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Thirteen-year-old Anjali's life is rich with the smell of curry from her parents' roti shop and an absolute passion for food. More than anything, Anjali wants to be a chef who competes on a kids' cooking reality TV show. But Anjali must keep her wish a secret from her family, who thinks Anjali's passions are beneath her. Thank goodness for Deema, Anjali's grandmother, whose insight and love can push past even the oldest family beliefs. Woven with recipes that cook up emotions and actual culinary recipes that make food, this novel is as delicious as it is satisfying.
When not at school, taking cooking classes or working in her family's roti shop in Queens, Anjali, 13, dreams of becoming the Food Network's youngest chef.
When she's chosen to audition for Super Chef Kids on the Food Network, she has a chance to make her dream come true, but there's a problem. Her Trinidadian-immigrant parents want Anjali to take the Stuyvesant High School entrance exam, which happens to coincide with the audition. After they insist she drop the audition, Anjali hatches a plan with her best friend, Linc, to go to the audition instead. In her fiction debut, the author reveals a gift for creating compact, vivid character portraits, yet whenever the plot shows signs of taking off, she marches it back to the kitchen. Taking up about 20 percent of the book, the recipes (some appear in Ganeshram's cookbook of Trinidadian cuisine) are intriguing. But while enticing for foodies, most assume considerable culinary know-how. Some ingredients—callaloo leaves, fresh cassava, mixed essence—may be a hard sell for young readers and hard to locate outside cosmopolitan urban centers.
Strong on platform, the result is more fiction-seasoned cookbook than recipe-studded novel, best suited for precocious cooks open to culinary adventure. (recipes, author's note) (Fiction. 10-14)
Anonymous
Posted November 29, 2011
Eighth grader Anaji lives with her father, mother, brother and grandmother in Richmond Hills, Queens. She works at her family¿s roti shop, Island Spice, where she can try new recipes. She goes to a cooking school with Deema, her grandma. She receives a brochure for a new cooking competition that will be shown as a new Food Network series. Anaji shows determination for her passion of cooking when she finds out the competition is the same day as the entrance exam for a specialized High School. Will her father rule over her and make her take the test or will she follow her dreams in hope of becoming a Food Network Star.
Anaji bakes with her grandma, Deema creating delicacies for Island Spice¿s best customers to taste. She shares her recipes with Chef Nyla, her cooking instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. Chef Nyla gives her the chance to fulfill her dream of becoming a Food Network Star, when she hands her a paper about a new show, Super Chef Kids. Her best friend, Linc, helps her with the entrance video, where she makes Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies. When she is accepted for the New York area regional competition, she is overwhelmed. Deema accompanies her to the first round where she creates Shrimp Burger Pitas. Even with a few minor setbacks and her struggle with time management she still ends up on top. Her father pushes her to study for the Stuyvesant Exam, but Anaji has another idea, when she finds out the competition is on the same day. When she decides to follow her dream, will she pay for her disloyalty or does she have what it takes to be the chef on Super Chef Kids. Ramin Ganeshram grew up with a Trinidad father and took the Stuyvesant exam just like Anaji might in this book.
The book Stir it Up! is full of suspense and determination. Anaji is devoted to cooking and her determination to compete shows this. Dishonoring her father, Anaji show her passion to cook and be the best she possibly can and to show it too. Even with her mother paying little attention to her, in order to receive her nursing degree, will Anaji have what it takes? Anaji is determined to achieve her
goal. There is much suspense in this novel because every little thing that does not turn out the way Anaji wanted it to, puts Anaji a little father back from her goal.
Anaji¿s determination drives her to do unexpected things and hopefully will allow her to achieve he goal. Naji entered the contest because of her strong passion. Would she ever of thought she would have to make a decision like the one she faces. Does Anaji be a good girl and do what her father says or will she follow her dream to become a world famous chef? Will Anaji¿s dream and passion bring her to lie and suffer the consequences or will she accomplish her dream and become a Food Network Star?
Anaji, a Trinidad girl, has the greatest passion in the world. But, will her dream bring her to do something dishonest. Will Anaji¿s will bring her to do something she might regret and destroy her father¿s goal for her happiness. An amazing hobby and passion brings out the worst in people in order to follow their dreams. This is a great book for anyone who loves to cook, or who is interesting in learning about cultures from around the world. It is a wonderful read for kid of all ages.
4 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 27, 2012
This book is so enchanting! This book will make you want to cook something. This book also has lots of detail. This book makes you want to read more just to figrue out what will happen next to her almost petfect life she has. The recipes this book has look very interesting too. This is a book i recomend to the people that love to cook alot of food.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 22, 2012
I am 13 and love to cook very much. A lot of the recipes that are given along with the story are exactly the same as to how my mother and i cook. Since my mother and her family are West indian, i could really relate to Anajli and her families cooking and culture. For all the kids who love to cook and want to learn new recipes this is the right book for you.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 27, 2011
This book is the best. I highly recemend this. I read the real book.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 22, 2011
3 words to describe thi book it's too short
1 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 3, 2011
I loved the book. I never put my nook down.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 10, 2013
My daughter and I read this book for book club and we both enjoyed it. The book club girls made the coconut cookie recipe out of the book and greatly enjoyed them.
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Posted April 2, 2013
GOOD.
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Posted January 2, 2013
Ithink it is good so far a
So i will be genurus and give it a 5 * rating
Anonymous
Posted January 2, 2013
Great book
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Posted July 7, 2012
I wish i wasent elerigic to shrimp. Then i could make her shrimp recpie! :) A deffentie read. Relistic and just right!!!!!!!!!! :) :) :)
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 24, 2012
Great. It's expensive because it's new
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted January 6, 2012
Sounds like a good book but why is it so expensive its not even long?
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 28, 2011
Does anyone know how many pages there area?
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 24, 2011
Sounds interesting
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted October 18, 2012
No text was provided for this review.
Anonymous
Posted December 12, 2011
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Anonymous
Posted November 16, 2011
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Overview
Thirteen-year-old Anjali's life is rich with the smell of curry from her parents' roti shop and an absolute passion for food. More than anything, Anjali wants to be a chef who competes on a kids' cooking reality TV show. But Anjali must keep her wish a secret from her family, who thinks Anjali's passions are beneath her. Thank goodness for Deema, Anjali's grandmother, whose insight and love can push past even the ...