 First edition (publ. Doubleday) | |
| Author | Jacqueline Wilson |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Nick Sharratt |
| Publisher | Doubleday UK |
Publication date | April 4, 2006 |
| ISBN | 9780385608374 |
Candyfloss is a novel written by Jacqueline Wilson and illustrated by Nick Sharratt. It was first published in 2006 by Doubleday.
Flora "Floss" Barnes' mother Sally and father Charlie split up when she was little and she wishes they'd get back together because she doesn't like her stepfather, Steve, and her little half-brother Tiger. The book opens on Floss's birthday where Sally and Steve tell her that they are going to Australia for six months because of Steve's job. Floss wants to go with them, but she doesn't want to leave Charlie who's a cheerful and fun dad, who runs his own café which is quickly going out of business. Later that day, Floss goes with Sally, Steve and Tiger to TGI Friday's.
Floss convinces Sally that she can live with Charlie, while they are in Australia. Floss has a tough time getting used to life without her mother since her father is not used to taking care of Floss seven days a week and she is not used to his home seven days a week, either. Floss's school uniforms get dirtier and disarrayed as Charlie is not used to washing and ironing them, but her teacher, Mrs. Horsefield, helps her out, as Floss is one of her personal favorite students. The father and daughter learn to cope and meet Rose, a very caring woman who works at a fair. After Rose leaves (traveling with the fair), they keep an eye out for her at the fair. Meanwhile, a regular customer at the café Billy the Chip puts money on a horse that Floss selects, and he wins money on the horse.
Floss also has her best friend, Rhiannon, who isn't much of a friend – making fun of her and her father and starting cruel rumours about Floss's mother walking out on Floss. Rhiannon's posh and snobby mother assumes that Charlie is an unfit father and repeatedly tries to lecture him and pamper Floss believing she is living in an unclean dump. Floss ends her friendship with Rhiannon and finds a new friend, Susan, who is interested in all her favorite things. This causes Rhiannon to turn on her and befriends the class's other bullies Margot and Judy. She continually torments Floss by calling her and Susan, respectively, "Smelly Chip" and "Swotty Potty", later "Pongy Twit" and "Spotty Botty".
After Charlie loses the café and the flat, Billy the Chip mentions he is going to Australia to visit his son for one month and needs Floss and Charlie to live in his house while Charlie works in Billy's chip van. However, one day, a group of "yobbos" (as Charlie calls them) fight Rose's son Saul and when he attempts to stop the fistfight, the van catches on fire with Floss trapped inside. Charlie fights his way through the fire and rescues her, while in the process burning his hands. When the fair comes back in town, Rose and Charlie consider dating, and Floss finds out both are interested in each other and get along well, while Rose lets Floss help her in the candyfloss stall. Later, Susan, along with her parents, goes to stay in her holiday home in France and says farewell to Floss at the beginning of summer. The book closes with Floss thinking about dying her hair pink (like candy floss).
Candyfloss received starred reviews from Booklist [1] and Publishers Weekly . [2]
In a starred review, Booklist's Kathleen Isaacs highlighted how "Wilson produces a poignant, gently humorous, and totally satisfying tale". [1]
Kirkus Reviews highlighted the novel's heavy issues, including "poverty, bankruptcy, drunken/bawdy adult behavior, bullying and unconditional parental/child love". [3] To that list, Publishers Weekly added the "compelling sometimes gritty elements" of "shopping, gambling, fair-going, romance, a knife-fight and even a scary fire". [2] Kirkus concluded that the "open-ended conclusion" will "provoke readers’ questions and speculation" and the novel provides possibilities for "mother/daughter discussion". [3]
Multiple reviewers commented on Candyfloss's characters. Isaacs called the novel's protagonist, Floss, "charmingly believable" and "idiosyncratic", [1] while Kirkus Reviews referred to her as "determined". [3] School Library Journal's Catherine Ensley found her to be a "likable character". [4] Kirkus also noted that the novel includes "a group of believable secondary characters—though they’re somewhat melodramatic in their thoughts and actions". [3] Publishers Weekly also highlighted Floss's relationship with her father, who is " fully dimensional in all his flaws" and ,"whose love for his daughter often clouds his judgment". [2]
Reviewers also mentioned the "one-page black-and-white set of graphic novel–style scenes" that foreshadow each chapter. [1] [2] [3]
Charlie reads Floss a chapter of a story about a girl and a magic toad, which could be a reference to Wilson's 1987 novel Glubbslyme.
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