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By Abby Gross

I read science and social science manuscripts for work, so in my off time I like to read other genres, from fiction and fantasy to cookbooks. Here were some of my favorite reads of the year.

I hadn’t read a young adult novel in years, and the jacket description of this book was enough to send me running in the opposite direction. But ignore the copy about the teenager struggling with cancer and her friend whom she meets in a support group. John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars is a magnificent and hilarious book about two young people who game the make-a-wish foundation to pursue a meeting with their favorite author, only to find out he is a crazy drunk.

After finishing the works of MFK Fisher, the godmother of writing about cooking, I was despondent — until I found Tamar Adler, whose new book, An Everlasting Meal, channels Fisher’s practical, no-nonsense style and wisdom. If you are like me, and you prefer to cook freestyle, without intricate recipes, this book will surprise you with ideas for using up the last bits of whatever you have on hand. More importantly, it teaches the reader — Adler is a natural instructor — about how to weave cooking into life without assuming that you have tons of cash or free time.

I wish I could go back in time to my 18-year-old self, bored in Biology 101, and hand over a copy of Homo Mysterious: Evolutionary Puzzles of Human Nature, by David Barash. (Disclosure: I helped OUP publish this book.) Barash addresses brow-furrowing questions like “why do humans create religion?” and “why do women menstruate?” He swiftly reasons through the possible arguments (with jokes, which helps non-scientists through the science) eventually leaving the questions unanswered, but the reader equipped to think more intelligently about why we are what we are and why we do what we do.

Abby Gross is a Medical editor at Oxford University Press.

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The post Abby Gross’s top books of 2012 appeared first on OUPblog.

 Tad and Taylor don’t know each other.

Yet.

But in The Hop (Hyperion, 2012), a new middle-grade novel by Sharelle Byars Moranville, they’re both concerned about the same pond.

To Tad, a toad, it’s his home. To Taylor, a human girl, it’s a spot near her grandmother’s house that has provided some of her favorite memories.

Why are Tad and Taylor worried? Because the land is slated to be turned into a strip mall, which mean a backhoe will be coming to destroy everything.

Soon.

Tad has one ray of hope. Legend holds that one brave young toad can help—but at a terrible price. Only if a toad kisses a human girl will Toadville be saved. Tad wants to rise to the challenge. So, with his best friend, Buuurk, he ventures off.

Taylor is trying to help as well. And when she meets Tad, their combined efforts just might be enough to save the day.

——————–

Reviewer: Abby

Age: 11

I like: Chocolate, Taylor Swift, books and dolphins.

This book was about: A frog named Tad whose home will only be saved if he kisses the Queen of the Hop.

The best part was when: Tad announced to the rest of Toadville-by-Tumbledown that he had kissed the Queen of the Hop, and that they were saved.

I laughed when: Tad became a human and helped Taylor look for the toad – who was Tad!

I was worried when: Tad lost Buuurk, and was scared.

I was surprised that: Tad turned into a human!

This book taught me: That no matter what happens, always keep working toward your goal.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: How Taylor absolutely loves her grandmother and also loves the pond.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Funny.” “Heartwarming.” “Happy.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “Rumbler still has his big stinky feet right by us,” somebody said. “So how do you know we’re saved?” “Because I kissed the Queen of the Hop,” Tad said. And he could only hope that she would keep her promise.”

You should read this book because: It is a book of friendship and determination. It shows that you can do anything when you put your mind to it.

——————–

Thanks, Abby!

Sharelle Byars Moranville has written several other books, including Over the River – a Booklist Top Ten First Juvenile Novel, a Booklist Top Ten Historical Juvenile Novel, and a finalist for the 2005-2006 Iowa Children’s Choice Award. She’s also written A Higher Geometry – a Bank Street College of Education Best Book and a Booklist Top 10 Youth Romance.

If you’d like to learn more about Sharelle, you can visit her website. Or read this interview.

In many houses, going to bed is anything but a fun experience.

There are objections, arguments, tears and fears.

 Jammy Dance (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2012) by Rebecca Janni and Tracy Dockray puts a happy spin on the bedtime ritual. The book features a brother and sister who, with a little help from Mom and Dad, dance their way into bed.

Today’s reviewer, Abby, has a brother, so she just might try her own jammy dance one night. (Although, as you’ll see below, the part of the book that really made an impression on her was the illustration of the dog drinking out of the toilet!)

Take it away, Abby!

—————–

Our reviewer: Abby

Age: 4.5

Things I like to do: Read books. Play with Mommy. Have play dates with Sienna.

This book was about: The jammy dance to help the brother and sister get ready for bed.

The best part was when: They jammy danced.

I smiled when: The dog was crushing the dolls.

I was surprised when: The dog was licking the potty water.

This book taught me: How to get ready for bed in a happy way.

Three words that best describe this book: “Dirty.” (The kids’ room was messy!) “Fun.” “Nice.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “I love you.” (Editor’s note: This phrase isn’t actually in the book, but that’s what Abby remembers. And love is certainly an underlying theme of the book.)

My favorite picture in this book is: The dog drinking the potty water.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The dog licking the potty water and the messy room.

You should read this book because: It’s fun!

—————–

Thank you, Abby!

If you’d like to learn more about author Rebecca Janni (who has had two other books reviewed on this blog by two different kids — Sonia and Brooke) you can visit her website.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Tracy Dockray, you can visit this site.

Lucy Wu thinks she has her school year planned out perfectly.

She’ll play basketball, her favorite sport, and lead her team to victory. And, she’ll finally get her own room now that her annoyingly perfect older sister is heading off to college.

But nothing goes as planned.

First, her great-aunt arrives from China for a visit. Yi-Po doesn’t speak much English and Lucy doesn’t speak much Chinese. Even worse, Yi-Po looks different than anyone in Lucy’s friends’ families. And, she ends up sharing Lucy’s room.

Next, Lucy’s parents say she can’t play basketball because practice times conflict with her Chinese language lessons. Even when the practice time changes, they aren’t thrilled that she’s playing a sport instead of studying.

And if that weren’t bad enough, a mean girl at school decides to take on Lucy for team captain.

Debut author Wendy Wan-Long Shang tells Lucy’s story in The Great Wall of Lucy Wu (Scholastic Press, 2011).

Does Lucy find a way to salvage her sixth-grade year? Let’s ask today’s reviewer.

Today’s reviewer: Abby

Age: 10

I like: Reading, chocolate, baseball, bowling, sheep and dogs.

This book was about: A girl named Lucy who thinks she is going to have the perfect year, but then, she finds out that her grandmother’s sister, Yi Po, who she never knew existed is going to live with them for a while, and Lucy has to share her own room with Yi Po and is angry at first.

The best part was when: They were playing basketball with eleven seconds left in the game and Talent Chang got the ball and made the winning shot.

I laughed when: It said Kenny had been eating the dumplings for the party as a nightly snack.

I was worried when: Paul passed the ball to Talent in the basketball game and Talent had never played basketball before.

I was surprised that: Yi Po got Lucy a brand new basketball net and backboard for her birthday.

This book taught me: That you can get to know someone new and then be really close to them as if you had been friends forever.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: All the different ways Lucy reacts to Yi Po throughout the book.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Realistic.” “Funny.” “Interesting.”

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “I thought I was going to have the perfect year …”

You should read this book because: It’s very realistic, and it teaches you a lot about family and friends. It is also a very fun book.

Thanks, Abby!

If you’d like to learn more about Wendy Wan-Long Shang, you can visit her website. Or, you can read this interview on Madelyn Rosenberg’s blog, The Furnace.

You can read other reviews of this book on these blogs:

The Happy Nappy Bookseller.

Reading in Color.

Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup.