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Relish: My Life in the Kitchen. by Lucy Knisley. April 2, 2013. Macmillan. 192 pages. ISBN: 9781596436237

Lucy Knisley's mother is a chef, so naturally, Lucy grew up around food - first in New York City, then in the more rural Hudson Valley. The result of Lucy's childhood is not just a great recipe collection, but also a collection of wonderful food-related memories that shape Lucy into her adult self. In this memoir, Lucy recalls the times she and her mother stood in the kitchen and ate cherry tomatoes right from the bowl. She reflects on the disagreements she and her parents have had over junk food,  and waxes poetic about a croissant she has never been able to replicate. Each chapter is topped off with a detailed recipe, explained in words and pictures with a touch of humorous commentary.

I initially chose to read this book because I wanted to get back into reading graphic novels, and the cover art caught my eye on NetGalley. I had no idea that the author had actually lived in Rhinebeck, NY, not far from Poughkeepsie, where I attended college and only an hour or so from where I actually grew up. Though I did not recognize the specific places Lucy had visited, I still enjoyed feeling that personal connection to the book, which is part of what motivated me to read it.

While I enjoyed the concept of this book, I didn't connect with the episodes from Lucy's life as well as I would have liked to. I am not a cook, nor am I a particularly adventurous eater, so the details of all the food didn't necessarily excite me, and I was disappointed that I couldn't connect with Lucy and the other "characters" of her stories through another avenue. I got some glimpses into Lucy's family life - such as the fact that her father misses her mother's cooking and still occasionally eats meals with her - and into her longest friendship, with the friend who moved to Japan and helped her explore Japanese food - but I wanted to feel more invested in her life, and that never quite happened.

On the other hand, the artwork is everything the cover promises. I enjoyed the detailed lines in each panel, and though I skimmed much of the text of the recipes, I loved the way she included a visual component for each ingredient and each step in the cooking process. I'm not sure these would be the most practical recipes to follow in the kitchen, but I thought including them as part of the story was a unique and effective approach.

Relish is most likely to appeal to readers who love food as Lucy does. Teens who aspire to be chefs or bakers will find a kindred spirit in Lucy, and all readers will be inspired to reflect on the ways food has shaped their identities. Most of the content in the book is appropriate for middle grade readers, but I think the tone is more YA, and at least one chapter includes content mature enough that parents might not want their nine-year-olds to read it just yet. Recommend this book to teens who loved Raina Telgemier's Smile, and also consider it as a read-alike for Ayun Halliday's Peanut and The Crepe Makers' Bond by Julie Crabtree.

I received a digital ARC of Relish: My Life in the Kitchen from Macmillan via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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How to Die of Embarrassment Every Day is a middle grade memoir by author Ann Hodgman that shares in a humorous way the many embarrassing situations she found herself in as she grew up. (The book only goes through sixth grade, because, writes Ann, "After that, my life became so embarrassing that writing it down would have caused the pages to burst into flames.") The book covers every imaginable childhood milestone, from the birth of younger siblings and attendance at birthday parties, to physical fitness testing in gym class and madcap summer adventures at home in the neighborhood. Ann shares her own embarrassing moments, as well as some experienced by her husband during his childhood, and she also occasionally relates anecdotes about her own children that supplement the telling of a given episode from her own life. The final two chapters of the book offer Ann's lists of "A Few Things Grown-Ups Say That Are (I'm Sorry) True" and  "A Few Things Grown-Ups Say That Aren't True" where she sums up what her experiences have taught her and provides advice to kids dealing with those situations today.

Hodgman's tone is both honest and tongue-in-cheek, and her writing so conversational that even though she is old enough to be the mother or even the grandmother of some kids in her target audience, the book reads as though she is their peer. Hodgman also demonstrates a real understanding of childhood injustices. It's clear that she remembers exactly what it's like to be a child, and how clueless the adults in charge can sometimes be. Accompanying photos of the people she writes about, as well as the toys, books, and outfits mentioned, add another layer of interesting context to the book. It's also great that Hodgman tells the reader upfront that this book doesn't have to be read all at once, or even in order. The book is divided up according to subject, so kids interested in sports, or in camp, or birthdays, or just in the advice in the final two chapters can easily find what interests them, or what relates to a current issue they might be having.

It's hard for me to do this book justice in a review because I loved it so much personally. I do wonder how it's going to go over with kids in my library once I return it and put it out on the shelf. It has a great cover, which looks similar to a lot of novels for this age group, which I think gives it a huge advantage, but a memoir about an author kids have never heard of might be a hard sell. But if they pick it up and read a few pages, I think kids will find themselves zipping through to the end. I'd also recommend the book to adults, especially those who are the author's age, or have parents around her age. It's continuously entertaining from beginning to end, and made me laugh out loud more than any book I have ever read, including Bossypants by Tina Fey, which was pretty darn hilarious.

Without a doubt, one of my favorite books of the year.

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