This looks like one of mom’s books, our 16-year-old said when he saw Mint to Be on the table. Of course, he was trolling mom, as well as, me, but the books that she likes are very distinctive. They’re known for their pastel colors on the book’s cover and spine. If it’s a pastel color on the spine then it’s almost sure to be that this is a book that will be her jam. Mint to Be is mint green and adheres to that plan to the letter. Moreover, Mint to Be takes the formula that makes books like this so successful and dependable, but makes it relatable for mglit and high school audiences.
Mint to Be is not a book that readers will accidentally fall into. If they’re not interested in holiday romance, friendship or first-loves, they won’t be attracted to the book in any way. The book’s cover, with two upper-high-school-age young adults having coffee and hot chocolate, provides that context clue. Space ships don’t take the two away. Rogue elements from their school football team do not turn into zombies.
This is a case where a pair of lifelong friends realizes that they’ve had something more than that all along, or do they? Emma and Aiden live in a small town where every residence and small mom & pop retail store decorates at Christmas time. Their parents know each other well and everyone in this small New England town is aware of their, and everyone else’s, business. Aiden is at Cup o’ Jo, the local coffee shop and has ordered his and Emma’s go-to drink. She comes into the place all a flutter with excitement because she’s just been accepted to a boarding school in New York City.
This throws Aiden for a loop because she’s his best friend. She should tell him everything, and she’s excited about leaving their small town, which means she’s excited about leaving him! He tries to be happy and encouraging, but the conversation is awkward and ends on a very sour note. Six months later, Mint to Be picks up with Emma coming home for the Christmas holidays with her boyfriend in tow. Because of how odd their goodbye was, the two best friends, Emma and Aiden, haven’t spoken at all during this time.
Readers of any level will probably know how this book ends. I knew how it would probably end, but was still very entertained throughout. It taps into the same voyeur aspect that a horror movie does. You’re watching the person who is about to go into the dark closet, and you know that they shouldn’t, but you can’t look away. You know that the really handsome guy Emma brought with her from boarding school is a jerk, and you’re just looking for a crack in his veneer.
He sure is handsome though. He says the right things and buys her coffee. Wait, she drinks coffee now? She didn’t drink coffee when she left for boarding school. Has she really changed or is this simply a case of two friends growing apart? It could be a case of one of them trying to jump across the friend zone demarcation.
This is a teen romance. It’s completely appropriate for middle school ages and up. The characters make the exact mistakes their peers are making. It’s the story of two 17-year-olds who clearly like one another, but have a lifetime’s worth of options in front of them. Will the one whose family business is in the small town stay there and help operate it? Will the travel-curious duo decide to throw their friendship against the wind and admit that they both have romantic feelings for one another?
Mint to Be works. It’s a very pleasant read that brings a smile to your face. You’re a curmudgeon who doesn’t have time for teen-Hallmark moments. However, you still somehow become vested in a fictional couple that you imagine to be ridiculously beautiful and handsome. As the book progresses, you vaguely think that it’s been a movie, but then decide against that fact. Movie or not, when you finish Mint to Be you’re jealous that you didn’t think of the book’s title before and are just a little more hopeful for romantic endings and yearn to visit sleep New England towns around Christmas.
Mint to Be is by Katie Cicatelli-Kuc and is available on Scholastic Inc.
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