(story)time: All Four Stars by Tara Dairman

My last post was about F’s Beach Read, but to tell you the truth, she only ended up with a new vacation read because we bought this book for E (and fair is fair, right?)  A friend of mine texted me a hearty recommendation for All Four Stars by Tara Dairman – she had checked out the e-book from the library, and as soon as she finished it she wrote to tell me how much E would enjoy it. The girls were out of town the week before vacation, so M and I went out to dinner and then over to the bookstore to look for it. We were in luck.

The main character, Gladys, is an avid chef and food lover (on the sly – her parents are crappy cooks and fast food junkies). But then, at age eleven, a tiny little accident occurs, and it involves fire. Her parents put an end to her secret hobby immediately, but Gladys vows revenge. We gave the book to E on the first day of vacation, and she promptly read it through… four times through in a row. She was thrilled to find out that there is a sequel, The Stars of Summer, published this past May, and a third book due out in 2016. I’m almost through my short stack of summer reads, and then I’m going to read this one as well.

Few things are better than finding a good book for an almost-twelve-year-old. Few things are sweeter than watching her curled up under a beach umbrella with a book, passing on the pool for just a few more minutes. I can remember those long, lazy days of summer with an endless stack of books at my disposal. Or in this case, one book, read and reread without even coming up for air.

This book is perfect for the middle school set, but perfectly appropriate for eight and up, and a must read for any kid in a family where food is favorite topic of discussion.

Find this title at your favorite local independent bookstore. Happy reading!