One Hundred Spaghetti Strings

Gr 4–6—The start of fifth grade marks the beginning of big changes for Stephanie Sandolini. Beyond new clothes (hello, training bra), routines, and classes, the biggest change of all is that her aunt Gina is moving out and her dad is moving back from California to care for her and her older sister Nina. Steffy doesn't know what to think about her father's return, so she does what she knows best: she cooks. Along the way, she comes up with a plan to prepare favorite recipes for her mom, who lives in a nursing facility after an accident caused a traumatic brain injury. Steffy enters a community contest called Chefs of Tomorrow. Nails gets the middle school voice just right in this gentle novel that touches on some important issues. The cooking framework that anchors much of the book makes for short chapters that have a lot of impact and effectively drive the action forward. The recipes mentioned in the narrative are included in an afterword, so readers can create some of Steffy's dishes for a more interactive experience.