A Room Full of Chocolate by Jane Elson

A Room Full of Chocolate
by Jane Elson

I must admit, after reading the very first line in this book, I rolled my eyes and thought 'Oh no, not another one'. The line reads "Mum found a lump under her arm on my tenth birthday". I have read many books this year about family members ill, dying or dead and I thought I was going to have another following the same form. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I read this book in a day and quite enjoyed it. Grace, the aforementioned 10-yr-old, is sent to live with her granddad on a farm while her mum is treated in hospital for cancer. There, she meets the very colourful Megan, and they become best of friends. But Grace misses her mum, so Megan helps her plan a way of seeing her again.

Parts of the story reminded me of The Secret Hen House Theatre by Helen Peters, which is also set on a farm, and which my daughter and I both loved.

A strong exciting debut from a new author.

The Secret Hen-House Theatre by Helen Peters

The Secret Hen-House Theatre
by Helen Peters


Hannah lives with her 2 sisters and one brother on a working farm. Their mother has died and so their father struggles with looking after his children and running a loss-making farm. The rent has doubled and he is slowly selling farm machinery and cattle to pay for it. Hannah and her best friend Lottie yearn to put on a play at the farm and enter it into the local drama competition. Two acts of vandalism occur on the farm which threaten the future of the play, but the show must go on, and Hannah and Lottie are determined to overcome any obstacle put in their way.

A charming story of life on a farm based on the author's real childhood of growing up and working on her parents' farm.