summer reading

Final class celebrations are in full swing at many schools around the country and while lil ones are counting the minutes until Summer vacation, it's our job to keep their brains growing while they are out on break. Keeping up the routine reading throughout the warm months is one way to ensure that your tot doesn't regress.

The Children's Book Council recently invited children to select their favorite books of the year by age group. Over 220,000 votes were collected and the winners were announced at a ceremony recognizing Whoopi Goldberg for her dedication to the promotion of literacy during the 90th observance of Book Week.

The winners include:

• Kindergarten to Second Grade: The Pigeon Wants a Puppy, by Mo Willems
• Third Grade to Fourth Grade: Spooky Cemeteries, by Dinah Williams
• Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade: Thirteen, by Lauren Myracle
• Teen Choice Book of the Year: Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer
• Author of The Year: Stephenie Meyer, for Breaking Dawn
• Illustrator of the Year: Jon J Muth, for Zen Ties

After seeing Tropic Thunder, I felt a teensy bit of relief that the Summer blockbuster events of 2008 seemed to be over at long last. Not that I didn't have fun, but I'm a little maxed out on major hype, epic special effects, and huge box office totals. I'm ready to dig out my warm jackets and sweaters and settle down with some little Fall movie gems.

I'm not alone in this feeling, as Salon's movie critic Stephanie Zacharek describes her own fatigue in a thoughtful piece she wrote this week called "Do You Suffer from Blockbuster Fatigue?" She broaches some interesting topics and makes some good points, including:

• Zacharek says that "this year the assortment of big Summer movies hasn't been that different from other Summers in recent memory," but she wonders: "So why has the Summer of 2008 seemed exhausting in a way previous Summers haven't?"
• Here's one excellent point she makes: "The most important element of Summer-blockbuster culture isn't the selling of movies; it's the selling of anticipation, because the amount of time we might spend looking forward to a big Summer movie is almost always longer than the shelf life — in theaters, at least — of the actual movie."
• Also, did you know the all-important opening weekend summer box office precedent started with Jaws in 1975? Zacharek notes that after that fateful and lucrative summer, Jaws became "the picture to beat, and to emulate." Thus the action-adventure tradition.
• She concludes her column by accepting that Summer blockbusters that have "great characters, an arresting visual style, and brilliant storytelling" and also draw millions to see them are "rare and elusive." She says fatigue comes when Hollywood tries to repeat a winning formula, like with The Dark Knight. "The minute you try," she writes, "you've already diluted some of the magic."

What do you think? Has the summer of 2008 been overwhelming in hype? Or do you hope blockbuster season gets bigger and better each year?

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One of the more interesting entertainment-related stories I came across this past week is a Salon "Beyond the Multiplex" column about a subject near and dear to my heart: independent film. In the story, writer Andrew O'Hehir looks at the signs that indie films — so hot just a few years ago — are undergoing a pretty serious slide at the box office. Among the evidence:

• Several "independent" divisions of major studios are slashing their workforce or shutting their doors.
• Though Juno was a success last year, none of this year's indie films have broken through in a big way at the box office.
• The "digital revolution" has led to more films being produced than the market can hold, and many of them aren't great quality.
• Despite all that, more people than ever are saying they'd rather see independent films than studio fare.

It's an interesting look at a possibly outdated model for distributing smaller, quirkier films. So, go give it a read, and then come back here and tell me what you think about the state of independent film today.

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If you've got some extra time today, I recommend taking a read through this New York Times Magazine story about Mad Men (it's also out in today's edition of the print magazine, if reading thousands of words online isn't your cup o' chai). It's a fascinating look at the show and its creator, Matthew Weiner. Among the best tidbits:

• Weiner wrote the pilot of Mad Men while working on the show Becker; it got him a job on The Sopranos but his series pitch was rejected by both HBO and Showtime.
• At least one prominent ad man of the '60s is annoyed by the show, which he think plays down the work he did in favor of "three-martini lunches" and ogling women.
• If someone's tie is tied wrong on the show, that's probably because the actor tied it himself. Weiner thinks a slightly imperfect look enhances the show's authenticity.
• The show has only made two blunders that Weiner regrets . . . but you should go read the story to find out what they are!

If you're just getting into Mad Men, beware of some spoilers in the story —but if you love the show, it really is a great read. Enjoy, and then come back here to discuss!

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Can you believe that August is over already? We hope that you all enjoyed August's summer reading month features. We've had thirty-one options that range from vegetarian cooking, shopping list mockery, world history, children's cooking, vacations, fine dining and more. In case you missed any of them, I've compiled them all in one place for easy perusal, or for you to printout and take to the bookstore!

And don't worry, just because summer reading month is over, doesn't mean we'll stop talking about tasty reads! To check out the full list, read more

I have a large collection of colorful party planning books that I browse when I'm in need of inspiration. Cocktail Parties With A Twist by Alexandra and Elliot Angle is part of said collection. Written by the owners of top LA catering company, Aqua Vitae, the book features ideas for 14 parties complete with extensive cocktail coverage and deliciously paired recipes. They teach you how to host a party in a teeny studio, a cold garage, a local restaurant, a snowy mountain top, and a seaside dock. The pictures are gorgeous and the ideas innovative. My favorite party is the day after party in which they provide recipes and cocktails that will ease the pain of a hangover. Thanks to this book, I enjoyed many successful parties!

It's no secret, I'm a pretty die-hard carnivore. I tried to go veg when I was 16, but my dad made bacon for breakfast a few days later and I just couldn't help myself. So naturally, when a book with the huge letters M-E-A-T arrived at the Sugar HQ, I knew I'd found my next "must read."

Just by glancing through Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's The River Cottage Meat Book, you can tell it's one of those books that is destined to become a classic. The first section of the book is committed to "Understanding Meat," while the rest of it is devoted to various ways of cooking. It's one part meat manifesto, one part guidebook and all parts captivating. Reading it will help you understand high-quality sustainable meat production, as well as educate you in how to choose and store meats. In fact, I lent the book to TeamSugar and she said,

If you are a meat eater it is a must, as it is an in-depth look into the delicious world of meat. For those vegetarians, the first chapter alone might convince you to eat a big juicy steak.

While it may not actually convert any vegetarians, it is a book that many vegetarians can get behind due to Hugh's stance of sustainable farming. If the poor treatment of animals wasn't enough to turn you off of big-farm farming, then Hugh's descriptions of slow-grown heritage animals treated with respect just might.

Yet, admittedly, this book is not for the faint of heart. For every delicious dish that's prepared, there's also pictures of it during the different stages of preparation (including the slaughter). However if you've ever wanted to learn more about meat, where it comes from, how you should select it and then prepare it, you should definitely seek this book out. It was originally published in the UK in 2004, but has recently been revised/converted for an American audience. And did I mention the fact that there are definitely loads of delicious recipes inside?

As much as I love reading a cookbook, I often enjoy reading novels about chefs, caterers, or culinary personas that have exciting adventures and delicious romances. Whenever I crave one of these culinary novels, I turn to Diane Mott Davidson, author of 14 foodie mysteries. In her latest novel, Sweet Revenge, her recurring heroine Goldy Schultz — a Nancy Drew meets Martha Stewart character — finds herself in the middle of yet another murder mystery. You'll be sitting on the edge of your seat, hungry for each page.

Davidson's prose is delectably descriptive and she even provides a recipe or two for some of Goldy's delicious dishes. However the real bonus is that Davidson doesn't take herself too seriously — she even names her characters after famous dishes (ex. Drew Wellington) — which makes for a refreshing and fabulous read.

Many of you have written in and asked my opinion of Curtis Stone, aka The Take Home Chef. Truth be told, I don't know too much about him, other than he started at Melbourne's Savoy Hotel at the age of 18, and then later moved on to The Grill Room with Marco Pierre White (Godon Ramsay's mentor/nemesis). I also know that he's the author of a beautiful book called Cooking with Curtis: Easy, Everyday and Adventurous Recipes for the Home Cook.

The book is divided into four seasonal chapters, as well as three difficulty levels, and is full of mouth-watering dishes like Deep-Fried Eggplant and Mozzarella with Basil, Lentil Stew with Spicy Sausage and Crispy Pork Belly. It is clear that Stone's mission is to celebrate fresh seasonal ingredients and to get you, the home cook, interested in exploring the possibilities. There are plenty of tips and each recipe has a gorgeous photo to accompany it.

To get a taste of what the book has to offer — aka the recipe for Deep-Fried Eggplant and Mozzarella with Basil — read more