Death by Eggplant

"It was last-period math, with summer vacation close enough to touch. My daydream was just getting to the part where the cute cooking groupies show me around Stockholm after the Nobel Prize awards dinner. Then Mrs. Menendez ''s voice went up a notch, and the groupies vanished. Algebra could scare anyone away."

All Bertie wants to do is become a Certified Master Chef, host his own prime-time cooking show, own a four-star restaurant, and write a best-selling cookbook. But first, he has to pass eighth grade!

Bertie Hooks has to keep his dream of becoming a world-class chef - how nerdy is that? - a secret, especially from Nick Dekker, his mortal enemy. You''ll laugh, you''ll cry, you''ll beg for cupcakes, as this hilarious journey to self-confidence takes a few detours along the way.