Voyage de Gourmet

by Paul Tobin, Jem Milton (Illustrator)

Overview

Teenagers compete in a reality TV cooking show that puts their friendship to the test.

Layne Green is a social media sensation of a cook. He's selected to compete on a reality TV show called Voyage de Gourmet - a globe-trotting foodie adventure. However, his partner is his former best friend, Jiang-Mi Pipper, someone that he really wronged with some of his posts. Can the two find forgiveness, flavor, and themselves on this journey?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781545800669
Publisher:	Mad Cave Studios
Publication date:	12/12/2023
Pages:	248
Sales rank:	488,761
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	13 - 17 Years

About the Author

Paul Tobin was once the youngest baby in the world. Having long since lost that title, he is now a writer in Portland, Oregon, working in comics like his critically acclaimed Witcher comics and the NYT best-selling Plants vs. Zombies graphic novels, a must-have for all school libraries. Other projects include the Eisner-nominated Colder horror series, his Bunny Mask horror series, the Hulu-optioned A Calculated Man series, his upcoming “Versus” novels, and his fave project, the multiple Eisner-award-winning Bandette, which he works on with his wife, illustrator Colleen Coover.

Jem Milton is a non-binary artist based in Glasgow. Originally from Gloucestershire, they attended Central St Martins in London before training with Scriberia Ltd, where they worked until 2017, before moving to Scotland to pursue a career as a freelance illustrator. Jem makes illustrations, comics and infographics, along with graphic recording and running workshops on creative thinking and visual storytelling. They also make an ongoing webcomic called “The Flying Ship,” a queer fantasy adventure story inspired by Russian and Slavic folklore."

Editorial Reviews

12/01/2023

Gr 7 Up—The Amazing Race meets Top Chef in this graphic novel about friendship set within a reality show cooking competition that isn't afraid to throw its protagonists into the fire. Told primarily in the present time line of the show, this full-color graphic novel begins with a series of flashbacks to young Layne and Jang-Mi who were driven apart by Layne's choices on social media. Now they're both internet famous, partnered on the show, and put to the test in more ways than one. Through underwater pizza cooking, drone-delivery of burgers, blind-folded sandwich-making, and more, readers come to know not only the protagonists but also the diverse and wild cast of characters around them. As the adventures unfold, Jang-Mi must decide whether she can forgive Layne for what he did and find a way to be partners again, and even friends. VERDICT Full of hilarious challenges, action-packed arguments, and a relatable (if not exaggerated) friendship debacle, this graphic novel is perfect for fans of Batter Royale and Chef's Kiss.—Aryssa Damron

School Library Journal

An endearing tale of food and camaraderie, served in an animated fashion.— "Kirkus Reviews"

From the Publisher

2023-10-18
Estranged friends paired up in a cooking competition get the chance to repair their relationship in Tobin’s YA graphic novel.

Layne Green and Jang-Mi Pipper discovered their love of cooking together as children. Now teenagers, they’ve each become social media stars with loads of followers. They’re also no longer friends; Layne pulled a thoughtless stunt that severed their relationship. As luck would have it, the two wind up as a team on Voyage de Gourmet, a culinary show in which competitors vie for fame and a cash prize. Layne and Jang-Mi will face off against six other teams in challenges taking place around the world. The tasks are grueling, including scouring a Sumatran jungle for ingredients and cooking while blindfolded; if the former friends want a shot at winning, they’ll have to rely on one another. Maybe Jang-Mi can learn to trust Layne again, if he can only find the right way to say he’s sorry to the girl he betrayed. Tobin’s exuberant story takes readers on a global trek. The contestants, who compete in such beautiful settings as Brussels and Huangshan City, hail from a variety of locales, from Japan to Australia. It’s fun to follow the characters as they bond with others on opposing teams, although the easy-to-hate team that gets along with no one is equally entertaining (“Flip’s dad is the CEO of the Red Range Cigarette Company; Flop’s family made their fortune in plastic packaging”). The highlight of the story is the drama between Layne and Jang-Mi, who, with effort from both, may get back what they’ve lost. Humor is abundant, especially in the form of Frog, Jang-Mi’s adorable, ever-barking dog (who often lends a helping paw), and in the portrayal of the loud, gleefully overdramatic Voyage host, Bombo Arjuna. Milton’s anime-style illustrations match the narrative’s energy with colorful, exaggerated facial cues and bouts of action.

An endearing tale of food and camaraderie, served in an animated fashion.

Kirkus Reviews