Pizza, Love, and Other Stuff That Made Me Famous

July 2, 2012
Sixteen-year-old Sophie Nicolaides proves to be a humorous and congenial narrator as she shares the serendipitous events that transport her from behind-the-scenes kitchen support in her family’s Taverna Ristorante in Washington, D.C., to a contestant on the reality show Teen Test Kitchen. Urged to compete by Alex, “my friend who happens to be a boy,” Sophie finds winning the qualifying competition easier than persuading her protective father to let her pursue her dreams via reality TV. That hurdle conquered, Sophie arrives at Napa Valley’s National Culinary Academy, meets her fellow contestants (“a smorgasbord of diversity”), and begins intense training from top chefs under high-pressure conditions, which are exacerbated by omnipresent cameras, microphones, and “Kitchen Confidential” interviews. Williams (The Lost Summer) creates a cast of passionate, competitive, and sympathetic characters with big aspirations and mundane problems, seeking to sharpen their skills and learn who to trust in a manufactured environment that offers both opportunities and pitfalls. A sampling of recipes offers guidance for would-be chefs, while a romantic triangle subplot adds zest to an already tasty read. Ages 12–up.

July 1, 2012
When 16-year-old Sophie is accepted as a contestant on a new reality show for aspiring teen chefs, it seems like a dream come true. Working in her family's Greek-Italian restaurant might have prepared Sophie for the pressure of the culinary big time, but when the drama begins heating things up, Sophie needs to figure out if she has what it takes or if she needs to get out of the kitchen. Ruthless celebrity judges, a secret burn book that trashes the contestants and a crush-worthy French culinary student all combine to make this the hottest summer Sophie can remember. Sophie finds herself on the brink of everything she wants, but then why does she miss her best friend, Alex (whom she has yet to admit she like-likes), and her unglamorous life back home? This too-familiar story is little more than a mashup of reality-television drama. Sophie manages to shine in spite of the predictable plot, but even she is not enough to brighten up the otherwise long cast of one-trick secondary characters. Cooking tips and recipes are sprinkled throughout the teen drama. Unfortunately even a recipe for Deconstructed Baklava fails to spice up this otherwise bland story. Uninspired and flavorless. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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August 1, 2012

Gr 6 Up-In this tale of reality television, food, deception, and love, readers meet Sophie Nicolaides. The 16-year-old works in her family's Italian-Greek restaurant alongside her father and grandparents. She loves to cook-so much so that she wants to be a chef with her own restaurant when she grows up. But, for now, it's school, weekends at the restaurant, and the rest of her free time spent with Alex-her best friend who is a boy, not her boyfriend. He gives her an application for a new reality show that is looking for teen "cheftestants" to compete for a chance to win a scholarship to the country's best culinary school. How can she pass up the opportunity to spend a summer away from DC in Napa, California, while cooking her heart out for prizes? At her home away from home, she's faced with friends, enemies, frenemies, and a cute French student. But will she survive the chop of reality-show drama? And, when she starts having feelings for the French cutie, she wonders if the steam in the kitchen will cloud her thinking or if she will cook like she's never cooked before to win a chance at the beginning of her culinary life. Although the characters are, at times, underdeveloped and generic, the story itself is entertaining and funny, and it will definitely make readers hungry for dinner. Give to readers who want an easy and quick read.-Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2012
Grades 8-10 Sophie was raised in her father's Italian-Greek restaurant, but she has always wanted to do more with her cooking. When the opportunity comes for her to compete on a teen chef reality show, she hopes it will be her time to stand out and shine. As the inevitable reality-show drama unfolds, Sophie realizes that to become something great, you have to know who you are to begin with. Williams has stuffed her book with delicious surprises as tantalizing as the recipes she includes between the chapters. As readers cheer on Sophie, they can't help but be sucked into the other contestants' stories and the overall excitement of this teen cooking competition, and, of course, the developing relationship between Sophie and that adorable French chef. Besides being a perfect choice for any fan of great food, this story will inspire teenagers to pursue their dreams and appreciate their heritages.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)