams of getting through middle school with enough money saved to leave the town where everyone knows her as the girl whose mum died and start fresh elsewhere.



When her friend Casey comes back from camp and the girls are having to pick dresses for an upcoming dance, Lindsay learns that things may be about to change once again and isn't best pleased.



All about living in the moment and learning to live on despite the past, this was a great start to a new series based around a family. The concept is a fresh idea from Coco and the donuts are a delectable idea to bring into her new series and will have us all hooked on wanting to read more.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: A Heartfelt Exploration of Friendship and Personal Growth

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Hole in the Middle" by Coco Simon is an absolutely delightful read that beautifully captures the essence of adolescence, friendship, and self-discovery. From the moment I opened the book, I was transported into the life of the protagonist, who navigates the complexities of growing up while facing her own insecurities and challenges.

Coco Simon's writing is both relatable and engaging, making it easy to connect with the characters and the situations they find themselves in. The story flows seamlessly, filled with humor, heartfelt moments, and genuine emotion. Simon's unique ability to balance lightheartedness with deeper themes creates a compelling narrative that resonates with readers of all ages.

What I loved most about "Hole in the Middle" is how it tackles the idea of fitting in and the struggles that come with it. The friendships portrayed in the story are authentic, showcasing the ups and downs that often come with young relationships. The characters are well-developed, each bringing their own quirks and challenges to the table, which made for a rich reading experience.

The central message about embracing one's individuality and navigating the journey of self-acceptance is powerful and beautifully conveyed. Simon expertly illustrates that it's okay to feel uncertain and that true friends will stand by you through thick and thin.

Overall, "Hole in the Middle" is a heartfelt and uplifting story that leaves readers with a warm sense of hope and inspiration. Coco Simon has a true gift for storytelling, and this book is a wonderful addition to any young reader's library. I can’t recommend it highly enough! If you’re looking for a book that celebrates friendship and personal growth, this is definitely the one to pick up!

[Rithika Ramanathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the series three times!! So good!!

[Mia]

read this if u like cupcake diaries! just as good just underrated in my opinion