February 2024 Prime Picks
The
Culinary Corner
Two new cookbooks
published by Aster provide rich, attractive references that libraries will find
exceptional.
Sabrina Ghayour's Flavor (9781783255955, $24.99) comes
from an award-winning Middle Eastern chef. It features new recipes rich in
Middle Eastern flavors and influences, profiling recipes not to be found in
competing cookbooks.
Full-page color
photos accompany such dishes as Bean & Feta Patties, Baked Vegetable &
Feta Layers, and Vermicelli with Shrimp, Orange & Pomegranate, Tamarind
& Herbs. Each comes with a paragraph of introductory description that
promotes the experience by explaining the flavor infusions designed to make the
food a standout.
Champney's The Cookbook: Food for Wellness
(9781783255979, $32.99) promotes health through flavorful blends of nutrition
and nourishment designed to promote personal health goals. Some 100 recipes
include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and healthy snacks with creative innovations
that range from Rainbow Ribbon Slaw with Apple Cider Vinaigrette to Plant
Protein, Pepper and Paprika Hash, with Sriracha Sauce.
Full-page color
photos of finished dishes create alluring attraction to such fare as Coconut
Poached Chicken Leg, Lentil Dah, and Crisp Poppadoms.
The result is a
cookbook that puts the interest back in a wellness regimen. It’s perfect for
the New Year.
The Complete Beans
& Grains Cookbook
9781954210677 $34.99
www.americastestkitchen.com
The Complete Beans & Grains Cookbook takes a multifaceted
approach to re-envisioning and creating new bean and grain dishes from classic
recipes, focusing on innovations designed to blend classic comfort food with
zesty flavors to tantalize eaters looking for something original and different.
Examples of fare not
to be found elsewhere include Brown Rice Pilaf with Dates and Pistachios,
Chicken and
Color photos,
insights on 'why this recipe works', and sidebars of notes from the Test
Kitchen assure foolproof results with a diversity of dishes. These profile the
strengths of beans and grains to both supplement other dishes or serve as the
centerpiece of the table.
Libraries will find
the combination of diversity and the tried-and-tested Test Kitchen branding to
be appealing and unique.
Grow Cook Nourish
Darina Allen
Kyle Books
9781804191583 $49.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com
Grow Cook Nourish: 400 Seasonal Recipes from the
The sections
translate to a far wider-reaching cookbook than the usual gardening or
vegetarian recipe collection, melding both for a survey of both classic and
unusual varieties of fare that provide contrasting, interesting dishes from
Carrot Marmalade and Carrot & Cardamom Cake to Persian Frittata with
Barberries.
Far more
comprehensive and in-depth than most, this seasonal collection is a standout
that is highly recommended for any vegetarian cook or collection.
Hamlyn
www.octopusbooksusa.com
These new arrivals
from Hamlyn provide vegetarian and vegan readers and libraries with new recipes
and inspiration that can lead to many more delightful meals and tasting
experiences.
Dan Acevedo and Sarah
Wasserman's Mildreds Vegetarian
(9781845339982, $32.99) comes from Mildreds, a London vegetarian establishment
which has served up original dishes for over thirty years, with the goal of
teaching eaters that vegetarian food need not be odd, staid, or bland.
Readers need not be
strict vegetarians—the goal can simply be more veg and less meat. Recipes move
from soups and appetizers to main dishes, profiling such fare as Oyster
Mushroom Fusilli Salad with Purple Broccoli, Basil & Pine Nuts or Mexican
Kidney Bean, Jalapeno, Roasted Pepper & Sweetcorn Burgers.
The diversity and
originality of this collection enhances its appeal to a wide audience,
including non-vegetarians looking for more flavors and unique combinations.
Its companion volume
(also by Daniel Acevedo and Sarah Wasserman), Mildreds Vegan Cookbook (9781784729363, $32.99), takes the theme a
step further in its focus on the popular vegan dishes that are a mainstay of
the Mildreds menu.
The global influences
represented in these dishes add an appealing sense of discovery to unusual
flavor combinations that will pique the interests and palates of non-vegan and
vegan eaters alike with such dishes as Levant-Spiced Barbecue Cauliflower,
Smoked Chilli Jam, a Thai Green Congee with Brown Rice, and Persian Lime &
Chickpea Stew.
Both are exceptional presentations
highly recommended for any library or cook seeking novel vegan and vegetarian
recipes.
Young Adult/Children
Candlewick Press
www.candlewick.com
These new arrivals
from Candlewick provide fine variety for elementary-level readers.
Candlewick’s MIT
Press imprint offers two science titles for advanced elementary grades.
Vicky Fang's AlphaBot (9781536226539, $14.99) is much
more than an ABC primer. It focuses on mixing and matching 'Alpharobot' parts
to teach creative building skills, while reinforcing an alphabet of robot words
in an introduction to robotics that kids ages 3-7 usually don't receive.
Lay-flat binding with
spine lettering and colorful flip pages of robot-building opportunity could dissuade
lending libraries, but will be perfect for homeschoolers and parents seeking a
unique book to pique a young robot fan's interest.
Joy Hakim's Discovering Life's Story V. 1: Biology's
Beginnings (9781536222937, 22.99) is a fine first volume in a series about
the history of scientific inquiry. Beginning with the Islamic Golden Age and
moving into the Renaissance to the late 1800s, the first volume profiles
scientists who questioned their world and found enlightenment as they defined
viruses and other world-changing influences.
Eoin Colfer and P.J.
Lynch's Three Tasks for a Dragon
(9781536229998, $19.99) provides elementary to early middle school grades with
a lovely fantasy embellished throughout with full-page illustrations in vivid
color. These lend to the story of Prince Lir, who is tricked into trying to
rescue a maiden from a dragon despite his inherent lack of battle skills.
Can he win through
brainpower alone? Even more importantly, something appears to be manipulating
would-be hero and dragon alike, and so the clever prince finds his mind a more
effective battle weapon than he’d initially imagined.
Chiêu
Anh Urban's Illusions in Art Food
(9781536223712, $12.99) is designed to play tricks on the eye. The visuals will
help young eyes develop a deeper sense of perception. Each page of this board
book invites kids (and read-along parents) to look closely to uncover not one,
but two foods per page. Clues are provided to aid in the treasure hunt,
creating a fine opportunity for training young eyes to discern delightful new
opportunities.
Taxi, Go! by Patricia Toht and Maria Karipidou (9781536231533,
$17.99) is the day-in-the-life story of a busy taxi that picks up passengers
for all kinds of purposes. Taxi has a lot to do, so kids embark on a fun journey
with vivid descriptions of seasonal and urban obstacles and sound effect
suggestions that parents can employ to enhance the read-aloud experience.
Karl Newson's How to Be Brave (9781536232547, $17.99)
is illustrated by Clara Anganuzzi, who adds lovely illustration to bring to
life the lessons involved in trying new things.
Newson's positive
language ("There's a sun in the sky
and a world at your feet, just waiting to be explored...") encourages
kids to consider new possibilities and to face these new experiences with
anticipation and positivity, rather than fear.
Steve McCarthy's The Wilderness (9781536231373, $17.99)
is also a picture book exploration about fear and comfort zones, but assumes a
different guise in the form of following Oktober Vasylenko, who likes his
adventures to occur in an observational rather than a participatory manner. His
problem is that the rest of his family loves the outdoors and personally
engaging with the world.
Tomorrow, Otto will
join in. And, he's terrified. What if he gets lost in the Wilderness?
Both are excellent
examples of finding courage and trying new things.
All are exceptional,
standout picture books.
Grandpa and the
Kingfisher
Anna Wilson
Nosy Crow
9798887770178 $17.99
www.nosycrow.com
Anna Wilson's Grandpa and the Kingfisher is
illustrated by Sarah Massini. It comes with a free audio book scan link as it
shares how a young child and their dog watch kingfishers with Grandpa over a
year's time.
As the seasons change,
the birds raise a family, helping Grandpa explain the changing seasons and
nature to his young charge.
Beautiful
illustrations follow this shared journey in a saga highly recommended for
parents and kids.
Insectopia: The
Wonderful World of Insects
Jiri Kolibac
Albatros
9788000069685 $24.99
www.albatrosbooks.com
Insectopia: The Wonderful World of Insects is an oversized book
suitable for display. It’s designed to attract readers of all ages with lovely illustrations
by Pavla Dvorska and Pavel Dvorsky, which bring full-page wonder and
exceptionally artistic efforts to illustrate many facts about the insect world.
The combination of
art and insect facts is lovely in a title replete with insights and beautiful
images, designed to entertain and educate all in one.
Libraries and readers
will find it visually attractive and educationally alluring.
Sleeping Bear Press
www.sleepingbearpress.com
Sahtinay Abaza's Looking for the Eid Moon (9781534113091,
$18.99) is illustrated by Sandra Eide, who explores the Muslim holiday
celebrating the end of Ramadan.
Sara can't wait for
it to come, but Eid needs a crescent moon in order to begin. If she finds the
moon first, magic will happen ... even if it is frightening to be outdoors at night.
A fine story of
courage, magic, and facts about the Muslim Eid holiday merge in a tale that features
educational and cultural revelations.
Some Days Are Yellow by Suzanne Slade (9781534112940, $18.99) enjoys
simple, warm illustrations by Michelle Lee as it explores the concept of good
and bad days for the very young.
Some days are easy;
others are tough and overwhelming. Slade walks kids through the ups and downs
of life to remind them that no matter the day, the adventure in living and the
lessons to be learned from good and bad experiences alike are invaluable.
Lyrical text, explorations of emotions, and contrasts between different children support an uplifting, candid discussion of life experiences that kids will relish.