Anjali works in her family’s roti shop, turning out island dishes from Trinidad. But for her, cooking is not a job, it’s a passion. She takes the traditions and flavors of her Indo-Caribbean heritage and uses them to create new delicious dishes. Everyone knows she has talent, especially her grandmother Deema, who takes her to weekly cooking classes. But Anjali wants the world to know she’s a star. She dreams of her own show on The Food Network. When she’s given a once in a lifetime opportunity to audition for a children’s cooking show on the network, she know that she wants to give it everything she’s got. But there’s a serious obstacle in her way. Anjali is in eighth grade at a private school in Queens. She’s on scholarship since her parents can’t afford the expensive full tuition. For high school, they need her to qualify for an exam school, Stuyvesant, so that she can go to an elite public school free of charge. But when the high school exam date and the audition fall on the same day, how can Anjali choose?
Stir it Up‘s strength is in presenting a culture that we don’t get to read about very often! I was thrilled to see an offering where white characters are in the minority. Anjali lives in a neighborhood consisting of mainly Trinidadians and Guyanans. Her best friend Linc is also from the islands, but he’s of African descent, not Indian like Anjali.
The book also contains recipes (which I always love) and a note at the beginning with important food safety information for young chefs. The food mentioned in the book are positively mouth-watering. If her family’s roti shop really did exist, I would love to try some of the exotic dishes. I’m particularly interested in trying pholouries (here’s a food network recipe) or using Trinidad mixed essence in a recipe.
Great for: As I mentioned before, I loved learning about Anjali’s culture here. There are many readers who need books about characters of color with diverse backgrounds. Also, although this is on a third or fourth grade reading level, I think it has interest all the way through about ninth grade, since Anjali herself is about to enter high school. This is great for middle school students who may not be reading on grade level.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – A reference to her mother being pregnant.
Profanity – “pissy,” “crap,”
Death, Violence and Gore – None.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – We learn that Spanish tapas are meant to be served with wine.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.
