Dear Julia

Amy Bronwen Zemser
Harper Collins

Elaine Hamilton is a shy and awkward teenager, perfectly content to stay hidden in the shadows. Since she was six years old, Elaine has been cooking and writing letters (hence the title) to Julia Child. She is so shy that she can't bring herself to mail any of those letters, but rather stacks each one neatly in the trunk at the foot of her bed. By her sixteenth birthday, Elaine has memorized nearly every recipe and mastered every technique that her idol, Julia Child, knows. She prepares dishes for her family each night such as Poulet Roti a la Normade and Caneton a l'Orange.

Elaine may be shy, but she is also focused and knows exactly what she wants to be when she grows up - a chef and a teacher, exactly like Julia Child. Her mother, a US Congresswoman, is adamant that Elaine cannot throw her future away in order to pursue domestic activities.

In the meantime, Elaine meets Lucida Sans, (like the font). She is everything Elaine is not: boisterous, confident, theatrical and bold. Her life's ambition is to become famous any way she can. Lucida wears wild costumes and wigs on a daily basis, not caring what anyone else may think of her. She is obsessed with a boy named Croton Harmon, to whom she is attracted and yet rebuffed time and time again.

Those are the basics, but they don't convey how wonderfully quirky this book is! The characters are very nicely developed, each one in their own very strange way. Elaine's vocabulary is completely unlike other teens and she speaks and behaves in a stilted manner. She has five younger brothers, one of whom seems to be on the verge of becoming a cross dresser, as well as a stay-at-home dad who practices vinyasa yoga in their basement.

This is very well written and highly entertaining. There is a definite plot to follow and the readers will find themselves eagerly reading to find out if Lucida and Elaine are able bring their plans to fruition. Truly, this is an excellent selection for a pre-teen reader.

Harper Collins has the first 66 pages (wow!) posted. Take a peek for yourself to see if you agree with our assessment!

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Splat the Cat

Rob Scotton
Harper Collins

Ah, poor Splat. His first day of Cat School is rapidly approaching and he's feeling the pressure. What if his teacher is mean? What if the other cats don't like him? What if he can't find the litter box? For support, he nestles his pet mouse Seymour right next to his fish bone sandwich inside his lunch box. At least he'll have one friend at school.


Splat's eyes are round with worry as he bicycles in that morning. But ... his teacher Mrs. Wimpydimple is super nice and the other cats are very welcoming! This school thing might work out after all. And then out pops Seymour and all heck breaks loose.

The illustrations are ultra charming. The way the cat fur radiates off their bodies makes them appear super soft and fuzzy. All sorts of fun details in the background add up to make this one unique cat town. This is a great read for any child. A particularly good choice for one anxious about starting a new school or activity.

The Halloween Play

Felicia Bond
Harper Collins

Roger, an adorable mouse, has landed a part in the Halloween play at school. Although his part is small, it is integral to the plot, and he is feeling the pressure. His class is also busy handling the preparations - endlessly rehearsing and issuing handmade invitations. By the end of the night, Roger is an unqualified success and you can sense him beaming straight through his costume.

It should be noted that the cover art is not indicative of the illustrations found inside. This is an earlier work of Felicia Bond and the drawings are a bit darker than her current style. Use the link on the bottom from publisher Harper Collins to look inside more thoroughly.


A simple, yet fun read for the Halloween season. A particularly good choice for any children who face the same challenge as Roger and need a boost of confidence.

Sputter, Sputter, Sput!

Babs Bell, Illustrated by Bob Staake
Harper Collins

Bright colors, simple content, and fresh graphics make this a terrific book for the younger set. All too often books geared to this age range are full of syrup and fluff, both are which are decidedly absent here. Instead, a bright red car, complete with endearing wide-eyed driver, takes the readers on a twisting tour around town.

Bob Staake's unmistakable illustrations feature exaggerated shapes exploding with color. Circles, triangles, rectangles and squares are transformed into heads, bodies, buildings and cars. Half of the pages are very simple, while the other half are brimming with tiny details waiting to be discovered.

Zoom! Vroom! Zoom! Readers can trace the little red car's path as the road meanders uphill, downhill, all about the city. Good clean car fun paired with a rhyming text makes for a very enjoyable read! Let your child's imagination roar to life with this roadside adventure.