Recipe for Disaster by Maureen Fergus
Ingredients Include Equal Parts Romance and Humour
Jul 11, 2009
In Maureen Fergus's Recipe for Disaster (2009), protagonist Francie Freewater is not unlike many a teenaged girl: she's boy crazy, klutzy, and devoted to her friends and family. She spends time shopping and chatting with her best friend Holly, nurses a hopeless crush on lab partner Tate, and dreams of being a world-famous baker. In fact, baking is her grand passion, and she spends weekends baking treats for her parents' café while other kids her age might still be sleeping in or watching TV.
Best Friend Troubles, Boy Troubles
Francie's life sounds pleasant enough, but nothing stays peaceful for long in the teenage world of drama and hijinks. Conflict first arises in the form of new girl Darlene, who is sophisticated, aloof, and getting uncomfortably close to Holly. Francie fears losing her best friend, but is her fear warranted?
While Francie cannot discern whether Darlene is a friend or a foe, she must also fight unwanted attention from three very different boys. Good-looking Tate seems to want no more than help with schoolwork. Childhood friend Ricky – now known as Rick – has the disarming knack of appearing whenever Francie's in the midst of doing something embarrassing. Worst of all, Francie finds herself being pursued by a pint-sized Lothario named Harold. Perhaps the most oddball character in the novel, Harold speaks in an oddly old-fashioned and formal manner, and is studying to be a mime.
Francie Freewater: The World's First Teen Chef?
As if her romantic problems weren't enough, Francie also has a crush on 'celebrity' chef Lorenzo LaRue, who's described rather like a cross between Pepe LePeu and Fabio. It is her dream to meet LaRue, but when the opportunity arises, Francie is presented with a dilemma that tests her loyalty to Holly. The crisis also reveals Harold's good heart beneath his comical exterior.
In some ways, Fergus seems to have assembled some rules of dating for teens in her novel: Don't be fooled by a boy's pretty face (or lack thereof); don't meet boys you barely know in dark places; and above all, be happy with yourself. Although Francie makes numerous (and usually humourous) references to breasts and hair, most girls her age should be able to relate to her mild insecurity about her body image.
Learning to Believe In Yourself
Recipe for Disaster follows a certain formula (or recipe?) common to many books written for girls: an outsider temporarily comes between two friends, and the main character suffers many romantic entanglements before unexpectedly finding romantic happiness. Francie's experiences, however incredible, reinforce the fact that hard work and persistence are essential ingredients in achieving one's dreams--but not at the expense of true friendship.
Fergus, Maureen. Recipe for Disaster. Toronto: Kids Can Press. 2009. ISBN: 978-1-55453-319-0.
Note: Publisher states that age range is 9 through 12.
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