Alexis and the Missing Ingredient

Cupcake Diaries #16

by Coco Simon

Alexis thinks the Cupcake Club feels incomplete—until she discovers that friendship comes in many flavors.

Alexis feels lonely and left out when Emma goes away on a family trip. Sure, Mia and Katie are her friends too, but without her BFF Emma to round out the group, Alexis feels like a third wheel. Then when Ava comes to visit Mia, Katie is the one who feels like she just lost her best friend. Eventually all the girls realize friends are like cupcakes—you can never have too many!

Genres: Childrens, Middle Grade, Fiction

160 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2013

About the author

Coco Simon always dreamed of opening a cupcake bakery, but she’s afraid she would eat all the profits. When she’s not daydreaming about cupcakes, Coco edits children’s books and has written close to 100 books for children, tweens, and young adults, which is a lot less than the number of cupcakes she’s eaten. Cupcake Diaries is the first time Coco has mixed her love of cupcakes with writing.

Reviews

[Karyse Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing I love every single cupcake diary book ever published

[cassidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

randomly had the urge to reread every cupcake diaries book

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know that it was a really enjoyable book but there was a lot of drama between Ava and her best friend Mia. Also I noticed that Emma being gone, had Alexis branch out more which wasn’t bad but I still like Emma so that was kind of a disclaimer. I wish that Katie was able to connect with Alexis more though because they never hanG out just the 2 of them, and with Ava being there I think that could’ve been a good add on. I feel like there could’ve been less but I still like it a lot!

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 16 in the Cupcake Diaries series.

When Alexis' plans fall through for a several days break from school, she goes with Mia and Katie to stay with Mia's dad in New York City. The girls plan to do some exploring and some cupcake sampling. Without her own best friend there, though, Alexis feels like an awkward extra. When Ava comes to visit, Mia's best friend from her NY school before Mia's parents' divorce, Alexis does some hard thinking about friendships and how they can change both with time and with proximity--they're always good, but not always the same.

I really liked this book. The basic idea, that friendships change, is delineated with a light and positive hand.

3rd grade and up.

[D.L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. Alexis is still my favorite of the characters.

[Caroline S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexis and the Missing Ingredient by Coco Simon was a good book because it was about the girl named Alexis who went off her own way to hang out with her other friends since her best friend Emma went onto camping trip with her three brothers and her parents. Since Alexis had to hang with Mia and Katie she was able to go New York City with Mia and Katie, but she did not know that they planned this earlier before she was invited to go with them. Since that was the case Alexis just did what they did for their plans.
When they finally got to New York they went to go meet Mia's BFF from here, Ava. Alexis thought that Katie would feel left out since Ava was going to be staying with them, she was right at first but then they all got along pretty well. Alexis and Ava had some stuff in common too. Knowing about schools and scholars and all that business stuff. Alexis did miss Emma a lot on this adventure and she talked how Emma would love all this, but Mia and Katie felt like she didn't like hanging with them although in the end they were all hanging together and had fun.
I liked this because it talks about how one girl (Alexis), is able to have fun with the two other best friends of hers and able to find that she will have a great time with them if she doesn't spen as much time as she does with Emma.

[Trinity · Rating 4 out of 5]

WARNING:SPOILERS!: I really liked this book. I loved how even when Alexis felt left out she tried to help Ava, Katie, and Mia when they were feeling left out. I think Alexis's personality of how she is strong, smart, funny, and kind. I also loved the references to Taylor Swift. I think Alexis was very considerate in regards to Emma and her friends. She didn't want Emma or her other friends to feel like she was feeling, excluded. I won't reread this book since I have so many other books on my TBR pile. I recommend for ages 6+.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was good and so much drama for example how Alexis keeps bringing up Emma while she is with Katie, Mian, and Eva. Some similar series are Dork Diaries, Babysitters club, What ever after, and more.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is quite cute and pretty mild.

[Haleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great..

[Kaitlyn Zambrana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet!

[Chelsea Coca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Madame Cleo 2]

Great and as always after reading the excerpt I wanna read the next book as soon as possible!

[Mailinh]

Honestly it wasn’t really interesting but still entertaining though! I liked the New York references btw

[Jenni Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book, diving into how to navigate relationships with friends, even when people have their differences.

[char ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

the best book in this series

[PottWab Regional Library]

SM

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

“by now I was so confused about all the alliances and enemies and different agendas that I just didn’t care.”
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“‘So many people to please.’”
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“‘Look, it’s Taylor Swift!’”
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“‘You know, I think we all just have too many friends.’”
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There are a lot of friendship dynamic things going on. Emma is away on a trip, and Katie and Alexis are staying with Mia in Manhattan. Mia’s old ebay friend, Ava, is also with them. Basically, everyone is feeling jealous, Mia is exhausted, and Alexis is trying to be a peacemaker. Lessons on the dangers of codependency and the struggles of long distance friendships (not hearing enough vs. hearing too much). Also, Alexis and Ava connecting over economics…

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma is going on a family trip and Alexis feels lonely after that.There is no school on Thursday and Friday so there is nothing to do. Alexis isa girl who loves school, so no school means boredom!! Emma said that Alexis can haung out with Mia and Katie but they are planning a trip also.So the first day, Alexis did all the school work and the time is about 11:28. She then did the Cupcake Club's work including how to spend the money. The Cupcake Club is form when Katie brought cupcakes on the first or scecond day of school. Every Friday, one Cupcaker will bring cupcakes. When Alexis finished her work,it's only 12:34. The rest of the day waiting for Dad is boring. When Dad came home, Alexis greeted him like a tiger. The next day dad made Alexis sister, Dylan to dragged Alexis along. In the mall, Alexis meet Mia and Katie. Mia and Katie both decide that Alexis can come with them. Alexis agreed since she is not into style and the rest of the day is boring. Dad went to the mall to pick Alexis so she can pack and still mange time to catch the train. During the ride, Mia and Katie review thier agenda. They figure that if they had some time left they can get to Alexis's agenda. First they went to pick up Ada or Avy. Then they went to the baker and get some hot chocolate. When they arrive home, they quickly change and take a nice shower. Then Mia and her dad took them to a resuresuant called Omen. Then they went to a scorcher who can see the future. When it's peace making time for Alexis she often cried out " Taylor Swift". Then they went to a cupcake store. they really saw "Taylor Swif" but this time no one believe her.Alexis brought two purse , one for herself and one for her sister. Then Avy went and Emma came. They started filling Emma in.

[Elise Hedlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I thought that Alexis and the Cupcake Cupid was amazing, but this was by far better! It really targets the friendship of the girls together, and was another great Alexis book. I really liked how neither Sydney or Olivia appeared, but I did get to know more about Ava, an awesome, realistic character, and Mia, Katie, and especially Alexis, too. All in all, this book was one of the best Cupcake Diaries books I've read, and a must read!

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not about cupcakes really. . . at all. I expected a little more about their cupcake business and cupcakes in general, other than the narrator mentioning their business nondescriptly here and there. Since Alexis is in charge of the money and such for their business, I was hoping for some information about their pricing and profits. That would have been more interesting to me than the drama side of the story. I could relate to the story a little, but that wasn't enough to make me really like this book.

[Jocelin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "Cupcakers" are still making cupcakes and still having growing pains. Together they are not only growing a business, but they are growing up. I am still enjoying the series.

[Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is one of my favorite Cupcake Diary books. There are so many fun part in the book. I definitely recommend this book!

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

Palm reading? No,nooooo.