Tina

Tina says: Fabulous reading. And if the chapter on honey gets you inspired, check out the local honey available across from the bookstore at the Houlton Bakery. It's the best I've ever tasted. Why does honey from the tupelo-lined banks of the Apalachicola River have a kick of cinnamon unlike any other? Why is salmon from Alaska's Yukon River the richest in the world? Why does one underground cave in Greensboro, Vermont, produce many of the country's most intense cheeses? The answer is terroir (tare-WAHR), the "taste of place." Originally used by the French to describe the way local conditions such as soil and climate affect the flavor of a wine, terroir has been little understood (and often mispronounced) by Americans, until now. For those who have embraced the local food movement, "American Terroir" will share the best of America's bounty and explain why place matters. It will be the first guide to the "flavor landscapes" of some of our most iconic foods, including apples, honey, maple syrup, coffee, oysters, salmon, wild mushrooms, wine, cheese, and chocolate. With equally iconic recipes by the author and important local chefs, and a complete resource section for finding place-specific foods, "American Terroir" is the perfect companion for any self-respecting locavore.

Tina says: The Jungle Book + a bit of Mary Poppins, as done by Neil Gaiman. Charming, true instant classic, with wonderful illustrations by Dave McKean. Review Quotes: "This is, quite frankly, the best book Neil Gaiman has ever written. How he has managed to combine fascinating, friendly, frightening and fearsome in one fantasy I shall never know, but he has pulled it off magnificently - perfect for Halloween and any other time of the year." -- Diana Wynne Jones, author of The Chronicles of Chrestomanci "I wish my younger self could have had the opportunity to read and re-read this wonderful book, and my older self wishes that I had written it." -- Garth Nix, author of The Abhorsen Trilogy "THE GRAVEYARD BOOK, by turns exciting and witty, sinister and tender, shows Gaiman at the top of his form. In this novel of wonder, Neil Gaiman follows in the footsteps of long-ago storytellers, weaving a tale of unforgettable enchantment." -- New York Times Book Review "Lucid, evocative prose and dark fairy-tale motifs imbue the story with a dreamlike quality. .this ghost-story-cum-coming-of-age-novel as readable as it is accomplished." -- Horn Book (starred review) "The Graveyard Book manages the remarkable feat of playing delightful jazz riffs on Kipling's classic Jungle Books. One might call this book a small jewel, but in fact it's much bigger within than it looks from the outside." -- Peter S. Beagle, author of The Last Unicorn

Tina says: The second in a fascinating trilogy! Recommended if you like adventure + apocalyptic futures.


Booklist (07/01/2009): Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* At the end of The Hunger Games (2008), breathless readers were left in the lurch with any number of questions. Will Katniss lead an uprising against the Capitol? Does she fancy Peeta or Gale? Both? Neither? And perhaps most importantly, how in the world is Collins going to live up to the (well-deserved) hype?

Without divulging too much, don't sweat it. The book opens with Katniss and Peeta reluctantly embarking on their victory tour through the 12 oppressed districts of Panem, where they witness more than a few surprising things. And right when it seems as if the plot might be going into a holding pattern between the first and third acts of the trilogy, a blindsiding development hurtles the story along and matches, if not exceeds, the unfiltered adrenaline rush of the first book. Again, Collins crystalline, unadorned prose provides an open window to perfect pacing and electrifying world building, but what's even more remarkable is that aside from being tremendously action-packed science-fiction thrillers, these books are also brimming with potent themes of morality, obedience, sacrifice, redemption, love, law, and, above all, survival.

Honestly, this book only needs to be good enough to satisfy its legions of fans. Fortunately, it's great. And if you were dying to find out what happens after the last book, get ready for pure torture awaiting the next.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

Tina says: This and the companion The Blue Sword are a couple of my all-time favorites. The daughter of Damar's king, Aerin, has never been accepted as royalty because of people who say her mother was a witch who bewitched the king, then died in despair when she did not bear a son. But with the guidance of the wizard Luthe and the help of the Blue Sword, Aerin wins the birthright due her as the daughter of the Damarian king. A 1985 Newbery Medal Winner.