Stars So Sweet

April 15, 2016
A 12-year-old girl who secretly works as a restaurant reviewer for a major newspaper juggles her professional life, scholastic responsibilities, and circle of friends, all while beginning a new school.Gladys Gatsby, who lives in suburban East Dumpsford, is as busy as popcorn on a skillet in her third outing, which picks up right where The Stars of Summer (2015) left off. Paced at a rapid boil, the story is both overstuffed and underspiced, and the characters, though well-differentiated, have individual traits but not much flavor. The plot ingredients include Gladys' unemployed aunt Lydia, who needs help getting her life together; figuring out what to do about a job offer from Gladys' editor, who doesn't know her real age; helping her friend Sandy become the "gross-foods king" of his class; reconnecting with her summertime crush; and her commitment to far too many after-school clubs. Although Gladys may have bitten off more than she can chew, Dairman's resourceful and increasingly confident heroine works hard to help her friends and fulfill her responsibilities. Gladys, who's white, has a close Indian friend and other classmates of color, and she lightly explores food from several cultures.Dairman manages to blend an overabundance of ingredients into a tasty dish that series fans should eat up. (Fiction. 9-13)

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May 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Foodie Gladys Gatsby has more on her plate than she can handle in this third installment of her adventures. Picking up where Stars of Summer left off, this title sees Gladys entering middle school along with many students from other schools, some friendly, some definitely not. She feels guilty about keeping her job as a restaurant critic for a large newspaper secret from her parents (and evading her editor, who still doesn't know she is only 12 years old). Aunt Lydia has arrived from Paris after being fired from her restaurant job. Plus, Gladys's friend from camp, Hamilton Herbertson, the famous tween author, hasn't contacted her like he promised he would. Funds are tight for extracurricular activities at school, so the clubs are looking for ways to earn money. Naturally, Gladys suggests a bake sale. The first one is so popular she is overwhelmed with requests for more. She has spread herself too thin and is stressed. Desperate for help with her problems, she seeks out her favorite former teacher. Though Gladys is the only fully fleshed-out character, this is nonetheless an enjoyable entry in a fine series.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2017
The New York Standard remains unaware that its food critic, Gladys (All Four Stars; The Stars of Summer), is only twelve, a deception aided by flighty Aunt Lydia. Meanwhile, Gladys balances her culinary passions with finding her place in middle school and understanding her friends' changing relationships. Readers will cheer on the capable tween--and relate when real life proves more challenging than recipes.

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)