Review By: Anonymous
Published: 2021
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Contemporary
Audience: Grades 7–12
Number of Stars: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Goodreads Link: Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love
Content Warnings: Grief, loss of a parent, academic struggles.
Publisher’s Summary
The future is anything but certain in this alternately funny and heartbreaking contemporary story about food trucks, festivals, and first loves.
It’s easy to look at high school senior Oscar Olsson and think: lost. He hates school, struggles to read, and wants nothing to do with college. But Oscar is anything but lost—he knows exactly what he wants and exactly how to get it. Oscar and Farfar, the Swedish grandfather who’s raised him, run a food truck together selling rullekebab and munkar (donuts), and Oscar wants to finish school so he can focus on the food truck full-time.
It’s easy to look at Mary Louise (Lou for short) Messinger and think: driven. AP everything, valedictorian in her sights, and Ivy League aspirations. When Lou hijacks Oscar’s schedule to complete her over-ambitious service project—reducing food waste in Central Adams High School—Oscar is roped into helping her. While Lou stands to gain her Girl Scout Gold Award, Oscar is faced with a mountain of uneaten apples and countless hours with a girl he can’t stand. But as their story unfolds, the unthinkable happens, and Oscar’s future becomes anything but certain.
Review
Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love by Jared Reck is a thoughtful and meaningful middle grade novel that captures the inner world of teenagers in a way that feels both true and hopeful. The story is about Oscar, a middle school student who is navigating grief after the loss of his mother while also dealing with friendship changes and the pressures of fitting in. Much of the story unfolds around a donut shop that becomes a place of comfort and connection for Oscar and the people in his life. Through humor, warmth, and honest emotion, the book explores how love can be expressed in many different ways, even during times of sadness.
From a school counselor’s perspective, I found this book especially meaningful. The major themes of grief, friendship, empathy, and emotional expression are highly relevant to middle school students. Oscar’s struggles felt realistic, and the author does a wonderful job showing how children may not always have the words to explain their feelings, but still deeply need to be seen and understood. I appreciated how the story demonstrates big feelings and models healthy ways of coping and connecting with others.
I would absolutely recommend this book to students in grades 5–8, especially those who enjoy realistic fiction or may be experiencing loss or change. I also think it would be a strong choice for librarians, counselors, and teachers looking to support social-emotional learning. There are no illustrations, but the cover is inviting and playful, which I believe would appeal to students and encourage them to pick it up.
Curricular connections could easily be made to social-emotional learning, counseling lessons, or ELA units focused on character development and theme. Fun activities might include journaling about emotions, or discussing how students express care for others. The book reflects emotional diversity and different family experiences, making it inclusive and relatable. I have also enjoyed other titles by Jared Reck, including A Short History of the Girl Next Door, and appreciate his ability to write with both humor and heart. Overall, this is a book I would confidently recommend to colleagues as a valuable and engaging middle grade read!
📝 SEL & Curricular Activities
- Food Waste Project: In the spirit of Lou’s service project, students can research food waste in their own cafeteria.
- “Proclamations of Care” Journaling: Based on the book’s title, have students write about a non-verbal way they show love or appreciation for someone in their life (e.g., sharing a snack, fixing something, or simply being present).
- Character Contrast: Compare Oscar and Lou’s internal pressures. While they appear to be opposites, both are struggling with expectations—one academic, one personal.
