Caroline Randall Williams

Love encapsulates every page of this cookbook/family history. The first fourth of the book takes readers through five kitchens, through multiple generations, and many cooking styles. It is a wonderful tribute to their family. While the authors (a mother daughter duo) praise and venerate the previous generations they also realize how unhealthy some traditional soul food has become and spruce up old recipes and create some to fill the void. Kitchens are a place of solace and they don't want to remove the experience and pleasure for anyone so they created and tweaked recipes for the benefit of all. "In our family, and in many Southern families, the abundant kitchen has become an antidote for what pains and afflicts us. Somewhere along the way, abundance became excess. Then excess became illness."

There are literally dozens of recipes I can't wait to try: southern hummus, warm onion and rosemary salad, spicy roasted sweet potatoes with pomegranate, fiery green beans, and more. This book is not vegetarian based, but it is certainly very vegetarian friendly and a welcome addition to my bookshelf. The descriptions are mouthwatering, the pictures sumptuous, and the recipes fairly simple.

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased opinion.… (altro)

Both this Middle Grade story and its illustrations are absolutely adorable, and it is such a wonderful book for young girls!

Black Bee Bright, called BeeBee, narrates this book written in the form of diary entries. BeeBee is just about to turn thirteen and lives all alone with three "godmommies" and a tutor “on an island in the middle of very tropical nowhere.” She feels compelled to complain about it before she explains how she got there:

"All this nature was fine when I was four. Even when I was eight. In a week, I’ll be THIRTEEN. I want air conditioning. I want window screens. I want a Forever Best Friend, and a Boyfriend!”

It turns out however, that BeeBee is isolated for her own safety; she is the daughter of the Raven King and Raven Queen, and was sequestered by her mama on Bee Isle when there was a war in Raven World. But Bee is sad and bored, and also stressed out: when she turns thirteen she is eligible to take the OPT (“Official Princess Test”) to see if she qualifies to be a princess and eventually take over the throne of Raven World. Also, if she passes the test, she gets to travel between Bee Isle and the other two worlds: the Fairytale World and The Other World (or “the regular place”). But there is one more condition besides the test: she has to find and meet the eight princesses who are supposedly someplace on the island.

Turning thirteen is confusing for Bee. Lots of challenges are ahead. Her body is changing and the information the godmommies give her on her background is changing too. Can she manage it all? Can she pass the test, find a friend, find a boyfriend, meet the princesses, and find meaning in her life?

Evaluation: I can’t adequately convey how cute and fun this book is. And although my plot summary makes it sound as if there is a lot of fantasy in this book, it really is more about being thirteen, learning values, and learning to love yourself. BeeBee is funny, brave, honest, curious about the world and about what it means to be a girl; sometimes silly and sometimes very grown up. The “godmommies” are terrific characters and role models, and the illustrations by Shadra Strickland are outstanding as well. Highly recommended for both you and the growing girls in your lives!… (altro)