Middle Grade Monday – The Truth About Twinkie Pie

Let me start off by thanking Angie Manfredi of Fat Girl Reading for asking the author to send me a copy of this book. I love how the youth librarian community is all about sharing and spreading the word, and Angie is a strong member of it. Also, sorry it took me so long to get to it.

This book is the story of two sisters, DiDi and GiGi, on their own since the loss of their mother. DiDi, the elder sister, has custody of GiGi. A high school dropout, DiDi works as a hairstylist and does her best to raise GiGi, fostering her memories of their mother through one of their only remaining links – their mother’s recipes. The Twinkie Pie of the title is a special dessert they make for birthdays, but there is a whole book of recipes made from readily available ingredients. They remind me of many of the recipes I grew up with, which came from the backs of boxes of Bisquick and the labels of soup cans. When DiDi wins a large cash prize in a cooking contest, she moves herself and GiGi from South Carolina to New Jersey, and enrolls GiGi is a rigorous private school. DiDi is practical and thrifty to her roots, so they live in a one bedroom apartment over the new hair salon in which she works, and they still drive their ancient but dependable car.

The move is a huge shock to GiGi’s system. While she’s always been focussed on her studies, this new school requires even more of her. Additionally, most of the students at the school come from wealthy homes and and families who have lived in the area for generations. GiGi struggles to fit in, making friends with Trip and his group of friends, but attracting the ire of his friend, Mace, who resents their closeness. Along the way of figuring out how to fit in, GiGi makes completely normal missteps and has believable successes. She is an entirely relatable character, as are all of the well developed cast of secondary characters.

*SPOILER ALERT* – SKIP THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH IF YOU’RE PLANNING ON READING THIS BOOK!

GiGi and DiDi have all of the usual family struggles, with several twists along the way. When GiGi seeks out a discontinued lipstick that she is sure will make DiDi happy, she learns that their mother is not actually dead. When she goes to find her, she eventually learns that the woman she thinks is her mother is actually her grandmother, and that DiDi is her mother, but was 14 when she had her. DiDi ran away from home to protect GiGi from her abusive mother, and had to manufacture a new life for them out of almost nothing. The shock of this sends GiGi straight into the arms of the least expected person, Mace, who has become a good friend of DiDi. The sisters/mother and daughter eventually reconcile in a moving (but not maudlin) conclusion.

KEEP READING HERE *END OF SPOILERS*

I really enjoyed this novel. The way the author develops the relationships between the main character and her new friends is extremely well done. Additionally, there are multiple levels of friendship that GiGi has to navigate; the reader will be shown a number of different friendship scenarios which will serve as both a guide and a reassurance. We see GiGi grow as a person and discover who she really is. There is a lot of redemption of relationship in this book which I feel will prove very hopeful to readers who are struggling (just like GiGi) through this difficult phase of life. A highly recommended purchase for middle grade collections.

Filed under: Middle Grade Monday