Posts Tagged Sarah Weeks

Cookin’ Up Middle Grade Books

By on July 6, 2018   /   Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Teachers  

I began baking when I was about nine. I loved stuffing brown sugar into a measuring up, hearing the whirring of the mixer, and smoothing out frosting onto a round cake. I still have the recipe my friend and I invented for Sprinkle Cake Cookies. It probably isn’t surprising that my main character in my first novel is a baker as well as I love reading about baking almost as much as I like actually baking (and it’s a lot less messy!).

If you know a middle grade reader who enjoys baking, these books are perfect! And what’s great is that they’re not all about sparkly pink cupcakes. You will see that there are a couple of fantasy and historical fiction books mixed in, ones about boys who love to bake, and some that address serious issues.

Cookie Cutters & Sled Dog Runners by Natalie Rompella
I’m starting with my own contribution here…
Ana Morgan is excited to begin middle school. She and her best friend Lily plan to create a cookbook for the school’s Explorations Fair, but when Ana is assigned a new partner, things quickly go sour. As Ana’s life gets out of control, so does her anxiety. Germs bother her and make her wash her hands.  A lot. And then she begins her Explorations project with the new girl…on sled dog racing—something she’s never even heard of. But when life gives her lemons, can she make lavender lemonade? Contains recipes in the book (including my childhood recipe for Sprinkle Cake Cookies).

Undercover Chefs by Erin Fry
Three unlikely friends join forces to win a baking competition and save their school’s culinary classroom. Isaac, a nationally-ranked runner; Jane, a shy artist; and J.C., a rebellious scooter rider – all have a secret passion for cooking. The promise of a cupcake contest lures them to an unusual classroom on the outskirts of campus. As they share friendship and a love for cooking, the pressures of the contest start to boil over – a recipe for disaster that could destroy their chances at winning! The heat is on, and Isaac, Jane and J.C. must figure out a way to salvage their cupcakes, save the culinary classroom from being demolished, and protect their secrets before the judges cast their final votes.

Cupcake Cousins by Kate Hannigan
Nine-year old cousins, Willow and Delia, can’t wait to spend a week vacationing together with their families. Their aunt is getting married, and Willow and Delia are hoping their tasty baked goods will be enough to get them out of being flower girls in the wedding.
But with a mischievous little brother, a bacon-loving dog, and a misbehaving blender in the mix, their treats don’t exactly turn out as planned. When a real emergency threatens to ruin the wedding, will their baking skills be enough to save the day? [Book 1 in the Cupcake Cousins series]

Lights, Camera, Cook! by Charise Mericle Harper
It’s “lights, camera, cook ” for four tween contestants–energetic Tate, charming Rae, worldly Caroline, and hyper-competitive Oliver–who are all about to enter a televised cooking competition.
What will the kids cook up? How will they all get along on- and off-camera? Which junior chef will have the grit–and maybe the grits–to make it through each challenge? And which junior chef will have to hang their apron up for good? Bonus: Includes real cooking techniques for the aspiring young chef. [Book 1 in the Next Best Chef series]

Peace, Love, and Cupcakes by Sheryl Berk
Kylie Carson is a fourth grader with a big problem. How will she make friends at her new school? Should she tell her classmates she loves monster movies? Forget it. Play the part of a turnip in the school play? Disaster Then Kylie comes up with a delicious idea: What if she starts a cupcake club?

Soon Kylie’s club is spinning out tasty treats with the help of her fellow bakers and new friends. But when Meredith tries to sabotage the girls’ big cupcake party, will it be the end of the Cupcake Club? [Book 1 in The Cupcake Club series]

Save the Cupcake! by Lisa Papademetriou
Hayley’s world is far from perfect: Her parents have divorced, her mom has lost her job, and she and her sister Chloe are stuck sharing a bedroom in their grandmother’s apartment. Luckily, Hayley has a knack for baking cupcakes — and cupcakes always make life just a little sweeter But when she and her best friend Artie start drifting apart, she realizes that it’s going to take more than sugar and spice to make things nice. [Book 1 in the Confectionately Yours series]

Baker’s Magic by Diane Zahler
Bee is an orphan, alone in a poor, crumbling kingdom. In desperation, she steals a bun from a bakery. To Bee’s surprise, the baker offers her a place at his shop. As she learns to bake, Bee discovers that she has a magical power. When a new friend desperately needs her help against an evil mage, Bee wonders what a small orphan girl with only a small bit of magic can do. Bee’s journey to help her friend becomes a journey to save the kingdom, and a discovery of the meaning of family.

The Baking Life of Amelie Day by Vanessa Curtis 
Thirteen-year-old Amelie Day loves to bake so she’s thrilled when she’s invited to compete in the Best Teen Baker of the Year contest. But Amelie has Cystic Fibrosis, and some days she can barely breathe. Determined not to let her condition or her mom stop her from taking part, Amelie musters all her Flour Power. But will it be enough to get her to the top?

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
Foster McFee dreams of having her own cooking show like her idol, celebrity chef Sonny Kroll. Macon Dillard’s goal is to be a documentary filmmaker. Foster’s mother Rayka longs to be a headliner instead of a back-up singer. And Miss Charleena plans a triumphant return to Hollywood. Everyone has a dream, but nobody is even close to famous in the little town of Culpepper. Until some unexpected events shake the town and its inhabitants-and put their big ambitions to the test.

Gingersnap by Patricia Reilly Giff
It’s 1944, W.W. II is raging. Jayna’s big brother Rob is her only family. When Rob is called to duty on a destroyer, Jayna is left in their small town in upstate New York with their cranky landlady. But right before he leaves, Rob tells Jayna a secret: they may have a grandmother in Brooklyn. Rob found a little blue recipe book with her name and an address for a bakery. When Jayna learns that Rob is missing in action, she’s devastated. Along with her turtle Theresa, the recipe book, and an encouraging, ghostly voice as her guide, Jayna sets out for Brooklyn in hopes of finding the family she so desperately needs.

All Four Stars by Tara Dairman
Meet Gladys Gatsby: New York’s toughest restaurant critic. (Just don’t tell anyone that she’s in sixth grade.) Gladys Gatsby has been cooking gourmet dishes since the age of seven, only her fast-food-loving parents have no idea. Now she’s eleven, and after a crème brûlée accident (just a small fire), Gladys is cut off from the kitchen (and her allowance). She’s devastated but soon finds just the right opportunity to pay her parents back when she’s mistakenly contacted to write a restaurant review for one of the largest newspapers in the world. But in order to meet her deadline and keep her dream job, Gladys must cook her way into the heart of her sixth-grade archenemy and sneak into New York City–all while keeping her identity a secret Easy as pie, right?

Pie by Sarah Weeks
When Alice’s Aunt Polly, the Pie Queen of Ipswitch, passes away, she takes with her the secret to her world-famous pie-crust recipe. Or does she? In her will, Polly leaves the recipe to her extraordinarily fat, remarkably disagreeable cat, Lardo . . . and then leaves Lardo in the care of Alice.

Suddenly, the whole town is wondering how you leave a recipe to a cat. Everyone wants to be the next big pie-contest winner, and it’s making them pie-crazy. It’s up to Alice and her friend Charlie to put the pieces together and discover the not-so-secret recipe for happiness: Friendship. Family. And the pleasure of doing something for the right reason.

Sprinkles and Secrets by Lisa Schroeder
Twelve-year-old Sophie has always dreamed of being an actress and being in front of the camera. When that dream comes true and she’s offered a T.V. commercial spot, she’s over-the-moon happy. But then she finds out what exactly she’ll be advertising: the delectable, ever-popular brownies from BEATRICE’S BROWNIES, which just so happns to be the number one competitor to IT’S RAINING CUPCAKES—owned by her best friend, Isabel’s, family. Sophie has a tough choice to make: Follow her dreams or crush her best friend. What’s a girl to do?

 

Anyone else getting hungry? I hope you enjoy these tasty treats!

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Celebrating National Pi Day with books about PIE!

By on March 13, 2017   /   Book Lists  

Unless you live on another planet, you probably know that tomorrow, March 14 — 3/14 — is National Pi Day. The Greek letter Pi is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159.

Since I don’t understand that very well, I choose to celebrate National Pi Day by eating pie and reading books about pie. What a delicious way to spend the day!

The first book that comes to mind is Pie by Sarah Weeks. When Alice’s Aunt Polly passes away, she takes with her the secret to her world famous pie crust recipe. Except in her will, Polly leaves the recipe to her fat, disagreeable cat, Lardo, and then leaves Lardo in the care of Alice. It’s up to Alice and her friend Charlie to put the pieces together and discover the not-so-secret recipe for happiness — friendship, family, and doing something for the right reason. A delightfully scrumptious book!

Another yummy pie book on my list is a just-published novel by Kat Yeh, The Truth About Twinkie Pie. Two opposite sisters, a million dollars in prize money from a national cooking contest, and a move from the trailer parks of South Carolina to Long Island, NY — that’s the recipe for this novel about family and friendship. Sprinkled with recipes and down-home commentary, the characters are endearing and true to life.

Pi in the Sky by Wendy Mass has to do with a boy who is bored with his job of delivering pies. The plot is a little confusing, since it takes place in The Realms, located inside dark matter. When something goes terribly wrong, main character Joss is bored no more and has the monumental task of rebuilding Earth. Lots of interesting facts about physics and the universe.

Next on my list is Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick. A favorite among teachers and young readers, this is the story of Steven, who plays drums in a band, has a huge crush on a hot girl, and is constantly annoyed by his younger brother Jeffrey. When Jeffrey gets sick, Steven’s world is turned upside down. You’ll have to read the book to find out what Dangerous Pie is!

Pies & Prejudice (how clever is that?) is part of the Mother-Daughter Book Club series by Heather Vogel Frederick. The club reads Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and in their continuing adventures, the girls hold a bake sale then suddenly have a thriving business to contend with.

And while we’re discussing pies, we can’t forget kids’ cookbooks! Two of my favorites are Baking With Kids by Leah Brooks and American Girl Baking, published in conjunction with Williams-Sonoma. Both cookbooks have colorful photos, step-by-step easy to follow instructions, and have recipes for not only pies and pie crusts, but also cookies, cakes, muffins, scones, and other treats.

Enjoy your Pi and Pie Day!

Michele Weber Hurwitz is the author of the upcoming novel, Ethan Marcus Stands Up (Simon & Schuster/Aladdin, August 2017), as well as The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days and Calli Be Gold (both Penguin Random House). Visit her at micheleweberhurwitz.com.

 

 

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Ripe Reads for National Cheese Lover’s Day

By on January 20, 2017   /   Book Lists, Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers, Nonfiction  

Really, today is National Cheese Lover’s Day, and to celebrate we’ve got a spread of “cheesy” books from fiction to food to just plain fun for you to savor.

brick-of-cheese

 

9780545939577Cheese by Sarah Weeks

Oggie Cooder loves cheese so much that he carries a slice of cheese with him wherever he goes. It’s not just for a snack — Oggie is an excellent charver. (Charving is when you chew a piece of cheese to carve it in the shape of something.) The kids at school think Oggie’s charving is a little strange. But when a big TV show comes looking for people with unusual talents, Oggie is suddenly Mr. Popular. Can Oggie charve a path to fame and score an invite to the party of the year without melting under the pressure? No matter how you slice it, you’re going to laugh when you read about one small kid becoming a really big cheese, in this hilarious combination of Oggie Cooder and Oggie Cooder, Party Animal.

 

9781101931219The Birthday Suit (Commander in Cheese #4) by Lindsey Leavitt, illus. by Ag Ford

If you are a mouse, then you might know about Ava and Dean Squeakerton. They are kind of famous, for mice. That’s because Ava and Dean and the rest of their family live in the White House. When a human has a birthday, mice get to eat a BIG cake! When a mouse has a birthday, mice get to throw a BIG party! Ava and Dean can’t wait to surprise Gregory on his birthday. They have the perfect gift: a special Abraham Lincoln suit made just for him! But making sure a mouse arrives at his surprise party on time is not easy . . . especially when a human kid picks up that mouse and wants to keep him as a pet! This chapter book series is sure to thrill readers who love tiny details and big fun. Bonus cool facts about presidents, the White House, and U.S. history are featured in the back of the book.


9781442433083Who Cut the Cheese? (Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder) by Jo Nesbo, illus. by Mike Lowery, trans. By Tara F. Chace

“Large helpings of whimsy, humorous black-and-white illustrations, and the occasional fart joke provide plenty of silliness” (Booklist) in the third Doctor Proctor adventure from New York Times bestselling author Jo Nesbø. Nilly, Lisa, and Doctor Proctor are too busy inventing things to watch TV, and everyone says they’re missing out on the hot singing competition. But then Nilly and Lisa notice that their friends and family are acting really weird. And the only people acting weird … are the ones watching TV. What’s going on is WAY bigger than a singing competition. It could mean the end of the world. Or a silent but deadly could save everything! Let ’er rip.

 

9780545872522The Cheese Experiment (Geronimo Stilton #63) by Geronimo Stilton

New Mouse City was in a panic. A strange epidemic had broken out—mice everywhere were covered in weird blue spots! Mouse Island’s most famouse doctor immediately set to work with his team to try to find the cure… but someone was trying to stop him. Could I figure out who before I ended up blue myself?

 

 

9781481423274Heidi Heckelbeck Says “Cheese!” by Wanda Coven, illus. by Priscilla Burris

Heidi Heckelbeck is a little witch with a big problem: she’s missing her front tooth! Can she fill the gap with some magic in time for class picture day? Heidi Heckelbeck has a loose front tooth, and class picture day is just around the corner. Despite being as careful as can be, Heidi loses the tooth—and ends up with a big hole in her smile! Can she use her Book of Spells to create a new tooth? Or will she have to learn to love her new look?

 

9781561458103The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale by Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright, illus. by Barry Moser

Skilley, an alley cat with an embarrassing secret, longs to escape his street-cat life. Tired of dodging fishwives’ brooms and carriage wheels, he hopes to trade London’s damp alleyways for the warmth of ye olde Cheshire Cheese Inn. He strikes a bargain with Pip, an erudite mouse: Skilley will protect the mice who live at the inn, and in turn, the mice will provide Skilley with the thing he desires most. But when Skilley and Pip are drawn into a crisis of monumental proportions involving a tyrannical cook, an unethical barmaid, and a malevolent tomcat, their new friendship is pushed to its limits. The escalating crisis threatens the peace not only of the Cheshire Cheese Inn but also the British Monarchy! Unbeknownst to Skilley and Pip, however, they have a secret ally: a famous author who scribbles away many an afternoon in ye olde Cheshire Cheese Inn…

 

9780545035255Say Cheese and Die! (Classic Goosebumps #8) by R.L. Stine

Discover the bone-chilling adventures that made Goosebumps one of the bestselling children’s book series of all time. Now with all-new bonus materials! Greg thinks there is something wrong with the old camera he found. The photos keep turning out . . . different. When Greg takes a picture of his father’s brand-new car, it’s wrecked in the photo. And then his dad crashes the car. It’s like the camera can tell the future—or worse. Maybe it makes the future!

 

9781512434217Chips and Cheese and Nana’s Knees: What is Alliteration by Brian P. Cleary, illus. by Martin Goneau

What is alliteration? You’ll find the answer inside this bookit’s packed with wonderful and wacky words that start with similar sounds. Brian P. Cleary’s remarkable rhymes and Martin Goneau’s ingenious illustrations creatively present the concept of alliteration for young readers. For easy identification, key examples of alliteration appear in color, and comical cats reinforce each idea.

 

9780399240164Who Moved My Cheese? For Kids by Spencer Johnson and Christian Johnson, illus. by Steve Pileggi

Spencer Johnson’s Who Moved My Cheese? is a bestselling book that has helped millions of people around the world adapt and succeed in changing times. Now Dr. Johnson has adapted his story for the picture book audience so that, starting from the earliest age, children can view change as a positive thing that can lead to new opportunity. Young readers will enjoy following the story of the four little characters, Sniff, Scurry, Hem and Haw, who make their way through a maze looking for the “Magical Cheese” that makes them happy. And once they find the Cheese, it seems like it will last forever-until one morning when everything changes. Who moved their Cheese? Will it come back? Or will they have to look for different Cheese, venturing onto strange paths, around corners they’ve never explored? As children follow these friends through the maze of change, they can try to figure out which character they’re most like-or which they most admire-and what their own Magical Cheese might be.

 

9780766033153Chocolate Ants, Maggot Cheese, and More: The Yucky Food Book by Dr. Alvin Silverstein, Dr. Virginia Silverstein, and Laura Silverstein Nunn, illus. by Gerald Kelley

Would you eat chocolate ants or roasted grasshoppers? What about maggot cheese or octopus? Authors Alvin and Virginia Silverstein and Laura Silverstein Nunn introduce readers to foods from all over the world that students may think are yucky—and foods that we may eat that other people think are yucky, too!

If you know any other “gouda” books like these, let us know in the comments section. We’ll “edam” right up!

Dorian Cirrone is the co-regional advisor for the Florida Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She has written several books for children and teens. Her most recent middle-grade novel, The First Last Day (Simon and Schuster/Aladdin), is available wherever books are sold. You can find her on Facebook and on Twitter as @DorianCirrone. She gives writing tips and does occasional giveaways on her blog at: http://doriancirrone.com/welcome/blog/

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