No one can resist dessert, right? When Najika was young, a kind boy cheered her by giving her a flan served with a unique silver spoon, then ran off before she could thank him. Now a talented teen confectioner, Najika tracks the spoon to a famous cooking academy and is accepted there as a student. Will she be able to win over her snooty, skeptical classmates with her creative cooking and desire to bring out the best in people through food? Is either of the dashing, feuding brothers she meets her mysterious childhood friend? As shojo, or girls' manga, this is far from original, but its charming art, optimistic attitude, and dash of mystery will make it a welcome addition to a library collection pecially one serving tweens and younger teens. The story reads like meringue tastes: light as a feather and full of sweetness.

Najika is an aspiring young chef with a flawless sense of taste and a heart of gold. Orphaned at a young age, Najika gravitated toward cooking out of her desire to find her """"prince,"""" the mysterious boy who touched her heart and brought light into her life shortly after her parents' death. The only clue to his identity is a silver spoon, which leads Najika to the prestigious Seika Academy, where she faces many challenges on her quest for happiness.Kitchen Princess uses many plot techniques traditionally found in shojo stories. Najika is cast as the lonely heroine, rejected and often humiliated by her peers, while two princes, brothers Sora and Daichi, both dote on her in their own ways. However, where many stories often take a fantastical twist, giving the heroine some kind of magical power that sets her apart,Kitchen Princess continues to develop Najika's cooking abilities, which she uses to reach out to her classmates. This adds a spicy twist to the story, making an old recipe feel fresh and tasty. Ando's art style is romantic and whimsical, making for a delicious start to Najika's story.(Feb.)

Gr 5 Up-In a reverse Cinderella situation, Najika brings a silver spoon with her when she enrolls in the prestigious Seika Academy in order to find the boy who comforted her with a dessert flan after the death of her parents. Najika has the ability to determine the optimal makeup and presentation of any meal after having tasted it. At school she runs afoul of Akane, a teen supermodel, and is simultaneously drawn to a pair of upper-crust brothers-fair, idolized Sora and dark, sullen Daichi. Could one of them be her flan prince? Each chapter is built around something that Najika will cook over the course of the episode, usually as a way to overcome some conflict that has arisen in her attempts to navigate the stratified class structure of the school. While this is a perfectly ordinary romance manga in terms of structure and presentation, it is particularly effective in establishing character dynamics without overplaying the melodrama. This is probably due to Defilippis and Weir, a high-profile writing team in American comics who bring their subtler touch to the dialogue. Readers who showed up for the love triangle may also find themselves compelled to try out the diverse dishes, for which recipes are included.-Benjamin Russell, Belmont High School, NH Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.