Relish: My Life in the Kitchen. by Lucy Knisley. April 2, 2013. Macmillan. 192 pages. ISBN: 9781596436237Lucy 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.
Luke on the Loose. by Harry Bliss. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages. ISBN: 9781935179009Luke on the Loose is a TOON Book - a story for new readers told in comic format by Harry Bliss. At the park, Luke gets tired of listening to his father’s boring adult conversation with a friend. Unable to take it any longer, he takes off after some pigeons, calling out “Yaaaaah!” as he goes. While his dad enlists the police to track him down, Luke knocks over a bicyclist, interrupts a marriage proposal, and finally climbs onto a roof to take a nap, creating a frenzy at every point on his journey.
Luke on the Loose is one of the best and funniest easy readers I have ever read. It captures not only the boredom of a child waiting for his parents to stop talking, but also the explosion of happiness associated with freedom from that boring situation. “Yaaah!” is the perfect sound for Luke to make - it tells us everything we need to know about his feelings, and it’s great fun to say out loud. All along the way, subtle comments from animals and people alike add to the humor of Luke’s wild run through the city. Pigeons call him “Coo Coo.” A cat peering out the window thinks to himself, “I’ll never let my kittens chase pigeons.” A mouse even suggests that Luke is just another city pest. These deadpan statements perfectly juxtapose the slapstick humor of the illustrations, making the laughs come that much faster.
Luke on the Loose reminds me a lot of
Nina in That Makes Me Mad. Both celebrate the individuality of children, and celebrate their independence and emotions. Just as kids relate to the things that make Nina mad, they will relate to the fun of Luke’s sprint through the city and they will be comforted by his safe return to his parents in the end as well. Recommend
Luke on the Loose to little ones with lots of energy, and laugh along with them!
I read the TOON Online Reader version of Luke on the Loose on the TOON Books website.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Peanut. by Ayun Halliday and Paul Hoppe. December 26, 2012. Schwartz & Wade. 216 pages. ISBN: 9780375965906Everyone at Sadie’s new school knows she’s allergic to peanuts. She wears a medical bracelet on her wrist, and a bronzed peanut from her boyfriend, Zoo, around her neck. She promises the nurse she will always have her epi-pen on hand, and she doesn’t buy the peanut butter cookies at the school bake sale. Everyone knows about her allergy. What they don’t know is that it isn’t real. In this forthcoming graphic novel, Sadie learns what happens when a girl desperate for attention weaves a web of lies so thick she can’t find her own way out.
The most outstanding feature of this book, hands down, is the artwork. The illustrator, Paul Hoppe, makes great use of shadow, expression, and perspective in telling the visual component of this story. Though the figures are obviously cartoons and not life-like portraits, they come across as very real, and their different body types and faces reflect the diversity of most large American high schools. I love the way his drawings show the action from different angles - the ceiling of Sadie’s bedroom or the school hallway, Sadie’s point of view as she reads a note from Zoo, or behind Sadie’s computer monitor as her eyes scan internet search results. These different perspectives make the story very dynamic, even when what is happening in the text doesn’t necessarily require a lot of physical movement. I also think it’s great that Sadie’s shirt is colored red while everything else is black, white, and gray. It made it so easy to keep track of her in every scene, and it also just makes the book more visually appealing.
The story itself is also strong at the start. The suspense builds gradually and naturally, and the reader becomes more and more aware of the stress on Sadie as she tries not to reveal the truth about her fake allergy. Unfortunately, I think the resolution comes about too quickly. It is obvious all along that the lie must come out eventually, but the way it happens is predictable and over too soon. The denouement also felt strange to me. Things between Sadie and her mom are resolved way too easily, and I can’t figure out how Zoo’s actions in the final moments of the book relate to his realization about Sadie’s lies. Pacing and plot issues aside, though, the dialogue and characterization are perfect and evoke the everyday details of the high school environment, complete with sexual innuendo and angst.
Peanut seems like a natural choice for readers who have loved Raina Telgemeier’s
Smile and
Drama, though it is a bit more mature than Telgemeier’s tales of middle school. I think it also compares well to books published by the DC Minx imprint such as
The New York Four, Good as Lily, and
Emiko Superstar. For other books about bending the truth, check out my
Pants on Fire reading list.
Peanut will be available on December 26, 2012.
I received a digital ARC of Peanut from Schwartz & Wade via Edelweiss.
For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.
Squish #3: The Power of the Parasite. by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. May 22, 2012. Random House. 96 pages. ISBN: 9780375843914 The Power of the Parasite is the third book in the Squish series by
Babymouse creators Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. In this episode, Squish, a pond-dwelling amoeba, is sent to summer swim camp because his mom thinks amoebas who live in ponds should know how to swim. While sitting on the sidelines, too scared to actually get in the pool, he meets a hydra named Basil. Squish and Basil share a love of Super Amoeba comic books, which Squish reads in every volume of the series so far, and they laugh themselves silly over the swim coach’s insistence that swimming is “super awesome fun!” Before long, though, Basil’s sense of humor reveals a cruel streak, and Squish finds himself wondering if their fun is going too far.
What I like about Jennifer and Matthew Holm’s work is that it finds the fun and humor in childhood experiences. Both Babymouse and Squish are successful series, I think, because of their unique, clever perspectives on school, adults, family, friendship, and in Squish’s case, science. As I’ve said in the past about the Little Wings chapter book series, there is something really appealing about realistic problems set in fantastical and unusual settings. There isn’t much new about the storyline in this book - lots of books have dealt with the idea of bullying or peer pressure in some way, but because the setting is a pond and the characters are hydras and amoebas, the entire story becomes fresh and interesting to its audience, even if that audience has read the basic plotline before.
I also think the way each organism is introduced to the reader is a nice way to incorporate some scientific knowledge into the book without losing the book’s entertainment value. I wasn’t even sure myself of the difference between an amoeba, a paramecium, and a hydra before getting into this series, and it was fun to be reminded by these quirky comics characters. The only thing I do need to admit is that this book isn’t as funny as even the least amusing Babymouse book. Babymouse’s sarcasm really resonates with me, as does her snarky banter with the narrator, but Squish is more earnest, and there is a bit more of a moral to his story. I also recently book talked Babymouse: Mad Scientist to a third grade class, and all of them had read Babymouse, but none had heard of Squish. Squish is cute, and his stories are fun and fast-paced, but they just don’t compare to the excellence of the Babymouse books.
Overall, I think
The Power of the Parasite will appeal to kids hooked on graphic novels. Boys who are turned off by the pinkness of Babymouse might find these a nice alternative. I think kids as young as 5 or 6 can appreciate Squish’s more innocent humor, whereas Babymouse’s audience might skew slightly older. Parents who are turned off by Captain Underpants and similar books can feel at ease with Squish, whose only disgusting traits are those given to him by nature. Recommend this book to budding scientists, comic book fanatics, and fans of Megan McDonald’s Stink series.
I received a digital ARC of The Power of the Parasite from Random House via NetGalley.
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Summertime Blues. by Julien Neel. Translated from French by Carol Klio Burrell. April 1, 2012. Lerner Publishing Group. 48 pages. ISBN: 9780761388692Summertime Blues, the second book in the Lou! series, picks up right where
Secret Diary left off. Abandoned by their respective love interests, Lou and her mother pack up and head to the country to stay with Memaw. Memaw is difficult, as always, but they make the best of their situation. While her mother reconnects with a high school classmate, Lou befriends a ukulele-strumming “boy in a skirt” named Paul.
While I don’t think
Summertime Blues is as strong as
Secret Diary, both books share a lot of positive qualities. The relationship between Lou and her mom continues to be one of the best I’ve read in tween fiction. Lou’s mom is a flawed human being through and through, which makes her not just endearing, but also true to life. She doesn’t have all the answers, but like Lorelei Gilmore on The Gilmore Girls - a TV series of which I was frequently reminded as I read this book - she would do anything for her daughter. I also liked the tension introduced by a whole summer at Memaw’s house. The conflicts between Lou’s mother and Memaw, and between Lou and her own mother provided lots of great opportunities for character development, and plenty of laughs as well.
I also enjoyed the character of Paul. He’s definitely a unique personality, and very different from the typical crushes introduced in other tween fiction. I love that he plays the ukulele, and that he and Lou bond over music. I also thought Lou’s progression toward getting over Tristan’s abrupt departure at the end of book one was well-executed. She doesn’t snap out of it too quickly, but also learns that wallowing alone in her grandmother’s house isn’t the most productive way to live.
This series is great for reluctant readers. The books are short and funny, and kids will undoubtedly see much of their own lives reflected in Lou’s trials and tribulations. This second book develops further many of the plot lines introduced in book one, and the reader gets to learn even more about the characters’ histories and personalities. I’m already excited for Book 3,
Down in the Dumps, which is set to be published this October.
Summertime Blues was published on April 1, 2012. Read my review of the first Lou! book,
Secret Diary,
here.
I received a digital ARC of Summertimes Blues from Lerner Publishing Group via NetGalley.
Lou! #1: Secret Diary. by Julien Neel. Translated from French by Carol Klio Burrell. April 1, 2012. Lerner Publishing Group. 48 pages. ISBN: 9780761387763In her secret diary, written in full-color graphic novel style, Lou records her feelings for her cute neighbor, Tristan, her mother's obsession with video games, and her life-long friendship with level-headed serious-minded Mina. Though each page of the book focuses on a particular moment in time, almost like a comic strip, many of the panels address common threads that run through the entire book. These threads include the absence of Lou's father, Lou's adoption of a smelly cat, and the relationship between Lou, her laidback mom, and her strict grandmother. The book was originally published in French in 2004, but will be available in English in the U.S. beginning in April 2012.
It would be impossible for me to review this book without comparing it to the Amelia Rules series because there are so many similarities. Both Lou and Amelia are spunky, blonde tween girls facing new challenges and emotions as adolescence begins. Both also deal with absent fathers and with unexpected crushes. Both are, overall, well-developed lovable characters at the center of unique and interesting universes. I have to admit, though, that I think I like Lou better.
There are so many things I loved about
Secret Diary. I think the way Julien Neel draws Lou's mother with her hair always in her eyes is a stroke of genius. Her looks could not suit her personality any better. The relationship between Lou and her mom is also one of the strongest mother/daughter relationships I've read in tween fiction of any kind. They truly like each other, even when they drive each other crazy, and their friendship as well as their parent/child encounters ring very true to real life. The book is also just hilarious at certain points. I don't often laugh out loud when I'm reading, but this book gave me the giggles many times throughout, and usually with thoughtful and clever punchlines, not easy or immature jokes. I also really enjoyed the way Lou's romantic encounter with Tristan and her mom's romantic encounter with the new cute guy next door parallel each other and give them yet another enjoyable bonding experience.
Graphic novels can be hit or miss for me, but this one is a definite hit not to be missed.
Secret Diary is reminiscent of Peanuts, For Better or For Worse, Amelia Rules,
Smile, Popularity Papers, and Dear Dumb Diary, but with a sense of humor and style of storytelling that set it apart as its own creation. I highly recommend it to girls in grades 5 to 8 who are into graphic novels and love to laugh. They'll reach the cliffhanger ending of
Secret Diary begging for more and eager to get their hands on book two,
Summertime Blues, also available this April.
The French Disney channel airs a cartoon based on the Lou books, the trailer for which is below:
Clips of the show are on YouTube as well, and they are quite entertaining, even for someone like me who doesn't speak French. Also worth checking out are
Julien Neel's blog (again, written in French) and my
review of Nola's Worlds: Changing Moon, another French graphic novel import translated by Carol Klio Burrell.
I received a
Until very recently, I knew surprisingly little about Babymouse. All of that changed just before Christmas when I was able to get my hands on the first few books in the series. Here is what I learned:
First of all, Babymouse is not a baby. I honestly wish I'd paid more attention and picked up on that fact sooner, because it would have made me much more interested in reading this series. As it turns out, Babymouse is in middle school and has a bit of a middle school attitude. She dislikes school, has an active imagination, and frequently spouts the pessimistic phrase, "Typical," when something doesn't go her way. She reminds me of AJ from the Weird School books and even a little bit of Junie B. Jones. I understand now why she's so popular.
The illustrations in the Babymouse books are somewhat similar to those in the Fashion Kitty series in that they are entirely pink and black. From what I can gather, though, the pinkness of the books doesn't turn off boy readers. In fact, I think Babymouse's attitude and the graphic format of the books draws in boy readers, especially reluctant ones.
The narrator is a character in each book. As in Disney's Winnie-the-Pooh, the narrator tells the story and also interacts with Babymouse, arguing with her and sometimes poking fun at her in a somewhat ironic tone. Because of this relationship with the narrator, I kept thinking of Babymouse as a grown-up version of the mouse in the
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big, Hungry Bear. The tone is very similar.
Whereas the Fashion Kitty books are more about girl power, Babymouse is more about relating universal middle school experiences in a funny way. In that sense, the series compares well to Amelia Rules, where the characters also use their imaginations to combat life's difficulties. Funny visual gags really add to the universal appeal and make the mundane seem interesting and adventurous.
There are currently fifteen titles in the Babymouse series, covering everything from camping, to dragonslaying, to mad science, to Christmas. Babymouse is also online at
randomhouse.com/kids/ babymouse.
I borrowed the Babymouse books I read for this post from my local public library.Find the entire series on Goodreads and Worldcat.
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