Secrets and Scones

Laurel Remington's Secrets and Scones is a warm, funny story for 10 year olds about a girl whose mum blogs every embarrassing detail of her life.

What happens

Every Friday at eight in the morning, Scarlett's mum publishes a new post. This week's is called "Bye-Bye, Harvard. My Daughter Has No Interests." By the time Scarlett gets to school, everyone has read it.

So she's decided the answer is to be as dull as possible. No clubs, no friends, nothing her mum can write about. (It isn't much fun.)

Then the old lady next door is taken away in an ambulance. That night there's a horrible screeching through the wall. Scarlett finds a key under the mat, lets herself in and meets a hungry black cat. And behind the kitchen door is the most amazing kitchen she's ever seen.

On the counter there's a handwritten recipe book full of nursery-rhyme recipes, with a note inside to "my little cook". Scarlett's only ever tried baking once (a birthday cake that came out charred and went straight in the bin). But what's the harm in trying the cinnamon scones?

It's a lovely idea, and you're right inside Scarlett's head the whole time. You feel her cheeks burn at school and her stomach twist on a Friday morning. You also feel how calm she gets in that kitchen, measuring and stirring while the cat keeps an eye on her.

Her mum is more interesting than she first seems. She's bringing up two girls on her own and the blog pays for everything. And when she smells cinnamon through the wall, it reminds her of her own grandma's kitchen. You can tell there's more to come there.

Violet, the pretty new girl everyone wants to know, catches Scarlett mid-bake and stays to help. Then Violet leaves the scones out in the school canteen as a secret surprise, and Scarlett panics.

If you've got a reader who hates being the centre of attention, they'll feel every bit of this. And anyone who likes baking will want to try those scones.

One small thing. Scarlett lets herself into a neighbour's house without asking, and she does wonder whether it counts as breaking in. It might be worth a chat.

What to read next

For another girl keeping a secret at school, try Dear Student. Autumn's dad has just gone off to join the Peace Corps, and she ends up answering the letters for her school paper's advice column without anyone knowing it's her.