Module 7: What the World Eats

Book Summary: The book explains what families eat depending on the country where they live.  In the process of showing actual families in photographs, showing a week's worth of food in the place where they are most likely to cook food, readers get a semblance of the similarities and differences in food around the world. Each country is listed alphabetically and lists the cost of one week's worth of food in U.S. dollars. The grocery list is also shown with facts about the country. Descriptive text supports each family and includes pictures of the family grocery shopping and cooking. Some family recipes are included and throughout the text, there are field notes from the writer and photographer. There are also supplementary sections about other related topics such as showing kitchens around the world, a look at fast food, and street food. Additionally, topics such as literacy rate, fertility rate, life expectancy, and obesity in each country is assessed. Further reading ideas, sources of information, and a detailed index are included at the end of the book.

APA Reference of Book:
Menzel, P. (2008). What the world eats. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.

Impressions: As I read through the introduction and read the information pertaining to each country, I found that the book describes much more than just what people in certain countries eat. In the process, I discovered the simplicity of food: to not have food is to not eat food, to not eat food is to go hungry. While the author and photographer do not express this outwardly, it is a theme that goes through the book. It is generally understood that western industrialized countries eat more food and more processed food than other countries. The less industrialized countries showcase families with sacks of ingredients such as grains and beans. Meat and fresh fruit and vegetables are tough to find for these families. 

I had seen this book before, but it wasn't until this class that I had the opportunity to read the book in-depth and reflect upon the variety of topics it tackles such as globalization, the differences between affluence and poverty, and sustainable agricultural practices. After seeing what each family eats, it was easy for me to reflect upon my own eating habits.

Note: This book is a corresponding children's book to the adult book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats by the same author and photographer.

Professional Review: 

“Seeing, at a glance, a whole week’s supply of food artfully arranged in a kitchen is an eye-opening foray into cultural differences in family diets. The sheer variety and quantity of foods is most evident in countries like the U.S., France, and Japan, and in stark contrast to a family of six in a refugee camp in Chad; the Aboubakars from the Darfur province of Sudan sit cross-legged on a rug in front of their tent with only three bags of grain and legumes, one bottle of vegetable oil, and several tiny bags of items such as salt, chili peppers, and garlic.

Readers will see a fascinating snapshot of other marked differences in food consumption. For example, the photos reveal that non-Western families such as those in China, Ecuador, Guatemala, and India dine on much larger proportions of fruits and vegetables than those in Great Britain and Greenland. It’s interesting to note the amount of packaged and processed foodstuffs consumed in industrialized and emerging countries versus the colorful piles of fresh greens, citrus fruits, tomatoes, and bulging sacks of potatoes and rice in developing nations” (Bolleber, 2008, https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/what-the-world-eats/).

Bolleber, L. (2008, June 16). [Review of the book What the world eats, by P. Menzel] Retrieved from https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/what-the-world-eats/

Library Uses: I feel that this book would be better appreciated by older elementary students and older. Food is becoming an important topic in terms of healthy eating choices, the availability of food, and learning about more sustainable practices. This book takes a glimpse at the different food options and preferences for a variety of countries. I would recommend this book for teachers helping students learn about sustainable agricultural practices.  I would also recommend this to families wanting to discuss the importance of food and introduce the idea of how people can easily go hungry around the world.

Module 6: Apples to Oregon

Book Summary: Told from the perspective of a young girl named Delicious, a family leaves Iowa for Oregon. However, the girl's daddy decides to take a wagon's worth of plants and trees. An adventure ensues westward with the large wagon of apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, and cherries. The much smaller wagon in the back holds the family. Daddy sings lullabies to his plants and trees at night, he loves them that much. Crossing rivers, storms, drought all make the trek that much harder. Before the frost hits, the family makes it to Oregon in time to plant the trees just outside Portland. 

APA Reference of Book:

Hopkinson, D. (2003). Apples to Oregon: being the (slightly) true narrative of how a brave pioneer father brought apples, peaches, pears, plums, grapes, and cherries (and children) across the plains. New York, NY: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Impressions: The illustrations in this story provide much of the humor and impression of a tall tale. The large family squishes into a tiny wagon behind the much larger wagon holding the plants and trees. Towards the end, the little girl narrating the story, shoos away Jack Frost from the plants. The family leaves no hardship untouched through all the different kinds of weather. When a hail storm hits, the family takes off their clothes to protect the plants with everyone remaining in their underwear. The author's note explains that this story is a fictionalized account of the Luelling family and their traveling nursery to Oregon. The family established a nursery, with a friend, in the town of Milwaukie (south of Portland) that exists to this day. While this story may be a tall tale, it is a lively story explaining the surprising origins of fruit trees and plants in Oregon, which make up the majority of the state's economy.

Professional Review: "The subtitle (“Being the [Slightly] True Narrative of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes, and Cherries [and Children] Across the Plains”) sets the tone and describes the plot, but the flavor is in the folksy telling of this clever tall tale that humorously portrays a family’s trek west from Iowa to Oregon to plant their father’s fruit trees. His oldest daughter, Delicious, regales readers with her accounts of the many hazards and risks the family faces (eight children and mama) as they rescue Daddy’s darlings, the young trees, from drowning in a river crossing, being pounded by hailstones, withering by drought, and then freezing by Jack Frost. Carpenter’s illustrations paint hilarious touches, such as the scene where they use their clothing to protect the plants from hail, including Daddy’s underwear. Endpaper maps trace their journey and the author’s note states that the story is loosely based on a real pioneer, Henderson Luelling. The pun-filled text and puckish pictures by the team that created Fannie in the Kitchen (2001) spin a pip of a yarn that is just downright delicious" (Kirkus, 2004, https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/deborah-hopkinson/apples-to-oregon/).

Kirkus Reviews. (2004, August 15). [Review of the book Apples to Oregon, by D. Hopkinson] Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/deborah-hopkinson/apples-to-oregon/

Library Uses: I would recommend this title for the homeschool families that come into the library.  Oftentimes, many of them have a portion of curriculum devoted to agriculture or studies about plants. This historical fiction tale could act as an introduction to how fruit trees and plants made their way to Oregon. Homeschool students could debunk some of the myths presented in the story with research.

Module 6: Hattie Big Sky

Book Summary: Hattie has been shuffled around from family member to family member. She hardly knows her current relatives. When she receives a letter from her late uncle, sent by his wishes upon his death, she finds out that she has inherited all his land in Montana. Without a second thought, she decides to go prove up on her uncle's land. The Mueller's next door and other townsfolk around the small town of Vida, Montana, become her family as she works to prove on the claim.  Blizzards, failing crops, grumpy farm animals, and a house that is falling apart all make the job that much harder. Meanwhile, Hattie still writes to her childhood friend, Charlie, who is fighting in the war overseas.  A neighbor, with property close to hers, tries to take her land at various points, but Hattie is determined to make good on her claim.

APA Reference of Book:

Larson, K. (2006). Hattie big sky. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Impressions: This is ultimately a story about finding "home".  The story also depicts the hardships of homesteading and proving up on claims on land.  The descriptions of the hard work involved were incredibly visceral and my heart fell each time Hattie encountered another tragedy or issue. Her outlook, however, is incredibly positive regardless and the Muellers, a family next door, become essential to the plot. The mother, Perilee, and her German husband are ostracized. It was surprising to me, as a reader, that anti-German opinion infiltrated small towns even when hardworking people, regardless of national origin, were proving up on their claims. While this story is considered historical fiction, there are some topics that are still pertinent for contemporary readers including bullying and tragedy. Hattie navigates these issues seemingly with ease, and readers get a glimpse at how her values influence the outcomes. 

Professional Review: “Several hardships and even a tragedy strike Hattie, but she begins to realize that she doesn't need the land itself. It is friends who help her through the tough times and give her hope. Readers who grew up on Laura Ingalls Wilder will love HATTIE BIG SKY, though Hattie also will draw new fans to this inspiring, powerful tale” (Alessio, 2006, http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/hattie-big-sky).

Alessio, A. (2006, September 26). [Review of the book Hattie big sky, by K. Larson] Retrieved from http://www.teenreads.com/reviews/hattie-big-sky

Library Uses: I imagine this story would serve well in Reader's Advisory. Teens that read Caddie Woodlawn or Laura Ingalls Wilder books would enjoy this story. This title would also be a good jumping off point for historical research: concerning homesteading in the Montana territory and opinions about Germans during World War I in the United States.

Module 5: The Diviners

Book Summary: Evie O'Neill has the ability to learn about people by touching something that person owns. By using her power at a party, she starts a scandal in her small town of Ohio and is sent to live with her uncle in New York. Her uncle Will is the curator of the Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult. She keeps her supernatural power from her uncle, fearing that it will only bring her trouble. When a local girl is found murdered with strange symbols on her body, the police ask Will for help to understand if there was a purpose to the murders. Something or someone evil is searching for its next victims in a purposeful manner. When more people are found murdered with missing body parts and more symbols, the situation becomes more dire. Evie, her uncle, his assistant, and a pick pocket collaborate to get the bottom of the murders before the next victim is killed.

APA Reference of Book:

Bray, L. (2012). The diviners. New York, NY: Little Brown.

Impressions: This book is incredibly complex. There are many sub-layers to the plot and after finishing it, I am not entirely sure I had it all sorted out. At first it is a story about Evie O'Neill that has used her "party trick," a supernatural power, to create a scandal in her hometown in Ohio. When she is sent off to live with her uncle, she keeps her power from him, but it later ends up helping in solving the mystery of the murders. The story takes place in 1926, where Prohibition, speakeasys, pickpockets, and an interest in the occult are prevalent. While reading this story, I began to see some similarities to Dan Brown's book Angels & Demons. The main similarity is how a religious viewpoint influences horrific murders. In The Diviners, however, the religious group in question believes that the apocalypse is coming and that the Beast will return. There are some sub-plots to the story, including two boys that have gifts: one is able to heal people and the other can read cards without seeing them. A neighbor of theirs is a blind man who may or may not have significance in understanding what exactly is the "Beast". Their other neighbor may be involved in some kind of secret group and it is not explained how she knows Evie's uncle Will. The book is long, but even then, it does not close plot points. In fact, it appears to open up more plot opportunities for future books. 

Professional Review: 
"One of the interesting things Bray does is that, while this is Evie's story, it is told from multiple viewpoints. Because of this, from the start the reader has more information than Evie or any of the other characters. The characters don't reveal all their secrets right away, not to each other, and not to Evie, and not even to the reader. Just when I thought I had more puzzle pieces than Evie so knew what was happening, something else was added. I was reminded (in a good way) of Stephen King. At times, I was waiting for Evie to catch up to what I knew, or wondering when she'd work something out, but just as often I was surprised by what had happened or where things were going" (Burns, 2012, http://blogs.slj.com/teacozy/2012/09/17/review-the-diviners/)

Burns, E. (2012, September 17). [Review of the book The diviners, by L. Bray] Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/teacozy/2012/09/17/review-the-diviners/

Library Uses: I think this story would be a good book club title for both teens and adults. The complex plot, historical plot points, and supernatural elements could lead to much discussion.

Module 5: Savvy

Book Summary: Everyone in Mibs (short for Mississippi) Beaumont's family has a "savvy" which is a term for a special gift that appears on their 13th birthdays. The gift differs from person to person, but it was handed down from Mibs' mother's side (therefore Mibs father is exempt from having a savvy). One of her brothers can make hurricanes on land and the other can manipulate electricity. Mibs is so certain that her savvy will be powerful that when her Poppa gets into an accident, she hopes her savvy can save him. When she wakes up on her thirteenth birthday, she checks on her brother's turtle (that everyone thought was dead) and sees that it is very much alive. She is convinced that her savvy can heal beings and she decides to find her way to her Poppa to help him. Her nosy neighbor, Mrs. Meeks, is taking care of the kids while Mibs' mother is away to help her father. Mrs. Meeks decides to throw a large church birthday party for Mibs birthday, but Mibs thinks this is a good opportunity to escape to find her father. She decides to hitch a ride on a bus unbeknownst to the driver. Mrs. Meeks children, Will Jr. and Bobbi, and Mibs' brothers join her on the ride. The driver, Lester Swan, is a bumbling man almost incapable of standing up for himself. Soon, Mibs finds out her real savvy: that she can hear the thoughts of people through ink on their skin, whether by pen or tattoo. 

APA Reference of Book:

Law, I. (2008). Savvy. Boston, MA: Walden Media.

Impressions: This story is told in a rambling storytelling fashion that reminded me of the rolling prairies that encompass Kansas and Nebraska or "Kansaska-Nebransas" as Mibs calls it. The voice of the narrator was especially important in the story and Ingrid Law balances telling the story without talking down to the readers. You feel as if you are in cahoots with the Beaumont family and each of the characters has a role to play in the story. Each character is relate-able in a different way, whether it is teenage Bobbi, always smacking her gum and rolling her eyes at everything. It is not until Mibs hears Bobbi's tattoos chatting, saying what Bobbi really thinks that she realizes that her savvy is not quite what she thinks. Will, Jr. takes a liking to Mibs, which she finds incredulous at first, since she had been ostracized quite a bit at school. All the Beaumont kids are homeschooled starting at the age of 13 in order for their mother to teach them the ways of controlling their savvys. I enjoyed the idea that the transition from pre-teen to teenager is marked by discovering a "savvy".  In a way, it seems like a superhero explanation for going through puberty. Whether or not kids and teens interpret this plot point this way, as an adult, I found it symbolic. At first, I thought that Mibs' savvy of hearing ink on skin talking was unusual, but it is a plot device that helps Mibs determine actually what someone is thinking. Cleverly, in the case of Lester Swan, his tattoos showcase the controlling women in his life that think he is nothing but a failure. They chitter-chat throughout the story, but Lester comes out of the story in a positive way in the end.

Professional Review: "Mibs can’t wait for her 13th birthday, when her special gift, or “savvy,” will awaken. Everyone in her family—except beloved Papa, who married in—has one, from Grandpa Bomba’s ability to move mountains (literally) to Great Aunt Jules’s time-traveling sneezes. What will hers be? Not what she wants, it turns out, but definitely what she needs when the news that a highway accident has sent her father to the ICU impels her to head for the hospital aboard a Bible salesman’s old bus. Sending her young cast on a zigzag odyssey through the “Kansaska-Nebransas” heartland, Law displays both a fertile imagination (Mibs’s savvy is telepathy, but it comes with a truly oddball caveat) and a dab hand for likable, colorful characters. There are no serious villains here, only challenges to be met, friendships to be made and some growing up to do on the road to a two-hanky climax. A film is already in development, and if it lives up to this marvel-laden debut, it’ll be well worth seeing" (Kirkus Reviews, 2008, https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ingrid-law-2/savvy/)

Kirkus Reviews. (2008, April 1). [Review of the book Savvy, by I. Law] Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/ingrid-law-2/savvy/

Library Uses: This book would be a good recommendation for an older elementary or younger middle school reader interested in fantasy or anything magical. I would also recommend this story for younger advanced readers. While the main character is around 13 years old, the story is told with regional dialects and interesting characters that would appeal to younger readers as well.

Module 4: Ask the Passengers

Book Summary: Astrid Jones and her family live in the small town of Unity Valley. She likes to look for airplanes in the sky and send the passengers love from far away. This is her reprieve from the narrow-minded viewpoints and gossip of her town. Her mother, father, and sister are all too involved in their own lives to recognize that Astrid spends time thinking about people–airplane passengers–that won’t judge her. She has a secret relationship with Dee, a girl she works with at a restaurant. Dee is more experienced and confident about her sexuality. Astrid, is unsure of her sexual identity, but in the process realizes that she does not have to label herself. Socrates acts as her personal philosophy guide throughout her personal discoveries. When Astrid gets busted with her friends at a known gay club in town, the reactions are varied. Astrid's family is surprised and it turns out that the homecoming queen and king are actually both gay and covers for each other in the small town. When this information gets around school, Astrid manages to sidestep any major issues with her town's small-mindedness. In the end, she discovers her own version of love and acceptance.

APA Reference of Book:

King, A.S. (2012). Ask the passengers. New York, NY: Little Brown.

Impressions: I think the struggle of determining your identity, both outwardly and inwardly, is not without questions. This book handles Astrid’s struggles in a realistic way that made me want to find out how she would resolve her questions and search for truth. Astrid's mother comes off like the class drama queen in the story and I consider her the weakest character.  When Astrid cannot decide whether or not she is gay, you understand as a reader it is because a committed response, either way, is not without its repercussions. If Astrid decides not to embrace her sexual identity, she risks alienating the girl she cares about, Dee. If Astrid decides to come out fully, she understands that her classmates and her family may not understand or be supportive. Her father acts more sympathetic than Astrid's mother, who believes that Astrid's behavior (when she gets busted at the gay club) makes her look bad. Further, Dee is on the same field hockey team as Astrid's sister, Ellis. Ellis is furious with Astrid because she gets ridiculed because of her sister. Astrid does not feel sorry for herself, however. If anything, she becomes more confident with her decision to come out and the relationship she has with Dee becomes more true because of Astrid's acceptance of herself. I thought the most poignant part of the plot was Astrid's friend Kristina getting outed at the gay club.  Kristina and Justin are the homecoming queen and king and covers for each other. They are popular and well-liked, but once their classmates finds out they are gay, the two go into hiding. For Kristina, it is practically the end of the world that she is outed. Her confidence crumbles when she doesn't have a cover. I find it interesting because as Astrid is coming to terms with her sexuality, the reader gets a glimpse at cowardice of not being true to yourself and the complications that ensue. This story is a lot about perception. The devices of adding various passengers within the story and their smaller stories is somewhat problematic because it is difficult to discern  how their stories relate. It is not until the end, when a passenger is going to "gay camp" because she is forced by her mother. She is frustrated and sad, but decides to send love to someone down below to hold onto for a bit.

Professional Review: 
"The heart of the novel is Astrid's coming out, which is nuanced, thoughtful, and thought-provoking in all the important ways. Her rejection of labels allows readers to feel more comfortable with the ambiguity Astrid faces; it makes her coming out feel new, interesting, and engaging--and extremely personal. Her relationship with Dee is complicated and gratifying reading; Dee takes advantage of more experience to try to pressure Astrid into having sex. When Astrid calls her on it, we get a chance to actually see teens navigating the Awkward Sex Talk--it's so sex positive, so respectful, and so mature. (Oh, and contrast this complicated subtle relationship with the school's handling of Tolerance Day. That right there is subtle, smart, and makes me want to give this book a shiny sticker.)" (Couri, 2012, http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/2012/12/28/ask-the-passengers/)

Couri, S. (2012, December 28). [Review of the book Ask the passengers, by A.S. King] Retrieved from http://blogs.slj.com/printzblog/2012/12/28/ask-the-passengers/

Library Uses: This title would be on my recommends list for LGBTQ titles. It is a book that digresses about the issues that go with identity and sexuality as a teenager. I think many teens and adults could identify with Astrid's confusion about the intricacies of relationships and search for her identity. 

Module 4: My Name is Mina

Book Summary: Mina's father has passed away recently and she has questions about life and death. She decides to put her thoughts down in a journal. When she finds out that her elderly neighbor across the street, Mr. Myers, has passed away, she wonders what will come of his home. She feels out of place at school and her teacher, Mrs. Scullery, is not entirely receptive to Mina's opinions. Mina is taken out of school to be homeschooled by her mother. She sees a family considering moving into Mr. Myers' former home.  A little boy seems just as alienated as she feels. As the family is moving into the house, Mina musters up her nervous energy to become a friend to the boy.

This book is a the prequel to Skellig, written by the same author.

APA Reference of Book:

Almond, D. (2010). My name is Mina. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.

Impressions: In the beginning, it is apparent that Mina's father has passed away.  It is difficult to discern how he died, but you understand that it has happened fairly recently.  Mina appears to be a girl that is simultaneously in grief, but also realizing the gratifying aspects of simple day to day things.  There does not appear to be much in the way of a plot as it is written very much like a journal Mina has kept. There are random poems, questions, and thoughts with the book that makes up the depth of the novel.  In one sense there is cohesion in her ramblings, but for those that do not like reading pages with only a few words and fonts that change, this could be a challenging book.

Mina's teacher has instructed the kids at St. Bede's Middle School to write only when they have a plan in place, which baffles Mina. When she intentionally fails a national exam by writing nonsense because she believes the exam is nonsense, it is evident that she has developed a sense of maturity.  Also, as Mina senses an unhappiness in the boy moving in across the street, she decides to put aside her own loneliness to become his friend.

Professional Review: "Her own story, related in her journal, reflects the clutter and wonder of a mind trying to make sense of her loneliness after the death of her father, her treatment as a somewhat loony outsider at school, and her earnest hope for a friend or two, perhaps in the boy moving into Ernie Myers' old house down the road (Schneider, 2011, p. 1)".

Schneider, D. (2011, October 10). [Review of the book My name is Mina, by D. Almond] Retrieved from http://bookpage.com/reviews/7139-david-almond-my-name-mina#.U7szwfldXGs

Library Uses: With an interest in books that have a journal-like feel, this book may appeal to readers that are moving away from the format that uses mostly graphics to convey a story. For some, the various fonts and parts of the story conveyed on single pages with much negative space, it could be a distracting read. Otherwise, it may be a friendly looking book to children and tweens that like the varied format.