Moloka'i.

Moloka'i, by Alan Brennert

Moloka'i is the life story of a young Hawaiian girl named Rachel Kalama, who contracts leprosy, (later known as Hansen's disease,) at the age of 8. It is a rich tale, at times both grotesque and beautiful. Much of the story takes place on Kalaupapa, the leprosy settlement on the island of Moloka'i. Those who are afflicted with leprosy are quarantined there, with no medical aid beyond what the priests and nuns who volunteer there can provide.

This story is based on true events, with some of the characters being based on real people. Some true accounts are woven in, painting a vivid picture of what life was like for those suffering from leprosy at the beginning of the 20th century. Mr. Brennert pulls no punches when discussing the hardships faced, including what leprosy can do to each and every part of the body. For this reason, I can't recommend this book for any but adults, as some content is simply very mature. However, it is so well written that I can't help but recommend to any adult who finds the premise intriguing. I gained a new perspective on the actual historical events woven in throughout the story that I knew of, and learned of many more. Wonderful read.

Cook School.

Cook School, by Amanda Grant

Jonathan loves to help in the kitchen. At three, there are a few things he's learning to do, such as how to use measuring cups, how to stir without spilling, and how to mash things. Sometimes though, I'm at a loss as to how he can help. This book is wonderful for not only teaching him techniques, but also for giving me guidance on what's age appropriate to teach.

Cook school is sorted into three stages. Stage 1 is for ages 3 to 5, Stage 2 is for ages 5 to 7, and Stage 3 is for ages 7 to 11. (I love that this will be useful for years to come!) Each recipe lists the skills that it teaches, tools needed, and, of course, ingredients and directions. This book is clearly made for children to work with – the font is clear and easy to read, the instructions are simple and short, and VERY few instructions in any of the recipes call for adult intervention. (Of course adults should always supervise, especially with younger kids.)

Jonathan's favorite recipe so far is the berry crunch, mainly because he gets to mash strawberries with a potato masher. :) He's also looking forward to making fizzy strawberry crush, a strawberry orange fizzy drink, for the same reason. Overall, I can't wait to delve deeper into this book with him and see what he creates!

Tender - A cook and his vegetable patch.

Tender - A cook and his vegetable patch, by Nigel Slater

This book is pure romance. Surprised? I was too. Mr. Slater writes of his garden as many would the love of their life. There is a charm in the way he waxes poetic about asparagus, cheerfully grumbles about the friendly foxes that invade his garden, and with surprising frankness names those vegetables he could do without the existence of. Transformed from a young boy who would eat no vegetables other than peas and, if forced, finely chopped carrots, to a man who revels in the hearty flavor of the rutabaga, Mr. Slater shares recipes, tips and tricks to bring out the best in all those that he loves, (and even some of those vegetables he still doesn't.)

Tender has me itching for the day I have ground of my own to cultivate, and hurrying to the store to experiment with those vegetables that I have long thought I hated. (Beets being at the top of that list...) I can't wait to wade through the beautifully laid out recipes provided hear and I mildly lament that this is a library book, and not one I can turn back to infinitely for inspiration.

The printed book is rather larger than I was expecting when I went in search of it. I was expecting a small paperback, perhaps an inch thick, and what I found was a hefty hardcover nearly three inches thick. Not that I'm complaining...this book has a joy to it that very few cookbooks choose to delve into. Humor, too, though that seems to be more pervasive in the cookbook world. All in all, I would heartily recommend that you get this book, especially if you have a love for gardening, as it is equally a gardening manuel as a cookbook. The price tag is higher than I would usually be willing to spend on a cookbook, at $40.00, but in this case it would be worth it. 

The Books of Pellinor Series.

 The Books of Pellinor are an epic tale of a girl named Maerad (pronounced MY-rad) who discovers that she is expected to save the world she's only recently come to know as her own. It takes place over the course of a year and a halfs time, during which she goes from being an orphaned slave to a free woman who makes family and friends out of those she meets along her way. She also discovers more enemies than she's known could exist.

Maerad is rescued from slavery by Cadvan, a man who she later learns is a well-known bard. In this world, bards have abilities that are intended for use in service to those they live amongst - abilities to heal, promote growth of crops and herds, and create works of art and song, not the least of these abilities. Most still continue in this service, but some have chosen to turn away from that, seeking instead power over all. The leader of these, most often known as The Nameless One, seeks to destroy and rule all in his path. Maerad and Cadvan soon discover that Maerad has been foretold as the one who is to defeat The Nameless One. As she struggles with this destiny, she overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds and grows into a discerning young woman.

These books are intended for a teen/young adult audience, but the level of writing makes them appealing for adults as well. The story is well crafted, engaging and unpredictable. The tale is reminiscent of the Wheel of Time series, though, in my humble opinion, of a better length. Each book is hefty, but with only four, there is an end in sight. :) Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fantasy tale. With the exception of rather dark foes and desperate situations at times that dissuades this from being for a young (preteen or younger) audience, there is little within these stories that could cause offense. I highly recommend that you lose yourself in this series as soon as possible.

The Naming, by Allison Croggan

The Riddle, by Allison Croggan

The Crow, by Allison Croggan

The Singing, by Allison Croggan

The Art of Eating In.

 

The Art of Eating in: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove, by Cathy Erway

This is the tale of how the heroine, Cathy Erway, gave up eating out in New York for two years. She goes through all the different varieties of not eating out, from simply cooking at home, to supper clubs, to foraging and dumpster diving. Along the way she shares other details of her life: romance and heartache, new jobs and boredom, failures and discoveries. It's inspiring and demonstrates that anyone, anyone, can cook at home if they only have the desire and tenacity to do so.

There are recipes included throughout, most that are more adventurous than I would normally make, and some that are extremely appealing to try right away. There are asian influences in many of the dishes, which makes sense as Cathy is half Chinese, and comes from a family in which experience and community are shared over delicious food of many varieties.

As I generally try to cook at home, the concepts in this book weren't earth-shattering to me, but rather commiseratingly wonderful. I enjoyed following along with her cooking adventures, and was intrigued by the foraging chapter especially. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone with even a mild interest in either learning to cook or eating in more often. Great read.