Cookie Queens * A Heartfelt Look At Growing Up In Girl Scouting Shown From The Stories Of Four Girl Scouts
A celebration of girlhood and the complexities that come with it, Cookie Queens is a coming-of-age story about the joys, pressures, and tensions woven into one of America’s most cherished rituals: Girl Scout Cookie season.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critics Miral G. comments, “I love the film Cookie Queens because it tells the stories of four Girl Scouts and the ups and downs of running their cookie businesses. I like how it shows everything through their eyes as they grow throughout the process.” See her full review below.
Cookie Queens
By Miral G., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, Age 12
I love the film Cookie Queens because it tells the stories of four Girl Scouts and the ups and downs of running their cookie businesses. I like how it shows everything through their eyes as they grow throughout the process.
This documentary follows Ara, Olive, Nikki, and Shannon Elizabeth during an entire “cookie season” as they set goals, sell cookies, and learn more about themselves. These girls differ in age, cultural backgrounds, and locations, but they all share one common goal: fulfilling their dreams through selling Girl Scout cookies.
Olive, a Cadette from Charlotte, North Carolina, hopes to remain the top seller in her council. Nikki, a Brownie from Chino, California, dreams of following in her older sisters’ footsteps, earning a cookie trophy, and traveling to Europe with her troop. Shannon Elizabeth, a Brownie from El Paso, Texas, wants to sell enough cookies to attend Girl Scout camp for the first time. And Ara, a Daisy from San Diego, California, aims to sell 55 boxes of cookies during her first cookie season.
I like everything about this film, but my favorite thing is the performances of the four girls, especially Ara. She stands out and she stole my heart with her innocence and authenticity. Her reactions feel so genuine that I sometimes forgot she was performing at all. While selling cookies in her neighborhood, she meets someone with diabetes, just like her, who tells her that he can’t eat them. After cookie season ends, she sets out on a mission to create a sugar‑free cookie, and she succeeds. Her sense of humor, her determination to pull her wagon, and her creative ways of attracting customers are both admirable and adorable. I also enjoyed the film’s cinematography, especially the outdoor shots that show different settings and highlight the diversity of cities across the United States.
This documentary moved me deeply. As a Girl Scout myself, I relate to these girls and the struggles and joys they share. It presents a realistic and human side of Girl Scouts today and shows that Girl Scouting is more than selling cookies, it’s about discovering who you are and your place in the world.
The film’s message is about perseverance, because all the girls face challenges and big obstacles, yet they push through and reach their goals.
I give Cookie Queens 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 18, plus adults. It releases in theaters on August 7, 2026.
