It's Raining Cupcakes

Cupcakes #1

by Lisa Schroeder

Twelve-year-old Isabel is dying to get out of her small town of Willow, Oregon, and travel like her best friend, Sophie. But when Isabel’s mother decides to open up a cupcake shop across town, Isabel is once again stuck in Willow for the summer…until she learns of a baking contest where the finalists get an all-expenses paid trip to New York City to compete in the final bake-off. But Sophie is also entering the contest, and Isabel’s mother has reservations. Can Isabel finally realize her dreams of leaving Willow without hurting two of the most important people in her life?

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Childrens, Fiction, Contemporary, Young Adult, Juvenile

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Lisa Schroeder is the author of more than twenty books for kids and teens. Her latest novel is A NIGHT TO DIE FOR, a YA murder mystery. She lives in Oregon where she works full-time and writes when she can.

twitter: www.twitter.com/lisa_schroeder
instagram: lisaschroeder15

Reviews

[Hayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book i thought everything was good and it even showed some recipes in the back of the book.i finished the book in less than a day too!!!:)
i llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddthe book

[lizé · Rating 2 out of 5]

boring & predictable

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book spent months on my "currently reading" shelf because I was reading it during silent reading time with my 7th grade students...and one of them kept giving me "that look." (If you teach, you know the look...it's the one that says, "I sure wish you would hurry up with that book because because I want it NOW.") So I gave the book to the kid, figuring I'd finish when she was done. Only the book didn't come back to me when she finished. She gave it to her friend, and that friend passed it on to another friend, and only now with the school year winding down, has it finally come home for me to read the rest. I understand now why it was gone all those weeks. IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES is warm and wonderful and absolutely charming.

Isabel is a kid who dreams of seeing the world, but what she gets is a view of her sleepy Pacific Northwest home town and her mother's moods, which match the cloudy sky more often than not. While her mom is opening a cupcake shop that she hopes will finally make her happy, Isabel enters a baking contest for kids with a New York City trip as the grand prize. There are plenty of delicious cupcake scenes in this book to make readers drool (I am SO craving cupcakes now), but there's more here, too -- an honest, balanced look at life with a parent whose mood swings really affect the family, a realistic portrayal of friendships with all their ups and downs, and a snapshot of a small-town neighborhood that reminds us what makes local businesses and the communities they serve so special. Highly recommended, especially for older elementary and middle school readers who aren't quite ready to make the leap to older YA titles.

[Vanessa K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the most fabolous book I ever read! I never got bored of this book! This bookd was so much fun to read about, the only thing that i didn't like was Isabel's mom. Her mother was not that mature enough, it was mostly Isabel acting more of an adult than her mom. But later on to the end of the story her mom is way more mature enough. This story is just like any other teenaged girl's life. Isabel is like an ordinary girl and have dreams she wishes she could go to. I really enjoyed reading this book! it mostly only took me two or three days to finish it! [my new record, finally.] All of their fantastic and extrodinary and interesting cupcakes! like their strawberry lemonade cupcake, and their apple sauce? Weird right,apple sauce cupcakes? It's just all of the sweet details they give you and all of the other different tastes! As you can see that i had realy,really enjoyed this book alot! it's one of my favorites now! For me i would rate this book 10 stars. I know that you will love this book in no time! go to your librarry and find this book to read! I hope you'll love it! Good luck!

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and (for lack of a better descriptor) 'girly' read, one that would surely be termed a 'chick lit' book if it had been written for an older audience. Twelve-year-old Isabel has major wanderlust, though she has never left her small town in Oregon. When her emotional mother decides to open up a cupcake shop, Isabel feels more tied down than ever. In between helping her mother and father set up shop and hanging with her best friend Sophie, Isabel learns of a baking contest--with a trip to NYC as the grand prize! Could this be her chance to hit the road and travel somewhere exciting?

It's Raining Cupcakes is a simple, fun and fluffy book for the tween girl set. Boys can certainly give it a try, but in the words of one of my 11-year-old tutorees who read it as a summer reading selection, they may find it "a bit cheesy"! I also was not sure the author truly thought through her chapter titles (all cupcake flavors)...some of them did not relate to the chapter events at all. Cute premise, but not great children's literature.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Reread

[Ben Langhinrichs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for My Comfy Chair - Safe, friendly Kid-lit reviews

Isabel is twelve and lives in the small town of Willow, Oregon. In fact, she's never been anywhere but Oregon, though she longs to travel the world like her Aunt Christy, who is a flight attendant and sends Isabel postcards from all over. Meanwhile, her parents are more interested in turning an old laundromat into a cupcake store, which sounds pretty cool, but not as good as traveling.

When Isabel hears about a baking contest for kids where the finalists get to go to New York City, she sets her mind to creating the perfect recipe. Then her best friend, Sophie, who is practically perfect, also decides to enter the contest. Even worse, her mother thinks Isabel should enter a cupcake recipe because it would be good publicity for the shop, but Isabel isn't sure that's a good idea.

Though the pink, confectionery cover makes it appear as nothing more than a light, fluffy read, the book covers some interesting territory as Isabel's mother struggles with her own confidence and anxieties. Though it is somewhat unusual for a middle grade book to deal with both Isabel and her mother's search for the strength to follow their dreams, the messages are not heavy handed. As you might hope, things end happily, if not fully resolved. Isabel learns valuable lessons about her mother, her practically-perfect friend, and her own ability to think about other people's dreams as well as her own.

I would recommend this book for middle grade and young tween girls. Isabel and Sophie are great fun, and I wouldn't mind reading more about them in another book.

Four stars out of five.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

12-year-old Isabel wants to travel. Yes, she wants to go to Paris and Australia, but anywhere outside of Willow, Oregon would be great! She journals about her dream daily and envies her best friend who goes away to summer camp and on vacations to the Grand Canyon. Now she has a chance – if she can come up with a winning recipe for a baking contest, she’ll get to go to New York. Meanwhile, Isabel helps her Mom and Dad as they prepare to open a new business – a cupcake shop!

This is a good middle-school book dealing with some bigger issues than cupcake recipes. Isabel struggles with her self-image and feelings of jealousy. Her mother struggles with depression, though this is never stated as such, and Isabel feels responsible for helping her mother feel better. I liked how Schroeder showed the family discussing issues and Isabel being sensitive to other people’s needs and feelings. Isabel and her family have to work hard to develop the plan for their cupcake store, and Isabel also has several “failures” before she comes up with the recipe she wants to enter into the contest. It’s a positive message about finding our strengths, working to develop them, and find solutions to problems that come our way.

What I didn’t like quite so much was the way Isabel’s mother’s depression was treated. I was bothered that Isabel took so much responsibility for helping her mother “feel better.” I realize this is a middle-grade book and not written for adults, but I didn’t like the message that Isabel could bring her mother out of her depression just by encouraging her to “not be afraid,” and giving her a few library books to read. No child should be responsible for curing such a serious illness.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.com

Twelve-year-old Isabel dreams of getting out of Oregon, but with her mom opening a cupcake shop in their small town, Isabel knows she's not going anywhere.

Things start looking up when Isabel learns about a baking contest with a trip to New York City as the prize. If she can come up with a winning recipe, her dreams of travel might come true. Unfortunately, her best friend, Sophie, decides to enter the contest, too. This doesn't bode well for Isabel, as things always fall into place for Sophie.

Though Isabel has an amazing chocolate tart recipe, her mother wants her to enter a cupcake recipe to help promote the shop. Isabel's summer is turning out to be a roller coaster ride of decisions and life-altering events, and she isn't enjoying the thrill of it all.

I loved this novel! What a delight to follow Isabel and the other characters on a sweet journey of discovery. Schroeder does a great job of creating likable characters, and her descriptions had me drooling and craving cupcakes. Thank goodness she rewarded my reading with cupcake recipes at the end of the book!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think what I really liked about this was not the opening of the cupcake shop, but the fact that Isabel's mom suffers from .... something. It's never defined, but the reader knows that her mom is not well (bi-polar? depresion?) and that the mom's mood set the tone for everyone else. I actually liked that Isabel admitted that she wanted to get away from her mom sometimes. The mom was human - not all bad, not all good, just human.

On the other hand, I would have LOVED all the cupcake recipes - and what about the chocolate jam tarts!?

[Zoeisbookhooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read these WAY back when I was younger and I enjoyed them. I don’t find them as interesting now but that’s because I went into YA books. But these were good fun

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly good read. Short and sweet, sprinkled with oh-so-familiar family troubles that hit close to home. Its constant dessert references make it all the sweeter.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is mostly a cute and lighthearted young adult novel about a young girl living in Oregon named Isabel. Isabel wants to travel, but for some reason her mom just doesn't want to go anywhere. Her family decides to open up a Cupcake shop and so her summer once again is spent at home, this time helping her parents get the shop ready. Isabel comes across a baking contest where the contestants are flown to NYC for a bake off. Isabel and her friend Sophie both enter the contest. While waiting to see if she won she spend the other half of her time trying to help manage her mom's moods. This is where the mostly cute novel stops. Although it is not acknowledged or named, but her mother seems to have some serious mental health issues going on. If the slightest thing goes wrong, her mom's mood turns into doom and gloom. Although she is not mean or hateful, the woman thinks that the world is ending (not really ending, but you get the gist), takes to her bed, and becomes severely depressed. It really affects her relationship with her daughter and her husband. It honestly made me super sad for Isabel when her mom got in these moods. For some reason I kinda focused on that because of my own childhood trauma. I guess that's what I get for reading this as a full fledged adult 🤷‍♀️. There is a happy ending and things do turn around for everyone. On the plus side, the book does include a couple of cupcake recipes that I'm hoping to try out before I have to take this back to the library!

[Aleta · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didn't strike me as anything particularly special. I felt like the ending ( the mom) specifically was a little too deus ex machina. Also I felt like there was something off with the MC Isabel.

Sometimes she behaved immaturely, which felt off considering she was so mature in other situations.

[Adriana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cupcakes are beautiful and wonderful things. A story about cupcakes, well, that'll easily draw me in. But this isn't just a story about cupcakes - it's about individuality, fear of failure, and wanting more out of life.


Source

Isabel is a dreamer. She dreams of traveling the world like her flight attendant aunt, that her mom will stop jumping from idea to idea (she's currently on a mission to own a cupcake shop), and that she'll win a baking competition all on her own. Her mother is a dreamer too, hence jumping from idea to idea. She's so excited yet so fearful of her cupcake shop. Isabel and her dad are in charge of building her confidence up in an unspoken agreement because as soon as Isabel's mom gets even slightly discouraged - she gives up. And if she gives up on her cupcake shop then who knows where their family will be.


Source

Although food books are my jam, It's Raining Cupcakes was just okay. The ending felt abrupt and really now - how does no one come to the conclusion that the mom is obviously having mood swings so she might have a mental illness?

What I did enjoy were all those cupcake recipes, the imagery of the food, the best friend (even if she was away at camp most of the time), and Isabel. Isabel tried to branch out on her own by making a tart for the baking competition, but her mom thought cupcakes would get the shop some great advertising. They all always have to try to please the mom so this causes a dilemma for Isabel. She's a good mother otherwise. I do however strongly believe she's suffering from something. I just don't know what.


Source

If you like mom and daughter stories with some yummy dessert treats then It's Raining Cupcakes might fair better for you. It's a nice and fun read but, a bit young perhaps for my taste.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woo hoo! Lisa has done it again! This book was very cute, with fantastic characterization, and an unbelievable story line. And it wasn't fluff. This was about a very realistic girl that has to deal with family issues. No one dies or anything too drastic like that, but it's just normal family issues. I think every 12 year old girl can relate in so many ways to Isabel and the situations she's put in. I really felt a connection to Isabel and her life even though I'm 29 years old and was never in any sort of situation like her. I just really felt like she was easy to get. And her whole family was! Things weren't always easy for them and at times I wanted to scream at her mother, but the way Isabel handled things was realistic and showed what a great person she was.
This book had cute cupcake names for each chapter, like Strawberry lemonade cupcakes (I've been craving strawberry lemonade since I read that chapter). It also has fantastic recipe's that we can't wait to try out!
I think this is a fantastic book for middle grade girls, but my daughter (who's 5) also enjoyed it a lot. I only read her bits and pieces because I was so anxious to get through it, but this will definitely be a reread for us. I think this would be a fantastic book for a reluctant reader. It's easy to read and relate-able and it has life issues mixed in with a lot fun!
I've yet to be disappointed in Lisa's books (I've read every one!) and I can't wait to read more about Isabel. In September, 2011 we get more and it's from Sophie's point of view and it's called Sprinkles and Secrets, YAY!

[Kathy Coolman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's Raining Cupcakes by Lisa Schroeder is a fun and thoughtful mother-daughter story about growing up, accepting responsibility and finding a way to make your dreams come true. Isabel's family is about to open a cupcake shop in their small town of Willow, Oregon and Isabel feels a bit trapped into spending her summer helping her parents get the business started. Her mother is easily discouraged amd threatens to give up her dream altogether when she learns that a popular brownie shop if also coming to Willow. Isabel has to find a way to support her mother, without giving up her dream to enter a baking contest and a chance to travel anywhere away from Willow. It doesn't help that her best friend Sophie always seems to come out on top at whatever project she tries and she is entering the baking contest too. I like the fact that Isabel and her mother realize that having a good relationship means considering each other's feelings, while not giving up on what is important to each of them. The two of them realize that they can face their problems together if they keep the lines of communication open. I also like that the story was not wrapped up in a tidy package, leaving it open for the sequel. I do wish the author had included more of the recipes that make up the titles of each chapter. They sound delish!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted to read this book because my Mother in-law owns a cupcake shop and because it sounded just plain cute! What I didn't expect was the great substance this book had!
Isabel is 12 and all she really wants is to travel. She has never left Oregon in her whole life and she thinks the time to get out is definitely now since her mom is opening up a cupcake shop. Instead of traveling over the summer Isabel will be making cupcakes and learning some very important lessons.

This book was as sweet as a strawberry lemonade cupcake. I shouldn't have expect anything less from Lisa Schroeder. I have read and loved all of her YA titles and now I have read and loved her middle grade title also.

The story was sweet and like I said before it had great substance. Isabel had real problems and she had to learn to deal with them. Isabel is a very realistic and likable character. Shes not perfect and that makes her all the more enjoyable to read about.

All in all, I really liked this book even if it isn't my usual kind of read. I think preteens and even some teens will really love it. Lisa Schroeder is a is an incredible story teller.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cooking shows and the current popularity of cupcakes will give this book a little extra "leg-up" with readers, and the cover will attract them immediately. But it's a pretty good little story, too. 12-year-old Isabel is dying to get out of Oregon. She has never left the state, and she feels that travel is in her blood. Her Aunt Christy is a flight attendant and sends her fascinating postcards. Her best friend Sophie gets to travel, too. The girls enter a bake-off contest, and the finals are held in New York City. Isabel is determined to get into the finals so she can see the Statue of Liberty and all of the wonderful sights in NYC. To top all of this off, Isabel's mother has decided to open a cupcake shop; the remodeling takes place during most of the book. The family has moved from their house into an apartment over the cupcake shop. The mom is easily discouraged in her endeavors, and Isabel and her dad work hard to keep Mom going as she tries to fulfill her dream. The story is woven together well, and it makes for a heartwarming tale - mixed with some wonderful ideas for cupcake recipes, too! And Isabel's short poems are just "icing on the cake."

[Brandy Painter · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first grade daughter, an advanced reader, saw this book during our weekly library trip and wanted to check it out. As it has a 12 year old protagonist I told her I had to read it first. I enjoyed it quite a bit. It is a simple tale about a girl who dreams of leaving behind her small town and seeing the world. The relationships in her family are complex and portrayed realistically without weighing down the story. I found Isabel's voice to be genuine. She reads like a 12 year old. I like that this is a story about girl who is creative and wants to find her own way. I also appreciated that there was no romantic element at all. This is a perfect book for girls in the intended audience (8-12) and also for younger advanced readers. My daughter is now reading it and enjoying it very much.

[Annalise Bowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s Raining Cupcakes is about a girl named Isabel, and how her mom wants to set up a cupcake shop. The family has a bumpy road when they had to move to an apartment and Isabel’s mom is overwhelmed with nerves about opening the new shop. When Isabel is hanging out with a friend she see’s a baking contest flyer and she decides to enter when it says that finalist will be flown out to to New York, a place she is longing to go.

I thought this book was a really good book. I liked how you Lisa Schroeder described each setting and how detailed she made it. I rated this four stars because I liked this book but at some points it was hard to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes children’s books and realistic fiction.

[Sofia N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl named Isabel and her mom opens up a cute little cupcake shop. The author expresses how Isabel loves baking but wants to leave her hometown Willow, Oregon. Her parents don't want anything to do with traveling but that's the only thing Isabel thinks about. My favorite part was when Isabel and her friend, Sophie, find out there's a baking contest and they both enter in. The prize is 1,000 dollars and a trip to New York City. If Isabel wins she gets to go on her first trip. This book is so amazing and I just couldn't put it down. I hope other people read it and feel the same way.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, when your 12-year old granddaughter says she has a book you should read, what do you do?? Of course, you read it! It was a very sweet story of a young girl who is helping her mother open a cupcake shop in their small Oregon town. The mother is a bit of a trip (wishy-washy and afraid of everything) and young Isabel tries to get her motivated. Enters the very cool grandma (I liked this part) who, along with dad, brings the story to a happy conclusion. If you have a pre-teen in your life, give her this book to read. It's a fun, fast read.

[Sheela Chari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful read. This is a great book to give to a young middle grade girl. The story is about a 12 year old girl, Isabel, who is helping her mother to open up a cupcake shop in a tiny town in Oregon. The language is simple and easy to read while the book manages to carry more complex themes about responsibility, trying new things, and being hopeful in the face of uncertainty. Plus it has cupcake recipes at the back!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a time where vampires and wizards are the topic of so many preteen books, it was refreshing when my 4th grade daughter came home from the school book fair with a sweet, cute, age appropriate book. I read it within hours, just because I'm a nosey mother that way, and appreciated the solid storyline without being too corny. It's no classic, but a book that I know my daughter will enjoy reading, which is what I care about most in her book selections.

[Arina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find this book to be really sweet realistic fiction. It's about a girl who has many dreams, ( a lot of background there) but is tied down by her emotional mother. I think that Isabel should be happy that her Mom had opened the cupcake shop. I think that is a really cute idea. But obviously, IsBel thinks otherwise. A really girly book, but sweet with sugar, I would recommend this book.

[Heather Helene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great feel good wonderful story. I just love Isabel! I think this book is great for any youngster who is feeling down and out. "It's Raining Cupcakes" has a really great message.

I loved this book!

[Lisa]

This is a middle grade novel about a girl, Isabel, who dreams of traveling the world but is stuck in Willow, Oregon helping her mother get a cupcake shop off the ground.

[Lilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yum I love cupcakes, they show you the recipes in the end!

[Kathryn Neves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book! The twins loved it when I read it to them for bedtime stories! :)