One Hundred Spaghette Strings

Reviewed by: Kristin Taylor - Biddeford High School, Biddeford, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 7, 2018

Review

This first person narrative involves 5th grade Steffy who loves to cook and has entered a cooking competition; her sister, Nina, only wants to dance; her mother who has been in the "Place" since her car accident left her with Traumatic Brain Injury; her father, who has tried to come back to be a Dad and Auntie Gina, the one that raised her and has now moved to the other side of town. Steffy focuses on trying to understand her parents problems, but is as equally focused on her own worries like -- what is she going to make for the competition. The ongoing story line is an autobiography that has been assigned as a school project, which is to be completed by the end of the school year.

Character driven and sometimes emotionally intense with short chapters that has an impact on the reader as the story progresses. At the end of the book, as part of the autobiography, there are 42 recipes that Steffy made throughout the narrative. This book is recommended for grades 4-6.

Overall Book Score: very good