The Candy Shop War

The Candy Shop War sets up a polarity between youth and age that carries throughout the novel. While the story is principally told from the perspective of four 10-year-olds, they interact most frequently with two elderly magicians: Belinda White and Sebastian Stott. The novel’s lore relative to the rules of magic underscores this distinction between young and old. All the magicians are ancient because they have used magic to extend their lifespans, but none of them possesses the ability to reverse the aging process. Further, they seem immune to their own enchantments. In contrast, the children in the novel are receptive to all manner of magical candies. They exhibit superpowers when they ingest the confections. The treats are used both as a lure to attract the attention of the young and also as a way to intensify their abilities.

While never explicitly stated, the novel implies that the young are inherently more magical than the elderly. This may be due to a combination of innocence, suggestibility, and belief. Jaded by long years of life experience, adults lose these qualities. Mrs. White herself points out that the only confection that will affect adults is her