Gladys’s first go lacks passion and her teacher tells her so. At school, her new teacher assigns the 6th graders a writing assignment for a contest held by the New York Standard newspaper in which they are supposed to write about their future. When she accidentally sets the kitchen curtains on fire making creme brulee, her cooking days are over, at least for the next six months. Because of this, all of her food explorations are done in secret.

In All Four Stars, eleven year old Gladys Gatsby loves all things food, but comically her parents are the ones who prefer take-out and are less likely to try new things. She enjoyed the first book so much that we immediately purchased book 2, The Stars of Summer, and now we are eagerly anticipating book 3 to arrive on our doorstep. It sat on her massive “to read” shelf for a little while, but once she finally cracked open the pages, she was caught under its spell as well. I inhaled the book and then encourage J to read it.

I had been enticed as a foodie and also because it was about a child who loved both food and writing. I first read All Four Stars and thought that it was super fun. At 9, she has started to be more willing to expand her culinary horizons and books like All Four Stars are a great way to entice her palate. In the charming series, All Four Stars, by Tara Dairman, J’s eyes were opened to a variety of foods and ingredients that she had never come across. It is wonderful when a book can encourage a child to see outside of their personal bubble.

All Four Stars by Tara Dairman