Relish: My Life in the Kitchen

I think this may be the first graphic novel I've written about here. I'm not a graphic novel fanatic. I like what I like. And I find with graphic novels - that sometimes I like the art and hate the story or vice versa. And then after reading some titles, there is my occasional thought of why did they choose to make this book a graphic novel? It is a lot of work!!  Words and pictures! But sometimes those elements can be a powerful combination.

With my previous experiences in mind, I look at graphic novel memoirs with an skeptical eye. But then I discovered Lucy Knisley's latest book Relish: My Life in the Kitchen. I was immediately charmed by the art - quirky, colorful, not too stylized - so I was hopeful while flipping through the pages. And then I read her story.  She tells the tale of growing up with a foodie family in New York. Mom worked at Dean and Deluca, then went on to catering and farmer's markets. Dad was a gourmand. Food was seen as a powerful element in their family, sometimes bringing them together when other forces (time, distance, divorce) separated them.

Her chapters show various stages of her life and the food dishes that have left a place in her timeline, and she has chosen to share with us, the reader, her experiences. And some of them are awkward and funny - aren't all teenage years?

And then there are the recipes. I really thought the recipe graphics after each chapter were great - even when I knew that there was no chance I would ever make the dish. (I think that Knisley would make a great cookbook illustrator!) To me, she brought across the idea that cooking was fun.

So I love this book. But I love the art - it appeals to me, and her story is familiar to anyone who has read a few foodie memoirs. Or those who remember an awkward adolescence and trying to find your place in the world.. And then there is the Chicago angle, that was a surprise. But most important thing (to me) when reading a contemporary memoir is - are you still interested in finding out what is happening currently with that writer? Are you going to look them up? I was still interested, and I did here.

It is a fun frothy read. And I'm looking forward to her other works.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Meet the gang at McQuarrie Middle School. There's Tommy our narrator, who has a crush on Sara.  Kellen is his best bud and there is Harvey who is a bit of a sceptic. And then there's Dwight. He is an oddball and always in trouble, but he has made an origami Yoda. It fits on his finger. And his Yoda talks. And Yoda offers advice, when he is not quoting from his movies. Tommy would dismiss Dwight as a strange dork (Harvey thinks he's a weirdo!) - but his Yoda's wisdom starts making sense and things start happening. Is Yoda for real? Or is this just a scam?

Read Tom Angleberger's The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and find out the rest of Tommy's story and his case book of Yoda adventures. Is Origami Yoda just a piece of paper?

This is a great story for Star Wars fans old and young alike. (And hard-core fans will catch some of the more obscure Star Wars references.) Angleberger, his drawings, the graphics and typefaces make it feel if you are reading Tommy's notebook (with comments from Kellen and Harvey, of course.) It's a fun frothy read. And I just found out there is gonna be a sequel! Squee!

P.S. And if you are really talented - there are origami Yoda folding instructions in the back of the book!

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie

Scott has made the transition to high school and found his world spinning. His friends are not in the same classes and their group seems to be separating. His mom and dad have just announced that they are having a baby. His older brother, who he hopes will show him the ropes, keeps leaving home. And he has fallen for a former classmate who now looks like "a goddess." The only place this book worm feels comfortable is in his English class. He gets himself involved with student council, the newspaper and the class musical because he wants to be near his "goddess", but his plans keep back firing. Now he has ended up on the football team’s most wanted list because of some of his articles. It’s a good thing he’s a lowly freshman that nobody knows.

In Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie, David Lubar writes with skill and humor to bring the reader, the experience (and the terror and the fear) of being an underclassman. He provides us a great look into Scott’s home life including the pressure he feels with the new baby coming and his anxiety about his changing place in the world. He uses Scott’s writing to his unborn sibling as a chance to show Scott’s sense of humor and his thoughtfulness about being the first in his family that might have a chance to go to college. He deals delicately with the subject of being different by having Scott interact with a quirky cast of characters who are both funny and troubled.

This is a fun book for those who are interested in writing because Lubar does a wonderful job of incorporating Scott’s English class topics within his articles for the school newspaper. This coming of age story is highly recommended for younger readers who are looking for a glimpse of what to expect in high school and it can be enjoyed by those readers who already know high school can be a comedy of errors.  It is a very good read.

If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince?

It isn’t easy being the new kid in the school, or in the house. Sophomore Lucy Norton is left in her new home with her stepmother and her evil twin stepsisters by Lucy’s bi-coastal working father. Feeling ostracized in the house and isolated in her new high school, she takes refuge in her art class. Inspired by an older classmate Sam’s painting, she thinks he’s a jerk in person, but her opinion changes after he invites her to a show at an art gallery. Lucy finds herself struggling to find her identity and place in the world when she has an assignment to create a self portrait. But when a basketball game comment in the cafeteria attracts the attention of Connor, the star of the varsity team, Lucy suddenly rises in social status. She gets a date and some new girlfriends who are plugged into the school’s gossip feed. Will she remain the art aficionado or become part of the “in” basketball crowd? Is Connor really her prince?

Melissa Kantor's  If I Have a Wicked Stepmother, Where's My Prince? provides her independent narrator heroine with the wit and sarcasm to have the reader identify with her. She allows Lucy to show us the humor in her uncomfortable home and school life - “It’s so Brothers Grimm.” As she tries to maintain her bond with her dad, she feels that her stepmother is changing everything. This is a good account of a created family trying to adjust to their new life together. It is a charming story of a contemporary teen dealing with the change and uncertainty that being in a new environment can bring. This book shows that having different and creative talents can be a beneficial and positive experience.  Kantor does a great job at updating the Cinderella fairy tale. A fine frothy read for young adult collections and a fun read for adults too.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Sherman Alexie's book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, is a wonderful coming of age story. Junior lives on the Spokane Indian reservation and has found that he needs a better education than what he is receiving in his community. He takes the great leap to attending an all white high school in a neighboring farm town.

As he learns to adjust to his new classmates and they to him, he is being called a traitor by his friends on the "rez." He discovers that this is a year of challenges both in his personal life - several family tragedies - and his school life - competing with his old school on the basketball court.

Alexie provides the reader with a great lead character who takes his punches but still manages to keep his sense of humor about life and himself. He challenges the reader to think about the strength it takes to go against the grain and make changes to your life. Ellen Forney provides the illustrations that add so much to the story and provide the reader with more insight into Junior's character and his cartooning. Take a chance on this National Book Award winner. It's a fun read for both teens and adults.