My Saucy Stuffed Ravioli

Publishers Weekly

In the follow-up to My Cup Runneth Over and My Scrumptious Scottish Dumplings, My Saucy Stuffed Ravioli: The Life of Angelica Cookson Potts by Cherry Whytock presents another comically melodramatic chapter in the life of this food-loving English teen. Here Angel is obsessed with Sydney, whose heart she tries to reach through his stomach by bringing him homemade goodies at school. Then it's off to Italy, where Angel is consumed with determining whether her mother (who has learned Italian) is having an affair. Recipes, silly, annotated line drawings and Angel's engaging Briticisms add further spice to this zesty concoction. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

VOYA

This third entry in Whytock's series on the life of Angelica Cookson Potts involves food-as always-and this time an excursion to Italy, hence the title. The formula established in My Cup Runneth Over (Simon & Schuster, 2003/VOYA December 2003) is continued here: light, female-centered comedy enhanced by recipes, whimsical line drawings, and plenty of British slang. Angel and her friends consume Marmite and chips while exclaiming "crikey" and "pukka" or more likely, "PUKKA!"-all caps shouting and exclamation points are pervasive. Angel's parents have organized a fabulous vacation to an Italian seaside villa, and her closest friends Minnie, Portia, and Mercedes have been invited along. There they shop, cavort on the beach in their new swimwear, eat delicious Italian food, and gossip. One subject of their gossip is the mysterious behavior of Angel's elegant mother. Is Signora Potts conducting an affair behind the back of her lovable but absent-minded husband, Potty? And why has George, their London lodger, suddenly appeared on the beach, "all tanned and lean and blond and PHWOOOOAR!!!!"? Romantic surprises abound. Angel has been described as an upper-class Georgia Nicolson, and here the comparison is particularly apt. Angel's more serious qualities-her passion for gourmet cooking and her capacity for thoughtful reflection on body size and self-esteem issues-are pushed to the background here by her preoccupation with parties, designer clothes, and BOYS. Angel's cheerfully innocent narration of her privileged circumstances is much in the spirit of Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries series, providing great fun for early-teen girls. VOYA CODES: 3Q 3P M J (Readable without serious defects; Willappeal with pushing; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2005 (orig. 2004), Simon & Schuster, 176p., Ages 11 to 15.
—Walter Hogan

School Library Journal

Gr 7 Up-In this third installment in the series, Angel, her family, and her friends travel from England to Italy for a glorious vacation. As she watches her pals' budding romances, Angel pines away for Sydney, who planted a kiss on her at the school fashion show. On a different note, her mother is acting particularly strange, and Angel worries that she's having an affair. Not to worry, though-romance and happy endings are granted to all in this modern fairy tale. Character development is great, especially Angel's, whose wit reveals her own, quirky brand of humor, complete with many a pop-culture reference. She is a wonderful, lovable character, as are most of the somewhat eccentric people in her life. These girls are rich, but they're kind to one another and value friendship, unlike the characters in Cecily von Ziegesar's "Gossip Girls" and Zoey Dean's "A-List" series (both Little, Brown). This recipe for enjoyment will leave girls hungry for more.-Tracy Karbel, Glenside Public Library District, Glendale Heights, IL Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Whytock's souffle is a bit flat this time. Angel is as boy-crazy, food-crazy and worried about her "wobbly bits" as ever; her "girlies" (best friends) are ever loyal; and her father Potty is still potty. This time, her critical mother, usually too concerned about age lines to risk facial expressions, is inexplicably happy. Having never seen this before, Angel assumes it to imply an extra-marital affair. Angel swoons over an oblivious boy to an embarrassing degree and then takes off for an Italian vacation. In Italy, wonderful family cook Flossie lets her hair down. Angel's fiascos (a swimsuit turning see-through; tanning lotion that streaks her skin orange) are amusing as always, but Whytock's writing is less tight and less sparkly than in the first two volumes. The pleasure of food is still lovely (with recipes again sprinkled between chapters), but overall, this is a blander dish than the first two courses. (recipes) (Fiction. 10-14)