A la Carte

by Tanita S. Davis

book data

26 ratings, 3.69 average rating, 14 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		23%
4		38%
3		23%
2		15%
1		0%

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published

June 10th 2008 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

binding

Hardcover, 288 pages

isbn

0375848150 (isbn13: 9780375848155)

description

SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD LAINEY DREAMS of becoming a world famous chef one day and maybe even having her own cooking show. (Do you know how many African Ame...more

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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 51)

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12/17/08

Lynn rated it:

Read in December, 2008

Lainey dreams of being the next Julia Child and having her own cooking show. But first she has to negoiate the reminder of her senior year, avoid being too organized by her mother and deal with the gorgeous boy who only shows up when he wants something. Sim and Lainey were childhood friends and Lainey has had a crush on him forever. When he decides to leave town, he asks Lainey to keep secrets and take actions that violate her mother's trust in her. Characterizations are nicely done here an...more

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03/15/09

sian rated it:

Read in March, 2009

One of my obsessions lately is voice -- in that I bow down to folks who create narration that makes me feel as if I'm hearing a human voice, confused, struggling, funny, smart, flawed. This one really manages that, manages to be inside the head of a seventeen-year-old girl who far more resembles the teenager I was than the ones I usually read about. Lainey makes mistakes and missteps that make my insides twist in recognition, and at the same time I feel her frustrations so keenly. This book is m...more

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07/08/08

Becky rated it:

Read in July, 2008

An empty plate hits the stainless steel deck in the kitchen of La Salle Rouge with a clatter. (1)

Rarely do I so completely agree with a jacket flap. But in this case, it is right on.

Seventeen-year-old Lainey dreams of becoming a world famous chef one day and maybe even having her own cooking show. (Do you know how many African American female chefs there aren't? And how many vegetarian chefs have their own shows? The field is wide open for stardom.) But when her best frie...more An empty plate hits the stainless steel deck in the kitchen of La Salle Rouge with a clatter. (1)

Rarely do I so completely agree with a jacket flap. But in this case, it is right on.

Seventeen-year-old Lainey dreams of becoming a world famous chef one day and maybe even having her own cooking show. (Do you know how many African American female chefs there aren't? And how many vegetarian chefs have their own shows? The field is wide open for stardom.) But when her best friend--and secret crush--suddenly leaves town, Lainey finds herself alone in the kitchen. With a little help from Saint Julia (Child, of course), Lainey seeks solace in her cooking as she comes to terms with the past and begins a new recipe for the future. Peppered with recipes from Lainey's notebooks, this delicious debut novel finishes the same way one feels after a good meal--satiated content, and hopeful.

A La Carte does not overwhelm you with its greatness. Perhaps overwhelm isn't the right word, what I mean is that it is subtle and gentle. It's not overpowering. (It's the kind of 'greatness' that sneaks up on you and takes you by surprise.) Most YA novels in one way or another deal with the 'issue' or 'theme' of identity. And A La Carte is no different. It is without a doubt a coming of age story. Lainey--as a person--grows, changes, evolves, learns, awakens through the course of the novel. The Lainey we meet on page 1 is not the Lainey we say goodbye to on page 280. Some things stay the same, of course, but quite a few things change. One is the way Lainey sees herself, knows herself, respects herself.

But A La Carte also offers an in-depth look at family life. Particularly the relationship between Lainey and her mom. It is so well done. So dimensional. I hope that makes sense. In other words, both Lainey and her mom, Vivianne, are fully developed. And their relationship has depth and life.

And then there's the friendship angle. The popularity angle. Lainey is on the fringes, the outskirts of high school society. She's more of a loner. And content to be that way. Sure she wishes that some of her former friends hadn't ditched her for the cool crowd. But she's happy staying in the kitchen. Or so she thinks most of the time. This book examines what it means to be a friend, to have a friend. What does healthy friendship look like? What doesn't it look like?

In a way A La Carte says a great deal about longing. I don't want to say too much more about that because I don't want to spoil this one for anyone.

A La Carte is good. It resonates in meaning-of-life internal drama. There's a richness to it that I can't quite explain. I suppose I mean it has depth and layers.

Saint Julia always said that in cooking, there are very few mistakes that can't be corrected. You can add a pinch of salt and some chopped herbs to the butter if you forgot to put salt in your bread. If your souffle falls, you can serve it with a sauce over it, and it'll look just fine. Gummy mashed potatoes can be resurrected as potato pancakes. But once you add too much pepper to something--it's over. You can't make something less spicy than it is. (179)

Definitely recommended. (Though I must admit the ending seemed a bit too happy to be realistic. Still, overall, I enjoyed it and found it a satisfying read. In fact, it made me a bit hungry!)(less)

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02/11/09

Katie rated it:

Ok, ignore the cover and just pick this one up! I loved the story of aspiring chef Lainey, who doesn't have much going on in her life besides school and cooking. Everything gets shaken up when her old friend Simeon starts coming around again, making Lainey question what's really important in her life. Sweet, funny, and full of great recipes to try at home!

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01/24/09

Rachel rated it:

Read in January, 2007

A really thoughtful and intelligent young adult novel that took me back to my own adolescent feelings of longing to grow up but also worrying about what might be left behind. Smart, sassy and a really fun, captivating read.

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01/01/09

Fatima khan rated it:

bookshelves: to-re-read

Read in December, 2008

this is a really good book. its keep you on your toes and makes you wanwt to keep reading. you cant put it down!

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06/01/08

Laurie added it

bookshelves: wmslibrary

Read in July, 2008

I enjoyed this novel about a high school senior who worships Julia Child and dreams of being a TV chef some day. Lainey is a sympathetic protagonist, devoted to her own interests (she does not have a lot of friends, and while she does all right in school, it's not a major focus of her life or the book). The main thing missing from the book is a touch of humor; it was serious overall, though the recipes and Lainey's enjoyment of food and cooking add some leavening.

The author is blogge...more

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11/12/08

Alexa rated it:

bookshelves: food, teenbooks

Read in November, 2008

While it's true this is a story that has not been told--about an African-American teenager who wants to be a celebrity chef--the actual story part is not stellar. It's not awful either. The recipes are a cute addition but the main character may have a few too many quirks to come across as realistic. Still, as someone who loves to cook, I like reading anything that involves cooking, even when it's not incredible. There are likely teens out there who would identify with Laine and enjoy this bo...more

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04/13/08

Farida rated it:

This book is penned by TadMack, coauthor of the Finding Wonderland blog: http://writingya.blogspot.com/
I enjoyed the book, once I finally got to sit down and read it without interruption. Warning: this is a dangerous story to read if you're hungry. (Tanita says that all of the recipes are 100% tested.) I found Lainey to be a sympathethic character, but I didn't have a kernel of compassion for Sim, the romantic interest/former best friend who came across as a spoiled brat.

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3 comments

07/30/08

Sara rated it:

bookshelves: young-adult-fiction

Read in August, 2008

It never would have occurred to me that a high school student would have dreams of becoming a celebrity chef, but that's exactly what Lainey wants. In addition to her cooking and future aspirations, this book deals with her discovery that a best friend is not the same person he always was and that she needs to give him up in order to grow up. The plot was good, but typically teen angst. The recipes included were a nice touch.

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08/16/08

Sara added it

Read in August, 2008

One of the best things about A la Carte is how the main character, Lainey, is patiently, lovingly, painstakingly devoted to experimenting with her cooking. We get to "play along" as she creates her dishes.

The writing here is like the recipes themselves: never showy or overly gooey, but instead, well-crafted and devoted to the right details that make a dish (or a book) worth savoring.

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02/29/08

Laura rated it:

Read in March, 2008

The food writing in this book isn't very good at all, and I didn't even find the story itself compelling. I'm two-thirds of the way through and finally deciding to give this one up. I was so excited for it, too! Drat!

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