GABBY TORRES IS THE BEST WINNER EVER

Fourth grader Gabby Torres sets her sights on getting crowned the best at something—anything.

Having learned valuable lessons about honest communication in the series’ first installment, Gabby’s matured (“Wise beyond my years, they say”), and she’s eager for more personal growth. When her best friends, Kat and Priya, are recognized for their athletic and writing talents, respectively, Gabby becomes determined to prove herself by winning something. She tries out other people’s interests before deciding to stick with her own favorite hobby, baking. The grocery store is hosting a baking contest, and taking home the $1,000 prize could help her student environmental club, the Sea Musketeers, raise funds to save river otter habitats. But obstacles arise early on, from finding the perfect recipe to budgeting. Once more Gabby emerges as an authentically flawed protagonist; she demonstrates a realistic lack of self-awareness as she often puts herself first despite unwavering support from friends and family. Supporting characters, although important to plot progression, feel ancillary compared with the first book. A mix of prose and comics, this sequel makes use of ample white space and bright colors, keeping the story fresh and upbeat despite Gabby’s setbacks. Gabby and her father are Mexican American; her mother and Kat present white, and the previous book established that Priya is of Indian heritage.

A sweetly relatable tale of a youngster doing her best as she continues to find her footing.