Some secrets are meant to be kept. Others are just begging to be revealed. When you're a fourth-grader navigating the complicated world of classroom crushes, it's not always clear which is which.
In The Candy Smash, the fourth adventure in Jacqueline Davies' acclaimed Lemonade War series, siblings Jessie and Evan Treski face their most personal conflict yet. Evan has discovered poetry, and he's keeping his creative work close to the vest—because nothing is more mortifying than your classmates finding out you write verse. Meanwhile, his sister Jessie has appointed herself the class investigative reporter, ready to dig up any story worth telling.
The conflict comes to a head when anonymous candy hearts begin appearing in Class 4-0. While most kids would simply enjoy the mystery, Jessie sees a golden opportunity for journalistic glory. She's determined to uncover who's sending what to whom, exposing classroom crushes whether her subjects want the attention or not. Evan, who values privacy above all else, finds himself on the opposite side of a familiar battle with his sister.
What makes this story resonate is how authentically Davies captures the social dynamics of middle school. The anxiety of having your feelings exposed. The thrill of secret admirers. The tension between wanting to fit in and wanting to stand out. She writes with the same warmth and understanding of childhood that made Beverly Cleary a household name, but with scenarios that feel completely current.
The Lemonade War series has earned its popularity by tackling real issues kids face—entrepreneurship, justice, honesty, and now privacy—without ever talking down to its readers. Davies trusts her audience to handle complex emotions and moral gray areas. Is Jessie wrong to pursue a story? Is Evan being too secretive? The answers aren't simple, and that's exactly the point.
Whether you're reading the series in order or jumping in at book four, The Candy Smash stands on its own while rewarding longtime fans with deeper character development. The writing flows naturally, balancing laugh-out-loud moments with genuine emotional stakes. It's the kind of book that keeps kids reading long past bedtime, not because of cliffhangers, but because they genuinely care what happens to these characters.
For young readers navigating friendships, family relationships, and their own developing sense of right and wrong, this book offers both entertainment and insight. It reminds us that sometimes the stories closest to home are the ones that matter most—and the ones that hurt the most when they're told without permission.
