All Four Stars by Tara Dairman
Format/Source: Hardcover/ libraryPublished: July 2014
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Length: 288 pages
Genre: Middle grade fiction
★★★★
Gladys Gatsby has been cooking gourmet dishes since the age of seven, only her fast-food-loving parents have no idea! Now she’s eleven, and after a crème brûlée accident (just a small fire), Gladys is cut off from the kitchen (and her allowance). She’s devastated but soon finds just the right opportunity to pay her parents back when she’s mistakenly contacted to write a restaurant review for one of the largest newspapers in the world. But in order to meet her deadline and keep her dream job, Gladys must cook her way into the heart of her sixth-grade archenemy and sneak into New York City—all while keeping her identity a secret! Easy as pie, right?
I took four years to get around to reading All Four Stars. I’m glad I didn’t drop it from my TBR! Dairman blends an exciting, out-there plot (becoming a food critic) with real childhood concerns (suddenly becoming popular at school, navigating new friendships, etc.). I would love to read more contemporary middle grade like this. All Four Stars offers a cute story while striking a balance between silliness and realism.
The adults demonstrate that balance best. Gladys’ parents’ have an over-the-top attitude towards cooking. Dairman writes this attitude in a tongue in cheek matter, rather than suggesting they’re behaving realistically. I’ve read other novels where this kind of poor judgement from adults seems ignorant and tiresome. In All Four Stars, it feels natural and funny.
Gladys’s parents refused to use the oven or the stovetop- not when they could just nuke things in the microwave. […] “Oh, it all works the same way,” her mom had said as Gladys’s dad scooped spoonfuls of dough directly onto the glass carousel. (9)
Not all the adults in the story oppose cooking. Mr. Eng (local grocery owner), Ms. Quincy (new teacher), and Aunt Lydia make great rolemodels for Gladys. While most of the story is told in third person limited from Gladys’ perspective, behind the scene insights offer a plausible explanation of how the newspaper contacted Gladys, enabled by the antics of tired adults trying to do their jobs. I was reminded of the portrayal of adults in A Series of Unfortunate Events. Dairman portrays them in a similar but less extreme way (with regards to bumbling or helping).
All Four Stars features less reviewing than I expected. The plot hinges on Gladys gaining access to a particular restaurant in order to write her first professional review. Her review of her best friend’s mom’s cooking made me crave Indian food! Gladys strives to overcome obstacles and pursue her passion. I hope I can read more of Gladys’ reviews in the next two books.
Glady went on to describe how the samosa did a good job of soaking up the extra chickpea gravy, and how the minty yogurt cooled her mouth down when the spicy when the spices tickling her tongue threatened to turn into a tornado. Before she knew it, she had written three whole pages wrapping the review up with an exuberant ★★★½ (setting the standard for all dinners to come!) (45)
The Bottom Line
A delightful read if you don’t take it too seriously, I recommend All Fours Stars for readers who want a little more fun in their middle grade fiction beyond the usual challenges of school and family.
Further Reading
- Author website
- Read an excerpt
- Interview @ Smack Dab in the Middle
- Review by Krysta @ Pages Unbound
- Review by Louise @ Lone Star on a Lark
- Review by Katie @ Bookish Illuminations
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