Book 2: Seasons Change: The Sugar Squad Chronicles, #2

By Dr. Bee

Dive back into the world of the Sugar Squad with Book 2: Season's Change! As the magic of summer camp fades, Ava finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of emotions. The changing seasons reflect the changes in her own life, especially with her parents' sudden divorce. Now, between two homes, Ava feels torn and out of place. But in the middle of all this confusion, she finds comfort in the power of friendship and the unconditional love of her new dog Buddy—who has more in common with her than she might realize!

 

As Ava struggles to figure out who she is and what is really important to her, she dives deeper into her love for cooking. The kitchen becomes her special place, where she learns to create amazing meals, enjoy new types of music and share fun stories. But, of course, life isn't just about yummy food and giggles. There's drama on the volleyball court and Ava has to learn to rely on a new coach with superpowers of her own.

 

Through it all, the power of friendship shines through, reminding Ava of the importance of love, trust and the courage to chase her dreams.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erin Hayden-Baldauf
• Release date: Apr 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798201988661

Book preview

The Sugar Squad Chronicles: Book 2

Seasons Change

Dr. Bee

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Bravery Books

Copyright © 2023 by Dr. Bee

Cover illustration by Lee Rich and Al Constant; Cover design by Jana Hayden

All rights reserved.

No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

Contents

Dedication

1.Cooking up Memories

2.Bon Appétit: Whipping up a Farewell Feast

3.Platter Perfection

4.Recipe for Chaos with the Cousins

5.Bittersweet News: When Life Hands You Lemons

6.Sweet Sisterly Support

7.Mixing it Up: A Time of Swirling Emotions

8.Baking up Fun with Bumps and Sets

9.Sometimes, Even Bananas Split

10.A Spoonful of Honey

11.Treats and Tails

12.Tricks, Treats & Tail-Wagging Adventures

13.Even Sour Lemons Make Great Meringue

14.Lone Star Flavors: A Texan Thanksgiving

15.Protein Snacks and Gel Packs

16.Giving Thanks: A Season of New Recipes and New Traditions

17.A Split Christmas: From Gingerbread to Snowflakes

18.New Year's Favors and Irish Flavors

19.Mixing Things Up With New Goals

20.Pizza Madness

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Dedication

I dedicate this book to all the young Type 1 Warriors out there who prove to the world every day that diabetes can't hold them back.

From athletes and artists to writers and future doctors, keep showing the world what you're made of. You're awesome—even if sometimes you forget!

But I'd also like to give a special thank you to one of my young beta readers Grady, who is not only a warrior but a fabulous editor. Thank you Grady for helping me avoid a very foolish spelling mistake. For those who like mysteries, see if you can find the place in the book where Grady helped me avoid talking about hair that seemed to be dull and lifeless rather than colorful and vibrant. For those who would like to join the beta reader team, I'm always looking for help—just give a grownup in your life the word and they can reach out to me to add you to the team :-)

Chapter 1

Cooking up Memories

Ava bounced her knee under the table, stomach grumbling. The mouthwatering scents of that morning’s pancakes and sausage still lingered in the dining hall. She and her friends had spent so much time talking about the excitement of the day ahead that she had barely eaten two bites.

The buzz of excited chatter around her snapped Ava back to attention just as Dr. Woodland breezed into the room, her classic wide smile stretching from ear to ear. The clinking of her rainbow bangles echoed through the room as everyone hushed to hear what she had to say.

Good morning, campers! Are you all ready for a fun-filled day? the doctor greeted everyone brightly.

Ava joined the chorus of yesses and wahoos. She adored Dr. Woodland's adventurous spirit almost as much as the thrill of all the camp activities.

Great! Dr. Woodland exclaimed. Today we'll be learning new skills and creating something special. Are you all up for the challenge?

More cheers and nods of agreement followed. In just a few moments, we'll be splitting into two groups, she explained. "Half of you will be working on creating memory albums with counselor Dakota this morning. The other half will be in the dining hall cooking.

Ava's mouth watered a bit more. Please let us get the kitchen first, she thought as her stomach let out a loud growl.

—After lunch, the groups will switch, she heard Dr. Woodland add.

Dr. Woodland looked around the room at the crowd of faces that showed a mixture of sadness and excitement. Dr. Woodland wasn't just the medical coordinator for the camp. She was the person who had designed the summer sleep-away program and it was her mission to make it the most positive experience possible for every kid who came.

Today is our last full day of camp, she said, her voice softening slightly. I know that you're all sad about leaving tomorrow, but let's focus on making the most of today. We have some great activities planned for you, and I promise that we're going to have a lot of fun.

Dr. Woodland's positive vibe instantly lifted everyone's mood.

Ava admired how the spunky doctor always knew the perfect thing to say. She studied Dr. Woodland's cool style and decided that if she ever became a doctor (something she was now considering), she would want to be a cool one like Dr. Woodland—not a frumpy one like some of the doctors she had met in the hospital when she was first diagnosed.

Ava took in Dr. Woodland's red-brown dreadlocked hair and glowing brown skin and thought how perfectly they complimented her sporty outfits and hiking sandals. Everything about Dr. Woodland screamed, I'm ready for adventure!

Ava herself had started wearing her gym shoes more instead of sandals to make sure she was always ready for action. She was thinking about asking her parents for climbing and kayaking lessons when she got home, but she was also starting to love volleyball. I wonder how many sports they'll let me do, she thought to herself.

At noon, we'll all gather in the dining hall for lunch, and then the groups will switch. The morning cooking group will go work on memory albums with counselor Dakota, and the other group will come to the dining hall to learn how to make simple, healthy, and delicious dinners.

Grayson leaned over to Ava, his eyes shining with anticipation. I can't wait to see what we're going to make! he whispered.

Ava nodded, excited to work on memory albums with Dakota too, but what she really wanted first was food!

Now, let's split into our groups and get started, Dr. Woodland said, clapping her hands together. It took Ava a moment to realize that they had already been put into the group that would craft first.

Oh well, she thought and shrugged. What kind of memories do you want to include? she asked, turning to Grayson.

I don't know, he admitted, shrugging. But I'm sure we'll think of something cool.

Ava bounced on her toes as the group filed out toward their last day’s activities. She and Grayson made their way to the craft room, following the current of excited chatter.

Stepping inside the color-exploding craft room, Ava gasped. She and Grayson hadn't spent much time here because they had been so busy doing all of the more adventurous activities all summer. Bright paper and markers covered the tables. Posters and decorations crowded the walls. She could already hear the crinkling, cutting and giggling about to fill the space.

At the front, the über-cool Dakota waved everyone in with a grin. Welcome to Scrapbook Central, memory makers!

Even though they all knew Dakota, she introduced herself like a silly flight attendant, making them chuckle. She reminded them to keep the aisles clear in case of crafting emergencies involving messes or injuries.

Ava leaned over to Grayson as they claimed seats. Remember that time you glued your fingers together? She muffled a snort. I guess that was a crafting emergency?

Grayson rolled his eyes at her and they both laughed.

Dakota walked around the room, handing out pictures that the camp photographer had been collecting all summer. Ava flipped through images of Capture-the-Flag, campfires, and blindfolded taste tests in the dining hall. She thought about all of the awesome adventures they had experienced these past few weeks and couldn't wait to find a crafty way to capture it all!

Dakota's voice pulled her out of her daydream. As you can see, we have plenty of supplies for you to create a beautiful memory book. She also pointed out the Scrapbook Ideas magazines laid out around the room. It's ok if you don't know where to start. We have some prompts and questions to help you brainstorm. And if you get stuck, I'm here to help you, she reassured them. "Just start by thinking about your favorite moments at camp so far. Once you decide on the memory you want to capture, you can go through the Ideas magazines for some inspiration on how to create pages around that memory."

Ava and Grayson eagerly made their way to a table near the window, grabbing paper and drawing supplies. As they settled in, Ava couldn't help but take a deep breath, enjoying the scent of freshly sharpened pencils, pastels, and markers. Dakota finished handing out the pictures and encouraged everyone to share with others who might be in the same shot. You might just have to work out some deals, she explained.

Ava and her tablemates flipped through their pictures and started to write down page ideas.

I'm Lilly, Dakota's sister, the shy girl at their table offered softly.

Ava recognized her cabinmate's gentle face and blushed realizing how she had pretty much ignored the girl all summer. Ava and Grayson tended to avoid the artsy campers, instead getting loud and rowdy with the outdoor adventure groups. No wonder Lilly thought Ava didn't even know who she was.

I know. You're in my cabin, Ava replied. Sorry we haven't had a chance to talk more, but we always seem to be in different activities.

Lilly nodded, explaining she spent her days getting creative around camp but singing and acting sometimes too. She pulled out a container of beads from her personal art supply box and neatly arranged materials around her workstation.

As Lilly started to share some creative ideas, Ava got excited to realize she had picked the perfect person to sit next to. Ava smiled warmly, eager to learn some art techniques, but also genuinely interested in getting to know Lilly better.

Oh good, Grayson said, making his way into the girls' conversation. Maybe you can help us out, because we don't really know what we're doing.

Ava smiled and shrugged her shoulders, indicating that Grayson was right. Yeah, Ava agreed. We'll definitely be happy to get some help!

The three kids started flipping through the sample books together, sharing ideas and inspiration for their own projects.

Grayson and Ava had been inseparable all summer, but today was a little different. They started out chatting, but soon became more focused on their work than on their conversation. Grayson really got into a zone with his memory album and pretty much stopped interacting with the girls after a while. At one point, he took off for a little bit to go grab some things from his tackle box for a page he was making about fishing, but Ava had barely noticed when he was gone. She did notice the smell when he came back though. Apparently, so did some of the other kids, who commented on what they apparently thought was a really gross smell. But Grayson didn't seem to care—he was all in on that fishing page!

The girls were focused on their albums too, but they also used this time to get to know each other a little better. Lilly showed off some of her sketches and Ava was shocked to find that Lilly was such a talented artist.

Ava was so caught up in her own work and her conversation with Lilly that she didn't notice Grayson struggling to push the fishing hook through his fishing memory page. Suddenly, he cried out in pain as the hook pierced his thumb. Ow! he exclaimed, pulling the hook out and watching blood drip onto the table.

Uh oh, Lilly said. Crafting emergency!

Dakota hurried over with a first aid kit to help Grayson. Are you okay, Grayson? she asked. I'm fine, Grayson replied, wincing slightly as Dakota cleaned his wound. I just wanted to make sure I got everything on the page, but I guess I'll have to find a different way to secure it.

Lilly turned back to Grayson and suggested that he punch holes in the paper first and then use a fishing line to secure the hook. Grayson had a quizzical look on his face, so Lilly leaned over and punched two small holes through the paper. Then she cut a piece of fishing line from the spool Grayson had set out. Now you can just pull the line through the holes and tie a knot around the hook. A little glue will make it extra secure and you won't even notice it when it dries, Lilly explained.

Ava was impressed with Lilly's knowledge and experience in crafting.

The morning seemed to fly by after that. They each got a few pages done, but everyone let out groans when Dakota announced that it was almost time for lunch. They knew there wouldn't be an opportunity to come back and finish up what they were working on.

I know that you're all having fun, Dakota explained, but we have to make sure that everyone has a turn to work in this space. If you take the pictures and other things that you've started working with and stick them in the plastic sleeves at the end of the book, you'll be able to continue working on your album when you get home.

That actually sounds like a good idea, Ava admitted. That will give us a fun way to think about camp once it's over.

Lilly and Grayson nodded and mumbled in agreement as the three of them started to pack up their crafting scraps and clean up their workstation.

Besides, Grayson admitted, I'm hungry and I want to see what we're going to get to make in the kitchen later.

Good point, Ava responded.

Ava realized she had