As The Secret Ingredient by Laura Schaefer builds, the reader learns that the true secret ingredient in anything good is friendship.  The main character, Annie, works at her grandmother’s tea shop when she enters a contest for creating the best scone recipe.  There are several recipes throughout the book which could be fun for girls to try.  Even though the girls in the book are entering ninth grade, I think this would appeal more to sixth  graders.  It took me awhile to get into the story line, but about three quarters of the way through, I realized the story was like good tea…a slower process but relaxing in the meantime and worth the wait in the end. (by Jamie Kenny).