Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson
I’m always happy to find a new writer and this debut novel is a real treat. B and B, as their mother calls them- Benny and Byron are sister and brother. After the death of their mother, a lawyer contacts them to listen to a message she has left on a memory stick, along with some black cake that she wants them to share, when the time is right. Benny feels her brother has turned his back on her and doesn’t understand her choices. Byron, a successful scientist, looks on her with disdain for hurting their mother by leaving home and giving up on an elite college education. While in contemporary California, B and B travel emotionally to the Caribbean to learn more about their ancestry. My favorite character may be Lin who always thinks of himself as Chinese but he realizes he is Caribbean as well, which is a complex identity I never thought of. The novel makes us think of food as heritage but above all it’s a good story. What I really wanted as it came to an end was a taste of black cake, so I found a great recipe online!
My daughter Ronit recommends: The Diamond Eye: A Novel, Kate Quinn
It was only when I sat down to write this review did I realize that Kate Quinn’s latest book about a female sniper is based on a true story. This just made me like the book even more! In 1937, a quiet university student in Kiev, Mila Pavlichenko, joins the army to help stop Hitler’s invasion of Ukraine and Russia. After more than 300 kills turn her into a national hero, she is sent to the United States to try and persuade President Roosevelt to enter into the war. There she develops an unlikely friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. When an enemy from Mila's past threatens her future, the young sniper finds herself battling for her life. A woman, a soldier, a mother, and a heroine, Mila changes history. I am a fan of historical fiction and The Diamond Eye did not disappoint!
Carey recommends: Kids Fight Climate Change, Martin Dorey
With the tag “Act Now to Be a #2minutesuperhero," this fun, informative, activity-oriented book will set your child up to be a planet-saver. Dorey illustrates all of the different kinds of climate change and how they affect our future. It then offers up a series of 2-minute activities per day to help, all of which contribute to making a child a superhero. Some activities are super-easy, others a little harder. With bright colours, clear animations, and fun type, this book is perfectly created for the children of today who have grown up hearing the words “climate change” but have no true idea what it is or what can be done. Written for ages 7-10, but many adults should be doing these activities as well!