The Stars of Summer

April 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-The young gourmand and secret food critic for the New York Standard is back. Summer has arrived and it's Gladys's 12th birthday. As a birthday gift, Gladys's rich, snobbish friend Charissa offers her a position as a counselor-in-training (CIT) at the exclusive day camp run by her parents. At the camp, Gladys is assigned to work in the kitchen, which would have been wonderful except that she and the cook have opposing ideas about what makes a good lunch-with hilarious results. The camp also has a celebrity CIT, 12-year-old best-selling author Hamilton Herbertson. He's just a loud-mouthed know-it-all to Gladys, although a cute one, until he begins to let her see another side of him. There's also a very strange assignment for the Standard from Gladys' editor who has just gone on an extended vacation and can't be reached. Gladys's job is to find the best hot dog in the five boroughs. Could a jealous rival restaurant critic have something to do with this? Though a sequel to All Four Stars (2014), this book stands on its own. The main characters are maturing and becoming multidimensional. The author delivers the subtle message that people are not always what they seem at first. VERDICT Give this one to foodies as well as readers looking for a fun summer tale.-Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SC

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Grades 5-7 The summer has not turned out as 11-year-old foodie Gladys expected. Her two best friends are away; she has to go to day camp, with its boring lunches and required swimming lessons; and worst of all, her latest reviewing assignment from the New York Standard is to find New York's best hot dog. But Gladys rises to the occasion like a perfect loaf of sourdough bread, making the hot-dog assignment the highlight of her summer and getting creative in the camp kitchen. Gladys' experience hunting down unusual hot dogs with her parents helps her to mature as a character, as she learns that the best part of a meal may just be sharing it with someone you love. This sequel is bursting with all of the foodie banter and playful capers that made All Four Stars (2014) so engaging. Readers will be happy to not only see Gladys return but succeed in her quest for the perfect hot dog and, maybe, the perfect summer.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Twelve-year-old Gladys Gatsby (All Four Stars) attends summer camp while also trying to continue her secret career as restaurant critic for a top-rated newspaper. Her newest assignment has her schlepping through New York City in search of the best hot dog. Readers will relate to Gladys's passion, her developing friendships, and her struggle with honesty, while foodies-in-training will appreciate her sophisticated palate.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)