Blueberry Pancakes Forever by Angelica Banks
Published by Allen & Unwin
Third book in the Tuesday McGillycuddy series, Blueberry Pancakes Forever was written by friends Heather Rose and Danielle Wood under a single pen name, Angelica Banks.
This is a delightful and quirky fantasy tale for youngsters, but with an underlying theme that’s very real, one of moving on from sadness.
It is a story within a story. Tuesday McGillycuddy writes books and so does her mother Sarah. Sarah McGillycuddy’s stories are written under the name ‘Serendipity Smith’ and include books about Vivienne Small, who lives in a magical fantasy world.
However, right now, in the Peppermint Forest where protagonist Vivienne lives, there’s never-ending winter. It’s because the world’s creator Sarah hasn’t been writing for more than a year. As a result, Vivienne is struggling in her cold story-world, her supplies depleted and no sun to be seen.
This is a reflection of the real life of Vivienne’s creator, too, because inside Sarah and Tuesday’s home everything has come to a sad standstill since their husband and father died twelve months or so ago. Washing has piled up, the dishes aren’t done and the casseroles and soup friends brought for a while have not been coming lately. What’s more, readers are impatient, as they wait interminably for ‘Serendipity Smith’ to publish her promised new book series.
Nothing’s happening. Sarah and Tuesday are still grieving, and just like her mother, Tuesday doesn’t write any more.
Then something amazing happens. In the Peppermint Forest, not only is Vivienne’s future clouded with danger with the arrival in her treehouse of a mysterious boy, Loddon, but Tuesday is magically transported into Vivienne’s story-world as well.
The power of story and imagination guides Tuesday through exciting adventures and into a new acceptance of her real-life circumstances and eventually to a rekindling of her creativity.
Blueberry Pancakes Forever is a whimsical and exhilarating book that shows children and, indeed, the child in all of us, that by keeping memory and imagination alive we can ensure we never completely lose what we have loved.
CKT Book Reviewer
Author: Angelica Banks
Title: Blueberry Pancakes Forever
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 9781760110451
Published: June 2016
Age: 9+
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