Zoe Sparks loves to write. She knows that having a new, top of the line WordPro laptop would make all the difference in her success, especially since the device her family currently has is unreliable. When Zoe learns that her prized laptop is the first prize in the school’s annual fundraising campaign, she goes all in to sell as many tubs of cookie dough as she can to win the coveted device. Along the way, Zoe’s drive and tactics rub some the wrong way and impact her relationship with her best friend, Felix.

This was a quick read that will be both accessible and relatable for many middle grade readers. Zoe’s enthusiastic personality and the twists and turns along the way as she tries to meet her goals will keep readers engaged. Readers will see what happens when Zoe’s ambition goes into overdrive, helping them to understand why it might be important to have some balance. I also enjoyed the family/sibling dynamics throughout the story and the realistic portrayal of middle grade friendships. Fans of the author’s Isaiah Dunn series will enjoy this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC to read and review.

I loved this book and Zoe's spunk! Who hasn’t wanted that big grand prize for selling the most? Great audiobook, too!

I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. The downfall was that I requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before the book was archived. I am going to try and get a physical copy of this at some point, as I do want to check it out!

Ambitious sixth grader Zoe Sparks loves to write and enjoys brainstorming ideas for her journalism class. There’s only one problem: Her at-home computer is so unreliable, one day it actually just stops working. Now she has to do homework at the library or at her brothers’ friend’s house while he rehearses with his very loud band.

Fortunately, her school is organizing a cookie dough fundraiser at the same time and guess what the top seller prize is? A WordPro laptop — and orange (her favorite color) at that! Zoe is determined to outsell everyone, especially her nemesis Amaya. But soon, her ambition begins to impact her balance and her friendship with her BFF Felix.

I LOVED the voice in this story. Zoe is so relatable for all high strung go-getters who sometimes prioritize achievement over other important aspects of life like relationships and rest. I loved that everyone loved Zoe’s ambition and still her parents helped her find balance without extinguishing her fire. I really liked her friendship with Felix, the home dynamics with her brother Mark and her relationship with Amaya.

I loved Zoe even though I worried for her. Loved the exploration of financial challenges and how feel-good this was all the way. The middle school setting was excellently done. Just loved every word of this and finished it in one day. Good for grades 5+ and also UNDER 200 pages!!

Kelly J. Baptist is one of my go-to authors for middle grade realistic fiction full of heart. She delivers yet again in this book. She does a great job of capturing the voice of kids this age. That makes her books so realistic and believable. At times, Zoe was very overwhelming with her drive to make sales, but, for the most part, I could actually see a sixth grader acting this way in the effort to win the big prize. In fact, I have actually seen similarly driven kids when it comes to school fundraising season.While I do feel that she was forgiven maybe a little too easily, I still enjoyed how the author illustrated the tension between characters. I look forward to reading more from Kelly J. Baptist!

Zoe is a determined girl with a talent for writing and all she needs to be successful is a WordPro laptop ....and she will do what it takes to win one by selling the most cookie dough during her school fundraiser. Sounds easy enough, but when Zoe is being challenged by am obnoxious classmate she has to get creative and maybe a bit obsessed! When cookie dough becomes more important than friendship will it really be worth it?
Overall, a good story for young readers.

I really enjoyed this book as a lover of middle grade. It reminded me of fundraisers that I had to participate in during school. I loved how Zoe was determined to get a laptop since her original one broke.

My only issue is that Zoe did not have that much character development and I really look for that in middle grade books because it is extremely important for the audience that it is intended for.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Did you have to do those school fundraisers? Schools are always way having them. When my daughter was in school it was magazines. The local high school has them for mattresses, of all things. And in this cute take on it, it is tubs of cookie dough. The author said the story was based on her own kids wanting to win the top awards, just as the main character, Zoe does in this book. Though the author let her kid know that no one ever gets the top prize, something no one said to Zoe.

See,Zoe’s computer broke, and she really wants a new one, and that is one of the top prizes for selling cookie dough. So she goes whole hog. No one can stand in her way. And I’m sure you’ll figure out where this is going, as it does with any obsession.

Cute story. I like how Zoe goes into Zoe mode when she goes into her sales pitch to sell the cookie dough.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is available today, the 17th of October 2023.

Zoe is determined to get the laptop off her dreams. She is excited to learn she can get it by selling cookie dough for her school. She becomes determined to win.

I was a bit disappointed in this one. Zoe had basically no character growth until the last couple chapters. I just found her really unlikeable. I admire the author wanting to make her plucky, but she seemed to lack remorse and empathy at times.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

One of the strongest aspects of the book is the portrayal of Zoe's character. She is a spunky and relatable protagonist, driven by her dreams of becoming a prize-winning journalist. Her passion and dedication are inspiring, but as the story unfolds, we also witness the toll her win-at-all-costs attitude takes on her friendships and family relationships. This exploration of the consequences of ambition adds depth to the narrative and makes Zoe's character growth all the more meaningful.

"Ready, Set, Dough" by Kelly J. Baptist is a delightful and heartwarming story that captures the essence of ambition, friendship, and the challenges of growing up. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would gladly rate it four stars.

The story revolves around Zoe Sparks, a spirited and enthusiastic sixth-grader with a dream of winning a laptop through her school's fundraiser. Her determination to emerge victorious in the cookie dough-selling competition is palpable from the very beginning. Kelly J. Baptist does an excellent job of bringing Zoe's character to life, and readers will find themselves rooting for her as she navigates the ups and downs of this unique quest.

One of the strongest aspects of the book is the portrayal of Zoe's character. She is a spunky and relatable protagonist, driven by her dreams of becoming a prize-winning journalist. Her passion and dedication are inspiring, but as the story unfolds, we also witness the toll her win-at-all-costs attitude takes on her friendships and family relationships. This exploration of the consequences of ambition adds depth to the narrative and makes Zoe's character growth all the more meaningful.

The supporting cast of characters, including Zoe's best friend Felix, adds depth and charm to the story. The dynamics between Zoe and her friends, as well as her interactions with her family, are portrayed realistically and provide valuable life lessons about the importance of balance and prioritizing relationships over personal ambitions.

The plot is engaging and filled with unexpected twists and turns. Zoe's journey to sell the most cookie dough is not without its share of challenges, and the mishaps and over-the-top ideas that go awry add humor and excitement to the story. The pacing is well-maintained, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish.

Kelly J. Baptist's "Ready, Set, Dough" is a charming middle-grade book that delivers a valuable message about the importance of balance and the true meaning of success. With a relatable protagonist, a well-crafted plot, and a healthy dose of humor, it's a story that will resonate with young readers and leave them with a smile on their faces. I highly recommend it for its heartwarming storytelling and relatable themes.

This book takes me back to my middle school years where everyone wanted that big prize for selling The World's Finest Chocolate! Zoe is determined to win the top prize, a computer to help her with her writing. She is so determined that it gets a little out of hand and she hurts some others along the way. This was a fun read and will be appealing to older elementary/beginning middle school students.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing me with an e-arc of this book.

Zoe Sparks is going to win a new laptop, and nothing will stand in her way. 6th grader Zoe is a young journalist, but this big dreamer is weighed down by old equipment. When her school announces that the top cookie dough seller could receive her dream laptop, she decides she will do whatever it takes to win. The latest from Kelly Baptist is a fun middle school adventure. She perfectly captures the drama of cookie dough sale competitions, which feel like the end of the world at the time. Baptist also does a great job of exploring middle school friendship, both the ups and downs. The Sparks family dynamic was well-written and relatable, especially the relationship between Zoe and her older brother. This book will appeal to fans of realistic middle grade fiction, strong women protagonists, and Baptist's past work.

When Zoe Spark's family computer goes on the fritz, she's hoping that her parents will finally get her a Horizon WordPro GT so that she can do more writing, which is her passion. After all, her brother Mark is interested in music, and her parents have helped him with the assets he needs for that. Unfortunately, her father is the manager of a grocery store that is going to be shut down, and her mother works at a florist shop, so there's not a lot of extra money. The school lets students use Chromebooks, but since some students tried to sell school devices on eBay (!!), they can't be taken home. When the school newspaper announces a fundraiser, Zoe is very interested in the top prize-- it's the computer that she wants. The downside? She has to sell at least fifty units of frozen cookie dough in order to be in the running. She takes her job VERY seriously, going to neighbors near her, calling relatives, canvassing neighborhoods where her friends live, and even going to her friend Felix's church and taking orders there. Her quest becomes all consuming, and she forgets plans that she has made with Felix several times, which doesn't make him happy. Not only that, but she loses over $200 of the money that she needs to turn in. When classmate Amaya mentions that she has already sold fifty tubs, Zoe is worried and redoubles her efforts. Of course, there is her newspaper writing and school work that she still has to do, and one of her articles gets a lot of attention. She writes about how not everyone has a computer or WiFi at home, but mentions that all of the teachers expect that students have these technologies when they assign projects. This causes the staff to rethink a lot of their practices. Luckily her brother loans her the money that she is missing. While she has the most sales in her homeroom, the contest is for the whole school. Will she manage to sell the most and get the coveted lap top?
Strengths: There are so many books about class elections and school newspapers (neither of which occur at my school), but only one other about a fundraising sale; Anderson's Me and My Big Mouth. While we haven't had a traditional fundraiser since the Pandemic hit, in my twenty years at the school they've sold magazines, flowers, candy, gift wrap, and several other things I can't even remember. I vividly remember fundraisers when I was in school, and the prizes are a big motivation for some students. Since Zoe really wants a new computer, it makes sense that she throws herself into sales. Baptist CLEARLY knows the world of fund raisers really well, because this is all done realistically. I also liked seeing Zoe's family life, and how her parents balance the needs of the family against the things life throws at them. Mark is a slightly annoying but ultimately helpful older brother who occasionally has to drag Zoe along with him. I'd love to see more of that kind of sibling relationship in middle grade books. The relationship with Felix, and the thoughtless way she treats her friend is so common in middle school. This is a great example of Kids Doing Things, and I loved that the whole vibe was generally upbeat. The cover is fantastic.
Weaknesses: While Zoe really wants the computer, I had trouble believing that her writing depended on having one. Writing is definitely one of those things kids can do without technology. Also, I still wish we would see middle grade students who want to pursue careers that are more science based rather than so many careers like writing, music, dance, or sports. There can't possibly be enough jobs for all of the eleven year olds who want to be famous singers or novelists!
What I really think: I will definitely purchase this title, and it will be a good choice for readers who like upbeat, realistic fiction, like Papdemetriou's Squad Goals, Schroeder's It's Raining Cupcakes, or Greenwald's Absolutely, Positively Natty.

Hang on tight— Zoe is determined to win Top Seller- and the ultimate Word-Pro laptop! But a lot to navigate- competition, a best friend, a loud brother… The burning question is, will Zoe win??

I liked this one. Zoe is a very determined protagonist. She is funny and smart and determined to sell the most cookie dough.
Along the way she learns more about her family, especially her brother.
She has a rough patch with her friend Felix, but learns what it takes to be a good friend.
Throughout the book people tell her "you are something else." And Zoe comes to realize that being "something else" isn't a bad thing, it's just who she is.
A good middle grade read.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.