JUST SAY IT LIKE IT IS

Just say it like it is is GiGi's motto.  

In life, there's always the unexpected events and the secrets that keep people from saying it like it is. these things make a person think of the what ifs.  

What if there are secrets that you don't know about?  
What if she made a new friend?  
What if the mean girl is not mean anymore?  
What if your Mama is not who you thought she was?
What if someone lies to you?

Tucked between a collection of recipes from her mom is the search for new beginnings, old secrets and a world turned upside down.  The Truth About Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh is a great realistic and angst ridden story for readers in 6th-8th grades. 

Spoiler alert!!! 
There's teen pregnancy, gay best friend, adoption and rebellious children.  

OOH-YUM-YUM!

Alfie and his sister Emilia have the best great-aunt Zia ever.  When she visits, she makes them feel loved, cooks delicious foods, and adds a little magic to their lives.  Zia's magic lands Alfie and Emilia in the middle of Paris and straight into a French Cooking School where they must pass their lessons and eat delicious foods while trying to figure out how to get back home to America before Alfie's big soccer game on Saturday.

In the spirit of the Magic Tree House series, kids in 3rd and 4th grade can become a foodie along with Alfie and Emilia in Giada De Laurentiis's new series, Recipe for Adventure.  The first two books, Naples! and Paris! can be found in the J Paperbacks under the letter D.  Each book also comes with two recipe cards in the back for you to enjoy the same Zia creations as Alfie and Emilia.

A NEW COOKING MAGAZINE

Finally, a cooking magazine for kids.

Chop Chop, quarterly cooking magazine, has a lot of easy and tasty recipes for children of all ages to cook. If you’re looking for something to do together as a family this summer, check out the two magazines we have. If they are both checked out, click on the picture of the sandwich take to see the online recipes.

The spring 2012 issue encourages little ones to try radishes, has a recipe for grapefruit granita, a taste test for different greens in a mixed bag of salad as well as how to trim and prepare an artichoke. Most recipes have a minimal amount of ingredients or prep work but. This new magazine is perfect for families and kids who enjoy cooking.

CATS CAN'T MAKE PIE!

Who doesn't love pie? Not all pies are sweet, not all pies are baked, but I bet there is a special pie in your life that you absolutely love. Alice's Aunt has a pie making company, with a world-famous crust recipe that she keeps a secret from the rest of the world. That is until she dies. Then she leaves her crust recipe to Lardo, which is the name of her cat. And she leaves the cat to Alice! Everything goes crazy in town after that, as people race to be the next best pie maker in all the land, and a mystery unfolds as strange things start to happen, including the disappearance of Lardo! The best part about this book is every chapter has a new pie recipe! PIE by Sarah Weeks is for grades 4 and up.

SUPER SCARY CHINESE GHOST STORIES

This book is so scary, it's going to put you off eating Chinese food for months. Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales by Ying Chang Compestine is a grisly yet compelling group of short supernatural tales not for the faint of heart. All the stories have an element of food, Chinese culture and each ends with a recipe related to the story.



The stories are set up as if the reader were enjoying a Chinese banquet, beginning with appetizers, main courses of meat dish, noodle, rice and of course desserts. Recommended for readers 6th & up with strong stomachs.

WAFFLE ON A WAFFLE?

Primrose Squarp's parents are supposed to be lost at sea. A memorial service has taken place in honor of her parents and yet she still doesn't believe that she is an orphan.
Primrose believes that her parents are stuck on a remote island and are waiting to be rescued. This gives her the hope and the strength to deal with all the craziness in her small hometown.
If you want to read something really entertaining, than this is the book for you. One of the coolest things is each chapter is followed by an easy recipe that will not only satisfy your stomach, but also your appetite for some good reading. This is a laugh-out-loud, funny story about Primrose’s adventures and misadventures. EVERYTHING ON A WAFFLE by POLLY HORVATH is everything a funny book should be, and you should definitely try to read it while eating waffles.

For fourth grade and older. This title is also available as a sound recording.