Where to Start: The Perfect Recipe for Reading Coco Simon
If you are diving into the sweet and cozy world of Coco Simon, the best place to start is at the very beginning of her flagship series: Katie and the Cupcake Cure (Cupcake Diaries Book 1). Coco Simon—a pen name for the incredibly prolific children's book author Tracey West—specializes in heartwarming, relatable tween fiction centered around food, friendship, and school struggles. By starting with the original Cupcake Diaries, you get introduced to the core formula that makes these books so beloved: alternating character perspectives, everyday middle school challenges, and delicious real-life baking recipes included at the end of each book.
The Core Series: Cupcake Diaries (Publication & Chronological Order)
The Cupcake Diaries is the series that started it all in 2011. It follows four middle school girls—Katie Brown, Mia Winters, Emma Taylor, and Alexis Becerra—who form the Cupcake Club to navigate the ups and downs of life, family changes, and friendship dramas. Because the characters grow, change grades, and experience continuous story arcs, the series must be read in publication order, which is identical to its chronological order.
Here is the complete reading order for the main Cupcake Diaries series:
- Katie and the Cupcake Cure (2011)
- Mia in the Mix (2011)
- Emma on Thin Icing (2011)
- Alexis and the Perfect Recipe (2011)
- Katie, Batter Up! (2011)
- Mia's Baker's Dozen (2012)
- Emma All Stirred Up! (2012)
- Alexis Cool as a Cupcake (2012)
- Katie and the Cupcake War (2012)
- Mia's Boiling Point (2012)
- Emma, Smile and Say "Cupcake!" (2012)
- Alexis Gets Frosted (2013)
- Katie's New Recipe (2013)
- Mia a Matter of Taste (2013)
- Emma Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice (2013)
- Alexis and the Missing Ingredient (2013)
- Katie Sprinkles Surprises (2013)
- Mia Fashion Plates and Cupcakes (2014)
- Emma: Lights! Camera! Cupcakes! (2014)
- Alexis the Icing on the Cupcake (2014)
- Katie Starting from Scratch (2014)
- Mia's Recipe for Disaster (2014)
- Emma's Not-So-Sweet Dilemma (2014)
- Alexis's Cupcake Cupid (2015)
- Katie Sprinkled Secrets (2015)
- Mia the Way the Cupcake Crumbles (2015)
- Emma Raining Cats and Dogs . . . and Cupcakes! (2016)
- Alexis Cupcake Crush (2016)
- Katie Just Desserts (2016)
- Mia Measures Up (2017)
- Emma Catwalks and Cupcakes! (2018)
- Alexis's Half-Baked Idea (2019)
- Katie Cupcakes and Wedding Bells (2020)
- Mia's Sweet Surprises (2021)
Cupcake Diaries Graphic Novel Adaptations
For younger readers, visual learners, or fans of graphic novels, the first three books of the Cupcake Diaries series have been adapted with vibrant illustrations. These follow the exact same storyline as the original novels and are a fantastic entry point for readers transitioning to chapter books:
- Katie and the Cupcake Cure: The Graphic Novel (2022)
- Mia in the Mix: The Graphic Novel (2022)
- Emma on Thin Icing: The Graphic Novel (2023)
Spin-off Series: Cupcake Diaries: The New Batch
In 2024, Simon launched a companion spin-off series titled Cupcake Diaries: The New Batch. This series shifts the spotlight to a younger group of kids—specifically elementary-school-aged characters Emily, Natalie, Ren, and Alana. While it exists in the same universe, it functions as a standalone series with its own unique order:
- Emily's Cupcake Magic! (2024)
- Natalie's Double Trouble (2024)
- Ren's One-of-a-Kind Cupcakes (2024)
- Alana's Cupcake Garden (2024)
Ice Cream and Friendship: Sprinkle Sundays
Set outside the Cupcake Club, Sprinkle Sundays is a 12-book series that shifts the focus to an ice cream parlor called Molly's. The stories follow three best friends—Allie, Sierra, and Tamiko—who work together at the shop every Sunday while dealing with family changes, school crushes, and growing up. Like the Cupcake Diaries, this series is best read in publication order to track character growth:
- Sunday Sundaes (2018)
- Cracks in the Cone (2018)
- The Purr-fect Scoop (2018)
- Ice Cream Sandwiched (2018)
- Sprinkles Before Sweethearts (2018)
- Too Many Toppings! (2019)
- Rocky Road Ahead (2019)
- Banana Splits (2019)
- Sugar, Spice, and Sprinkles (2020)
- A Sprinkle of Friendship (2020)
- Ice Cream Queen (2020)
- Ice Cream and Sweet Dreams (2020)
Donuts and Dreams: Donut Dreams
Focusing on a cozy bakery vibe, the Donut Dreams series centers on Lindsay Cooper and her family's restaurant, The Park View. Lindsay runs the specialized "Donut Dreams" counter inside the family restaurant, where she dreams up creative donut flavors while handling small-town life, friendships, and school projects. This series consists of 8 books:
- Hole in the Middle (2019)
- So Jelly! (2019)
- Family Recipe (2020)
- A Donut for Your Thoughts (2020)
- Ready, Set, Bake! (2020)
- Ready to Roll! (2021)
- Donut Goals (2021)
- Donut Delivery! (2021)
The Sampler: Summer of Firsts
In 2011, Simon & Schuster released a free promotional e-sampler titled Summer of Firsts. This anthology contains preview chapters from several middle-grade series, including Coco Simon's Cupcake Diaries. While not a standalone narrative, it serves as a nice piece of trivia for completionists but is not required reading to understand the main series.
What to Know Before You Start
Before jumping in, there are a few practical tips to keep in mind. First, all of Coco Simon's series are written from alternating perspectives. In the Cupcake Diaries, for example, the narrator changes with each book, rotating through the main four girls. This means you will get to see the same middle school events from different viewpoints, which helps young readers build empathy. Second, these series are highly episodic but build on previous continuity. While you can technically read them out of order, you will miss details about evolving family dynamics, divorces, new siblings, and changing relationships. Finally, every book comes with actual, kid-friendly baking recipes at the end, making it a wonderful interactive experience for parents and children to bake together after reading.