Reviewed by Sarah Bean the Green Bean Teen Queen for TeensReadToo.com
Elaine Hamilton's greatest desire is to be a chef like Julia Child. She practices her French cooking skills every evening at dinner, and has recipes memorized. She teaches her younger brothers about slicing and peeling. She even writes letters to Julia Child about her cooking, but has been too afraid to send any of them. Most of Elaine's family loves her cooking, but her congresswoman mother has high hopes for her shy daughter and they don't include anything in the kitchen.
Isadora Wilhelminetta Fischburger, who has re-named herself Lucida Sans after the font, wishes to be famous. The problem is Lucida doesn't have any stand out talents. Lucida is known around school as the girl in the crazy costumes and wigs who is always trying to be famous.
When these two girls meet, the shy Elaine and quirky Lucida quickly become unlikely friends. After hearing about an upcoming contest for a cable access show, Lucida gets the idea that the two should enter with a cooking show, using Elaine's cooking skills and Lucida's ease of being in front of a camera.
With the help of Elaine's brothers, the girls set off to fill their deepest ambitions. But they'll battle egotistical boys, idealistic mothers, cooking contests, and the dreaded omelet along the way. Will they get their own cooking show? Will Elaine's mother ever let her be a chef? And will Lucida ever be famous for anything?
DEAR JULIA is a charming, fast-paced, feel-good, laugh-out-loud read. The cast of characters are eccentric and fun, including a cross-dressing brother, yoga-practicing father, and a stuck on himself too-handsome actor, who Lucida continually refers to as "her weakness." Elaine is a girl you can't help but cheer for as she learns to stand up for herself and have confidence. Lucida provides immense comic relief, yet also adds depth to the story.
Fans of The Food Network will eat this one up. Be sure to add this one to your must-read pile -- just don't read while you're hungry!
Elaine Hamilton's greatest desire is to be a chef like Julia Child. She practices her French cooking skills every evening at dinner, and has recipes memorized. She teaches her younger brothers about slicing and peeling. She even writes letters to Julia Child about her cooking, but has been too afraid to send any of them. Most of Elaine's family loves her cooking, but her congresswoman mother has high hopes for her shy daughter and they don't include anything in the kitchen.
Isadora Wilhelminetta Fischburger, who has re-named herself Lucida Sans after the font, wishes to be famous. The problem is Lucida doesn't have any stand out talents. Lucida is known around school as the girl in the crazy costumes and wigs who is always trying to be famous.
When these two girls meet, the shy Elaine and quirky Lucida quickly become unlikely friends. After hearing about an upcoming contest for a cable access show, Lucida gets the idea that the two should enter with a cooking show, using Elaine's cooking skills and Lucida's ease of being in front of a camera.
With the help of Elaine's brothers, the girls set off to fill their deepest ambitions. But they'll battle egotistical boys, idealistic mothers, cooking contests, and the dreaded omelet along the way. Will they get their own cooking show? Will Elaine's mother ever let her be a chef? And will Lucida ever be famous for anything?
DEAR JULIA is a charming, fast-paced, feel-good, laugh-out-loud read. The cast of characters are eccentric and fun, including a cross-dressing brother, yoga-practicing father, and a stuck on himself too-handsome actor, who Lucida continually refers to as "her weakness." Elaine is a girl you can't help but cheer for as she learns to stand up for herself and have confidence. Lucida provides immense comic relief, yet also adds depth to the story.
Fans of The Food Network will eat this one up. Be sure to add this one to your must-read pile -- just don't read while you're hungry!
