The Candy Shop War

The Candy Shop War

By Brandon Mull

Published by Scholastic Inc. (2009)

Reading Level: Ages 9-12 years

Pages: 409

Genre: Modern Fiction

Summary: Four kids, Nate, Summer, Pigeon, and Trevor, start helping a witch named Mrs. White, look for a treasure in exchange for magic candy. They stop helping her when she asks them to another sorcerer's, Mr. Scott's, memory. They try to get some magical items back from her, but Trevor is caught and put in a mirror world. The adults don't notice anything because most of them are eating a magical fudge that makes them oblivious to anything magical. The kids start working for Mr. Scott, who gives them a bunch of candy as well. They, meet a man that warns them about magical candy and start helping him, but the man, and Summer are caught by Mrs. White's goons. Mr. Scott and Nate get in a car accident in the middle of nowhere. Nate uses a candy from Mr. Scott to go back in time, where he steals his family's van and park's it near where they crashed. He then goes to the future where he learns that Mrs. White got the treasure that made her young and powerful and everyone is under her control. He goes to the present as three people and gets Trevor out of the mirror, tries to attack Mrs. White, and help Pigeon stop Mrs. White's goons. They both end up old as they get the treasure for Mrs. White. When they take it to Mrs White, she drinks the solution to become young, but Nate had slipped in the candy they were supposed to give Mr. Scott and it erases her memory and so she doesn't take over because she doesn't eve know who she is. The magical government makes Nate and his friends young again.

My Reaction: I thought the story was cute and I like how they used magical candy. I really like the ending I thought it was ingenious!

Potential Problems: There are some monster's, the kids spend some time in a graveyard. There is some fighting and Mrs. White's eye get's shot out.

Recommendations: I think anyone that enjoyed the Fablehaven series would enjoy this book, and anyone that likes the magical candy in Harry Potter.

Here is the Trailer for the book

Other books by Brandon Mull:

• Pingo
• Fablehaven
• Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star
• Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague
• Fablehaven: Secret of the Dragon Sanctuary
• Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison
• Beyonders: A World Without Heroes (This one comes out Maych 15, 2011)

For author interviews, book trailers, and more information books by Brandon Mull check out the author’s website: brandonmull.com