Mmm ... Donuts ....

The Donut Chef

by Bob Staake

I have a confession to make. I'm one of those people who like to children's books to have a lesson embedded in the story. It doesn't have to be overly preachy or obvious or thought-provoking, but just something to make you think, if only a little bit. Even if kids can't always comprehend big meaning and implications, they get the gist of these things.

Now that you know about my lofty ideals (well, one of them), you will understand why I was quite happy to stumble upon The Donut Chef, which is a nod to the overly competitive marketplace of outlandish food items that Americans are so accustomed to.

Summary

One day, a charmingly round donut chef notices a busy street corner that he thinks would be the perfect spot for a donut shop. He cleans up the kitchen, whips together some flour, sugar and lard and begins selling his donuts to happy folks of every age (presumably he leased the space before all this, but that isn’t mentioned ...). His donuts are a huge hit, and it's not long before news of his success spreads and a competing donut shop opens up RIGHT NEXT DOOR.

The donut chef suddenly finds himself battling for customers by making unlimited quantities of artful and outlandish donuts in order to compete with his fancy neighbor. Cherry-frosted lemon bar, peanut-brickle buttermilk, gooey cocoa-mocha silk - nothing is too crazy for these donut chefs! But soon, the customers get bored. The donuts don’t even resemble donuts anymore, what with all the crazy flavors, colors and shapes the chefs have baked! But it isn't until one day when a little girl makes a request for a simple glazed donut that the donut chef realizes the beautiful appeal of a classic. He revamps his shop - Amazing Glazed: Simply Glazed Donuts -, and gains back his loyal customers.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

Yes, although you might need a snack after you finish! I'm not always a fan of rhyming verse in picture books, but Staake did a great job with this whimsical tale. The art is hilarious (the donut chef is a round and jovial man who looks slightly like the Michelan man, and the customers are a charming array of shapes and colors), and the subtle message is a great one in our modern food world where crazy options abound. Definitely recommended ... and some munchies close at hand!

Love and Sex at 17

Forever: A Novel

by Judy Blume

Continuing with my plan to tackle some of the Judy Blume books I missed out on when I was younger, I decided that my third book by this lovely author would be the one I continually see on lists of challenged or banned books. Forever is Blume's story of teenage love (and sex!), and I decided it was high time I found out what all the fuss was about.

Summary

Forever opens at a New Year's Eve party, where high school seniors Katherine and Michael meet through mutual friends. Kathy has dated before, but never very seriously, and she has not had sex. When she and Michael get together, something is different. She is curious about him in ways she hasn't been about other guys, and she feels comfortable with him. She knows she wants her first time to be with someone she loves, and those feelings seem to be surfacing now.

What follows is the teenage love affair of Kathy and Michael, and their seemingly unrelenting desire for one another. As always, Blume is frank and honest in her descriptions of their words and deeds - nothing raunchy or terribly naughty, just straight-forward and true to life. While Kathy and Michael explore their feelings and desires for one another, Kathy learns about her friends sexual experiences as well, which provide a great example of some of the possible outcomes of choosing to have sex.

Though Kathy and Michael promise each other that their love is forever, as they finish their high school careers and begin to look toward the future, Kathy realizes that her feelings can change.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

I did indeed stay up to find out if Kathy and Michael's love would last forever, and I found myself reliving my own high school relationships as I made my way through the book. Some of the slang terms are slightly dated, as it was written in 1975, but the feelings, questions, and emotions are timeless. As always, Blume does a fantastic job representing the inner workings of the teenage brain, and I appreciated that she provided a range of situations and useful information regarding the pleasures, responsibilities, and consequences that come with the decision to have sex.

Regarding the appropriate audience for this book, I would wholeheartedly recommend this for ages 16 and up. Maybe 15. I do not believe the content is offensive or inappropriate, and it is in fact informative and thought-provoking, which is what teenagers need in order to figure out all the confusions of growing up. As I was reading it, I found myself wishing someone had given it to me to read in high school! Here's hoping that teenage girls keep on discovering this classic!