How to use this Page

It’s an exciting day in the office—we just got news of Yummy‘s third starred review! The major review journals give stars to books they consider truly exceptional, above and beyond typical standard for books—and multiple stars show a consensus on the greatness of the book. Three is pretty special!

Here are samples from the stars:

Kirkus Reviews: “A haunting, ripped-from-the-headlines account of youth gang violence in Chicago provides the backdrop for a crucial mediation on right and wrong.”

Booklist: “possesses a realism that grounds the nightmare in uncompromising reality and an emotional expressiveness that strikes right to the heart.”

And the newest, from School Library Journal: “Framing the story through the eyes and voice of a fictional character, 11-year-old Roger, offers a bittersweet sense of authenticity while upholding an objective point of view. . . . Realistic black-and-white art further intensifies the story’s emotion. A significant portion of the panels feature close-up faces. This perspective offers readers an immediacy as well as emotional connection to this tragic story.”

Congratulations to author G. Neri and illustrator Randy DuBurke! We are very proud.

Well, this is exciting! Oprah’s Book Club just released its 2010 Kids’ Reading List, full of books recommended by the American Library Association—and our very own Tofu Quilt makes an appearance!

It’s one of seven books recommended for kids ages 10 to 12, and it’s in really great company. Tofu Quilt isn’t the only book featuring people of color, either; Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (who also illustrated our Where on Earth is My Bagel) is based on Chinese folklore, and One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia is about three African American sisters in 1968 Black Panther San Francisco.

Thanks, Oprah and ALA!

It’s that time of the year again. It is finally starting to get cold (if you are worried about the global warming maybe you should become carbon-neutral) and the New Oxford American Dictionary is preparing for the holidays by making its biggest announcement of the year. The 2007 Word of the Year is (drum-roll please) locavore.

The past year saw the popularization of a trend in using locally grown ingredients, taking advantage of seasonally available foodstuffs that can be bought and prepared without the need for extra preservatives.

The “locavore” movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Locavores also shun supermarket offerings as an environmentally friendly measure, since shipping food over long distances often requires more fuel for transportation. (more…)

Share This