Actual rating 4.5 stars.

Phil Stamper writes both YA and MG, and I’m a fan of his YA books, especially Golden Boys, but I think he has a special gift for writing stories about thirteen-year-old boys.

Eli Over Easy is a story about grief. Eli’s mom died a few months ago, and now he’s home alone daily in a tiny apartment in Manhattan while his dad is working. When he finds videos from his diseased mom, he starts cooking together with his neighbor Mathias (Mat).

Grief is so different for all of us. Some people, like Eli’s dad, try to hide their sadness and continue with life. Some people like Mat get sad and feel down, even though they’re hiding it behind a huge smile. And people like Eli try to hold on to those beautiful moments they once had.

I gobbled up this story frantically, and warmth slid through my body as the bond between Eli and Mat deepened. I loved that the boys shared each other’s pain and helped the other making life easier. Just like Small Town Pride, the writing is on the spot, and Eli and Mat are two characters to root for.

The only thing I didn’t like was the constant use of masks because of COVID. It’s a difference between the US and Europe, I guess, because here (The Netherlands), we don’t even test anymore, let alone wear masks.

Phil Stamper’s second middle grade novel releases October 3, 2023.

Summary: MC moves to NYC with his dad after his mom passed from Covid. He works through his grief by teaching himself to cook using his mom’s cooking videos.

Positives
-Friendship and acceptance from Mathias the neighbor/love interest
-Several scenes with dad where they argue and then later repair and rectify the parent/child relationship in an emotionally secure way
-Discussions of healthy versus unhealthy ways of grieving
-Covid precautions existing throughout the book

Critiques
-The coding class was the weaker part of the plot and seemed liked filler just to give our MC something to do during the day besides cook
-Would have liked more scenes with the neighbor/love interest and more page time given to Mathias’ backstory and circumstances

It’s impressive to see how Stamper’s writing style and character work were effectively adapted for a middle grade audience versus his typical YA audience.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. Going through grief is different for everyone and we all process it differently as well. Eli learns that by watching his mom on her private cooking channel. What he does realize is that his life would change for the better when he starts trying to cook and talk to the cute neighbor next door.

Phil Stamper you have my heart you genius beautiful writer. I truly would give anything to really sit down and pick your mind because the way young kiddos are going to have such an amazing book to read and relate too just idk. I highly recommend this one.

Phil Stamper is a mastermind. This middle grade book is something that I wish I had when I was going through grief and trying to accept my sexuality as a young adult. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartwarming story that showcases the importance of family and relationships.

Eli is finally enrolled in the coding camp of his dreams, and he's looking forward to the distraction! Because life after losing Mom to covid is hard, and things between he and his dad are strained. Eli's sick of microwave burritos and Dad refusing to be part of the city they live in. He misses his mom's cooking and the feeling of home it helped to create. When he finds You Tube videos his mom recorded on her old laptop, Eli decides that if he can't bring back his mom, maybe he can recreate her recipes. Maybe he can learn from his mom even now, and bring his dad back to him. With the help of the cute boy next door, Mat, and Mat's grandmother, as well as his streamer cousin Riley, Eli goes through each video and has his mom teach him how to cook. Somehow, he's going to get his family back, and make a new future with the people he loves.

I absolutely adored this book! Eli is such a relatable character, and I was rooting for him the entire time. The whole cast of characters were so well fleshed out, and I loved watching Eli's world and community grow. Highly recommend!

Phil Stamper is a great author and does a great job of looking at grief and loss and how it affects our characters. I liked Eli and I liked watching him get more into cooking as he watches the videos of his mom.
A good middle grade read.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

What a fabulous book!!
Eli Over Easy is a terrific addition to realistic middle grade fiction, and I can't wait to share this story with my readers! Phil Stamper does a wonderful job handling loss and grief and love all in one relatable novel. Short chapters and extremely likable characters will make readers happy they chose this book. I love that Stamper presented difficult and sometimes challenging topics with grace and ease. This is a must add to middle school library collections!
Now I'll be diving into Stamper's other book offerings.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for this advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was really cute and really sweet. This book definitely deals with some heavy subjects but it's done so gently and with so much love that this book just feels like a warm hug on a gloomy day. My only "complaint" is Sta2mper didn't make enough egg puns!

Absolutely love this middle grade novel about dealing with grief, accepting your sexuality, and finding a place to call home.

Phil Stamper is such a good middle-grade author! I loved his first book, and this one is just as good!

Eli was such a fabulous character, and they honest and vulnerable way he dealt with his grief was beautfiul to watch. I hate cooking, but still enjoyed Eli's food journey, and appreciated the recipes scattered throughout this book. I especially love that Eli was struggling to know what his passion was in life, and that he found things he enjoyed, but still wasn't sure about his overall path.

Such a great book!

A huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.

Ah this book was simply amazing.
But just be forewarned that there are triggers of a parents death.
Thirteen year old Eli lost his mom 3 months ago, after they moved to New York City for her new job. Now, without his mom, he has to relearn how to move forward in his new life. Between his summer coding class, his moms cooking videos on YouTube, and a new friend, Mat, perhaps things were looking up for him.
My review.
I enjoyed the story a lot. It was a sweet, joyful, poignant and inspiring story. I liked Eli from the beginning. I felt that his joy of coding and cooking was amazing. Mat was also a great friend and a source of comfort for Eli. I didn’t care for Eli’s father at first but realized he was dealing with his own pain and grief. I enjoyed the numerous yummy recipes especially the cookies. Overall, I didn’t want this book to end. It had heart, love, loss, compassion and friendships. If you enjoyed his previous books as much as I did, you will enjoy this one as well.

Eli has had a rough time adjusting to life in Manhattan. His family moved there just 6 months ago for his mom to take a test kitchen job, but after she died of COVID a few months later, their tiny apartment seems all too empty and confining with just Eli and his dad there. Now that summer has arrived, Eli spends his days working on assignments for his online coding boot camp, but he's really tired of staying inside (per his overprotective dad's orders) and eating microwaved burritos. He misses his mom's cooking, and when he stumbles across her private YouTube channel and handful of cooking videos, he decides to try learning to cook. And with a little help from his next-door neighbor Mrs. Martinez, her grandson Mat, and the veggie seller and bodega owners in his neighborhood, he finds a way to enjoy better meals as well as connect with his mother -- and his new city.

I really enjoyed this twist on how social media can bring people together -- as well as how our food memories and histories have the power to heal the wounds in our hearts. Eli is so lonely at the start of the book, yet at age 13 he feels ready to expand his horizons a little bit, if only his grieving father (who deals with anxiety himself) could loosen his grip a little. While the focus of the book is on Eli's growth, I really appreciated how the father-son relationship found some healing, too. And though New York is often depicted as such a big and bustling place, this book really shows the small community feeling found in the city's neighborhoods -- and how those small communities support us in ways we may not immediately recognize.

Heartwarming in all the best ways. 4 stars.

Thank you, HarperCollins and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.

Eli Over Easy by Phil Stamper is an astounding and emotionally gripping novel that explores themes of grief, love, and loss through the eyes of a young gay protagonist. Eli, the main character, is struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of his mother while also navigating the challenges of moving to New York City and adjusting to a new life without her.

The LGBT+ elements in this novel are both subtle and powerful. Eli's sexuality is never the central focus of the story, but it is an important aspect of his character that is handled with sensitivity and nuance. As he grapples with his grief and searches for a way to honor his mother's memory, he also begins to develop feelings for his new neighbor, Matias. Their relationship is portrayed with tenderness and authenticity, and it is a joy to watch Eli find comfort and support in someone else.

What makes Eli Over Easy truly exceptional is the way it captures the messy, complicated nature of grief. Stamper doesn't shy away from the raw emotions that come with losing a loved one, and he portrays Eli's journey with both honesty and compassion. The use of his mother's cooking videos as a way to connect with her is a poignant and beautiful touch, and it adds an extra layer of depth to the story.

Overall, Eli Over Easy is a fantastic read that will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired. Stamper has crafted a moving and heartfelt novel that is sure to resonate with readers of all ages, especially those in the LGBT+ community who are searching for stories that reflect their own experiences. Highly recommended.

I will never not recommend Stamper’s middlegrade books to my students. This sophomore novel is no exception. It follows Eli after the unexpected death of his mother. With his dream of finally being able to attend coding camp achieved, a new passion develops; and it’s one that is bringing him closer to his mom. But how can he combine cooking and coding? And what about the cute boy living across the hall??? These are questions that run through Eli’s mind all summer long.

I highly recommend this beautiful story about love, loss, and the things we do to feel close to those who have left us.

Absolutely loved this book about Eli and his family moving from Minnesota to New York City. When Eli’s mom dies, Eli feels very alone while dad leaves for work. Eli is able to take a computer coding class and meets a downstairs boy, Mat, who’s staying with his grandma. Eli discovers private cooking videos his mom made, and Eli decides to make each dish to feel connected to his mom and maybe help his dad heal. Eli finds he likes Mat, and one day Mat tells him he’s gay Eli says he thinks he is too but hasn’t told anyone. Eli is loving NYC and being around Mat when his dad tells Eli he got a remote job, and they can move back to Minnesota if Eli wants to. Do they move?