Flavor of the Week – Tucker Shaw

Author: Tucker Shaw
Title: Flavor of the Week
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication Date: 2003
Age range: 12 - 16
Genre: Realistic Fiction / Romance
Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Plot summary: Cyril Bartholomew is 16 years old and a fantastic cook; his family relies on him to plan and prepare all their meals. His dream is to attend the nearby culinary school and become a real chef. Though Cyril loves to eat delicious food and to share what he makes with others, he doesn't want his classmates at school to know about his talents because he's very sensitive about his weight. Cyril is crazy about his friend Rose, even though he knows she doesn't see him "that way". Unfortunately, she does think Cyril's best friend Nick is pretty cute, and he likes her too. To Cyril's dismay, Nick ends up enlisting his help to win over Rose – and the way to Rose's heart is through her stomach. Though Cyril doesn't want to see Rose with Nick, he does want to see Rose happy, so he prepares all the things he knows she'll love, and watches Nick take the credit for the fabulous cooking. Nick's longtime blindness with regard to Cyril's weight is also something Cyril is grateful for, and another reason Cyril allows himself to get involved with Nick's plan. Of course, Rose clues in eventually when Nick's behavior doesn't match the subtlety of the flavors in the delicious dishes and snacks he tries to take credit for.

Comments: I thought this was an original approach, with a male narrator who is embarrassed about his weight, as well as the recipes interspersed throughout the book. Some of the recipes are outright complicated, and it's nice to see that the challenges of cooking and having the right ingredients and tools hasn't been 'dumbed down' for the YA audience. Each recipe relates to something served in the previous chapter, from Cyril's own 'kitchen-sink cookies' recipe to 'pressed roasted vegetable sandwiches' – and they all sound totally tasty. Cyril is the nice-guy-friend who girls don't normally want to get intimate with, but with his hidden talents, sensitivity and humor, he is really a catch. Though some of the dialog is forced, and the author is clearly trying to speak the language of his target audience, the positive messages in the book come through. Given enough time, your friends will see through your external appearance and appreciate the real you inside.

Dates Read: 10 January – 16 January