Summer YA

In every country, the majority of the world's population lives in States, which provide the
basic necessities for survival plus all the games and shows you could possibly want. Faith
doesn't live in a State, though her all-purpose tablet gives her access to limited shows, news,
schooling, and shopping. While it's usual for families to leave for the State, Faith will stay on
the outside, a mostly abandoned area that encompasses most of the former United States.
There are perks to this existence, from the solace of books in an abandoned elementary
school library to swinging with her best friend. But this school year, things are changing.
A talented young hacker named Hawk has latched onto Faith and is determined to be her
friend. Meanwhile, she's attracted the interest of Wade Quinn, a tall, handsome, unbelievably
athletic guy, and Dylan, who can't keep his eyes off her. On top of this, things keep moving
about Faith's bedroom at night-- entirely based on when she thinks, feels, and desires. Her
ability to control objects with her mind, or pulse, is unusual, and she has no idea where it
came from or what it means. But Faith isn't the only one on the outside with such a talent
and knowledge of her new found skill can only mean trouble.

Patrick Carman honestly portrays strong, realistic relationships that sit comfortably next to
heart-pounding action sequences. The tablets and States of Faith's world are recognizable
as a possibility of our own future and readers who enjoyed MT Anderson's Feed will be
intrigued by Carman’s vision of 2051. This summer, grab Pulse and stretch out on the beach-
- with thrilling action, budding romance, and true friendship, you won’t have any need of a
movie theater.

Lemony Snicket

 

Snicket's eccentric characters, gloomy settings, and twisted plots are back full-force in All the Wrong Questions: "Who Could That Be at This Hour?" The thirteen-year-old Lemony Snicket is already suspicious, worried, and over his head in secrets. Snicket is apprenticed to S. Theodora Markson (asking what the S stands for is a Wrong Question) who is taking him to Stain'd-by-the-Sea, an inconsequential speck on the map, and a thoroughly strange place with lots of its' own secrets. Markson and Snicket are there to do one thing: retrieve and return a statue of the (rather frightening) Bombinating Beast to its rightful owner. But nothing is as simple as it seems, especially when you can't trust anyone. Luckily, book titles can be exchanged for cab rides and there's still one reporter (underage though she may be) trying to dig up the truth. Lemony Snicket knows much more than he's telling and he weaves a complex mystery that ultimately brings up more questions than it answers.

These additional questions leave readers wanting a bit more. Snicket is an unreliable narrator who doesn't seem to trust anyone- including the reader. While our first person narrator is undoubtedly the same Snicket who narrated A Series of Unfortunate Events, he is far less kind to himself than to the Baudelaire orphans, making it more difficult to like him. While Snicket leaves may mysteries unsolved-and therefore has me waiting for the next installment- I wish a little more had been resolved.

Cookbook: Sweet & Easy Vegan

Chronicle Books has a great blog (check it out if you haven't). I loved their post on Sweet & Easy Vegan and tried two recipes from the book, both breakfast cookies.

The first recipe was for Maple-Peanut Breakfast Cookies. I substituted the flour with a gluten-free mix so that my boyfriend could try them. We're both peanut butter lovers, and loved them. Author Robin Asbell recommends storing the cookies in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Despite my doubts, the cookies were crispy straight from the fridge and I didn't even warm them up before eating. They made a quick and easy breakfast (for the 2 days they lasted!).

 The second recipe was for Coconut Mango Breakfast Cookies. Due to the almond butter, they have protein, add the oats and the mango, and you have a pretty balanced breakfast. These, too, were good straight from the fridge, though I like them better warm. As good as these are, they are more expensive to make (due to the coconut and dried mango). However, I do hope to make them again!

Robin uses sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and agave, so though the recipes are sweet, they're not too sweet and avoid granular sugar! There are a host of bookmarks marking recipes I'd like to try and after these two, I'm certain they'll be superb.

Strange and exuberant

 
 
In Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox: The Great Pancake Adventure, Matt Luckhurst uses a vibrant palette for his tall-tale inspired tale. Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox are very big and require lots of food- more than Paul's mother can cook! Together, they head out west, doing all sorts of jobs in exchange for food- specifically pancakes. Playful typography highlights important words and phrases while fun patterns bring movement to every page. With humor, bright colors, and lots and lots of pancakes, everything about this book is exuberant!

Kel Gilligan's Daredevil Stunt Show

by Michael Buckley, illustrated by Dan Santat
Young Kel Gilligan is out to show the world that he can overcome terrifying obstacles like trying new foods, using the potty, and -horror of horrors- taking a bath. Kel Gilligan is not afraid of anything! Except, maybe, that monster under the bed... Dan Santat's illustrations capture the astonishment of Kel's family while posing Kel in dynamic superhero poses. A laugh out loud book for anyone who's had to face the obstacles of childhood, Kel Gilligan will have the whole family gearing up for their own daredevil stunts- like waiting very patiently for your turn to read this book!

Baseball in Japan & the US: a picturebook comparison

 
 
Take Me Out to the Yakyu by Aaron Meshon
Simon & Schuster, February 19, 2013
Baseball is often called the great American pastime, but it's also popular in Japan. In Take Me Out to the Yakyu, Aaron Meshon looks at the similarities and differences between baseball games in the United States and Japan. The games are presented in parallel narratives, the child narrator introducing young readers to a handful of Japanese words as well as making a cultural comparison. Aaron Meshon's illustration style combines the the quirky gouache work of Giselle Potter with (the currently popular) 50s and 60s retro, plus a touch of Japanese cute. For those interested in more information, backmatter includes a glossary and additional facts. As someone who's not a baseball fan, I was amazed at how much I enjoyed this book. Young baseball enthusiasts will gobble it up.

Metafictive picturebook

Again! by Emily Gravett
Simon & Schuster, April 23, 2013
There's a hole burned in the back of this book, but you have to read to find out why. A little dragon wants his favorite book read again and again and again before bed. His parent, of course, falls asleep before the book has been read enough times. So little dragon, turning red with anger, lets loose...causing a little damage to his favorite book (and yours). Emily Gravett has created a dynamic picturebook in which the characters break from the page. Again! is sure to have young readers calling "read it again!"