An An Amazing Chocolate Cake Summer

(Paperback)

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Description

"An Amazing Chocolate Cake Summer" follows the escapades of four children through a hot, dry, New Zealand summer bizarrely hijacked by an extraordinary chocolate cake.

Kind-hearted, recent immigrant, 13-year-old ALEX, and his wily nemesis, 13-year-old KRISTOFER (aka FISH), have money worries - their pocket money isn't going to fund repairs to Alex's bike, which FISH wrecked in a malicious act designed to hurt ALEX in front of their classmates. The answer to this problem, and the intervention of a peculiar variation on MUM's regular chocolate cake, triggers a significant neighbourhood project, which transforms the relationships and lives of the boys and everyone else in their street.

While the older boys are busy with the street's adults, renovating MISS HARTLEY's house and gardens, ALEX's ultra-curious, ten-year-old sister, ANWEN, and her newfound friend, nine-year-old, recently bereaved loner, THEO, stumble upon a theft that leads to a greater mystery. This pair has a problem - how to escape family surveillance so they have the space and freedom to investigate the mysterious MISS HARTLEY. She said she loved the cake but doesn't respond to its call at 6pm every night. What are her motives for not coming to cake-time and for stealing cake on the rare occasions when invited

These questions lead ANWEN and THEO into a course of action that culminates in a terrifying encounter with MISS HARTLEY and her collaborators.

Eventually, MISS HARTLEY's circumstances, and the depth and breadth of her humanitarian agenda, are revealed. At the completion of the restoration, she chooses to thank the street by bestowing education grants, from her not inconsiderable wealth, on its families, and by making ALEX, FISH, ANWEN and THEO beneficiaries of her Family Trust.

Reviews

"An Amazing Chocolate Cake Summer" deftly combines the everyday magic of a community coming together with the fantastical delight of a self-replenishing chocolate cake. A lovely summery read for children and children at heart." - Helen Vivienne Fletcher - children and young adult author, playwright and spoken word poet.

We need those magic cake moments sometimes. We all seek happy endings but tend to forget that we need the love first. - Tony Conder - retired.

Author Bio

Marie Munro lives with her husband, Ian, in Wellington, New Zealand.

They have two daughters, Cathy and Lisa, and five grandchildren.

Marie was born and raised in Taranaki and has worked as a primary school teacher, journalist, newspaper editor, volunteer builder with Habitat for Humanity, and as a learning designer in the construction industry.

In her retirement, she has written a collection of stories reflecting the exploits and interests of her grandchildren. Working with noted translator Piripi Walker, and illustrators Rachel Doragh, Rebecca Utting and Heneriata Te Whata, she has transformed these tales into a collection of self-published bilingual picture books.

"An Amazing Chocolate Cake Summer" is Marie's first novel.