The Candymakers is a coming-of-age story that demonstrates the difficult choices that define maturity. Logan is 12 years old, and he feels trapped between childhood and adulthood. His room and drawings still reveal signs of youthful fantasy, but his goals reflect an eye towards adulthood. He thinks that his father wants him to follow in his candy-making footsteps, but he isn’t sure that’s what he wants. He wants to be mature and make his father proud by winning the contest, but his youthful longings cause him to daydream about climbing the sapodilla trees for a living. As a young boy, he frequently lacks the confidence that he can bring his dreams of candy making to fruition. Philip and Daisy have a similar experience, with Phillip trying to appeal to his father’s financial sensibilities rather than his own musical tastes and Daisy wanting to be a successful spy like her parents. Each character tries to follow in their parents’ footsteps because they believe it’s how they will earn their parents’ respect. However, by the end of the contest, Logan, Daisy, and Philip realize that true maturity isn’t about following their parents’ paths just to make them happy; it’s about exploring their own passions and remaining true to themselves.