Cookie

By Jacqueline Wilson

Book Overview

What kind of a name is Beauty? Well it's my name for a start, but that doesn't mean I love it.

Beauty Cookson is no beauty. She's a plain, timid girl who constantly gets teased by the super-confident, snooty girls at school. Worse than the teasing in the playground, though, is the unpredictable, hurtful criticism from her father. Beauty and her meek, sweet mother live in uneasy fear of his fierce rages, sparked whenever they break one of his fussy house rules.

After an unbearable birthday party and the very real threat of Dad's out-of-control temper, Mum and Beauty run away. Now in a quiet, idyllic seaside village, their new-found freedom and a moment of culinary inspiration give them a hobby, an income and even a new nickname for Beauty.

Can they begin a happier, sweeter life - without Dad?

A charming, page-turning and heart-warming story from the beloved Jacqueline Wilson.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0552558311
• ISBN13: 9780552558310
• Release Date: August 2009
• Publisher: Corgi Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.53 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

bunnies and cookies

Another good read from Jacqueline Wilson. Cookie contains many of the themes found in previous books - the abusive father, mean girls at school, and cooking, lots of cooking. Ms Wilson clearly has a fondness for food (I mean writing wise, as she has a beautiful figure :)) The father here is emotionally abusive. His language is a constant stream of criticisms designed to erode the confidence of Beauty and her mother. The father is very materialistic, constantly concerned with 'keeping up with the Joneses'. He regards Beauty and her mother much like possessions, concerned with how their physical beauty reflects on his own image. There are a couple of incidents of physical abuse as Beauty's mother reaches breaking point. There are lots of good opportunities for discussion with girls who read this book about emotional abuse and learning to identify it. Another discussion point is why Beauty's father is the way he is. He clearly feels extremely inadequate himself, constantly striving to make more money and have a 'happy home' with a beautiful wife and daughter. Why does materialism breed such misery? Another theme is the issue of body image, a timely subject in this age of size zero. My favourite part of the book was when Beauty and her mother arrive at the seaside town. Mike was a real sweetie. My least favourite part was the discovery of the mutilated rabbit corpse ... who knew Jackie had such a gruesome streak? Perhaps there was some metaphor in the fact that the rabbit's head was missing that I didn't catch on to. Perhaps it represented what would become of Beauty and Dilys self-esteem if they remained with Beauty's father?