Elaine Hamilton has never wanted to be the center of attention. She'd like nothing more than to cook quietly in her kitchen, mastering French cooking with the recipes of the great Julia Child.

So how did she end up with cameras zooming in on her and a crowd cheering her on?

Well, it involves . . .

an eccentric best friend named after a font,

• five lively brothers constantly asking, “What's for dinner?”
• a rotten fig and a weakness,
• a feminist congresswoman mother,
• a yoga-practicing father,
• a chest full of unsent letters,
• and many, many roast ducks.

Delicious. Just delicious.

"Two misfits form an important friendship in Zemser's (Beyond the Mango Tree) hilarious — and surprisingly moving — novel. Elaine Hamilton prepares gourmet French meals for her family nightly, writes letters to Julia Child (but does not mail them) and dreams of the Cordon Bleu; Lucida Sans, who named herself after the typeface, occupies herself with 'getting attention — and lots of it,' as she wishes chiefly to be famous. After they meet (when Lucida accidentally triggers a fire at a town festival), Lucida quickly convinces Elaine to join her schemes, such as punking her rival (and sometimes boyfriend) into performing for a fake audition. Finally noticing Elaine's chef skills, she gets her shy friend to tape a cooking show. Zemser knows how to write kooky: Lucida constantly dresses in costume and her narcissistic sometimes boyfriend writes terrible plays: 'Some of them don't even have characters,' carps Lucida; over-the-top scenes include a last-minute appearance by Julia Child, who whispers a secret tip in Elaine's ear. Readers will laugh throughout, but Zemser never loses sight of Elaine's frailties and hopes. Ages 12 — up." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Amy Bronwen Zemser is the author of Beyond the Mango Tree, an ALA Booklist Top of the List Editors' Choice and Publishers Weekly Best Book, which the New York Times called "astonishing." She lives in Poughkeepsie, New York.