YUMI TALKS THE TALK: Star Sisterz, Book 6
by Tea Emesse
Mirrorstone/Wizards of the Coast
ISBN: 0786939923
Ages 8-12
144 pages

Strange things are happening to Yumi Suzuki. First, she finds herself adopting a kitten, even though she hates cats. Then her mom starts acting in all kinds of weird ways: ordering pizza when she doesn't like it, sleeping in the middle of the afternoon. Can Yumi cope with all the changes coming at her so quickly --- and even find a way to turn them into a good thing?

YUMI TALKS THE TALK is the sixth entry in the Star Sisterz series. It centers on the interesting --- if somewhat obvious --- mystery of what's going on with Yumi's mother, as well as the connected story of Yumi's tumultuous relationship with her crazy new kitten. The solution to the mystery is revealed midway through the book, and the rest of the story deals with Yumi's reaction to it, as well as the way it changes her relationship with her parents.

Unlike most of the other Star Sisterz books, YUMI TALKS THE TALK does not start with a clear-cut problem, but rather with a somewhat strange event: Yumi's mother gets sick on the morning she's about to take Yumi garage-sale shopping. From there, a series of somewhat unconnected events happen to Yumi: she finds a kitten, she loses the kitten, her mom continues to act strangely. While Yumi is an engaging and interesting character with unexpected talents and surprising depth, I think the book is less satisfying than it might have been because neither the story nor Yumi has a clearly defined goal.

To some extent, the book is about Yumi learning to open up to others and to new possibilities --- Yumi does grow and change over the course of the book, and learns to deal with her problems in a more adult way. This growth might have been more powerful, though, if Yumi's problem had been set out earlier in the book; done this way, Yumi comes across as a bit spoiled.

Still, there are lots of funny moments in YUMI TALKS THE TALK, including some great scenes with Yumi's cat. And the book's ending, while somewhat expected, still gives the reader a warm glow. Fans of the series will appreciate meeting a new main character, while being treated to cameos of the title characters from other books --- especially Nova Darling, Yumi's best friend.

   --- Reviewed by Paula Jolin

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