Judy Krizmanic

Published by Puffin, 1999; ISBN 0140385061

Recommended reading age: Young Adult

Summary:

Although vegetarian options have come a long way since 1999, Judy Krizmanic’s book remains a useful tool for new vegetarian teens. The cookbook includes recipes and cooking tips, as well as a helpful nutrition chart. These pages will ease parents’ minds when they wonder how their child is getting enough protein, calcium, or iron. The Teen’s Vegetarian Cookbook should be a staple for teens just learning to eat vegetarian, as well as for their parents.

Review:

As Judy Krizmanic writes, “side dishes can get pretty boring after awhile.” As a vegetarian, it’s important to know how to cook your own entrees. More often than not, a vegetarian is left to his or her own devices in the kitchen. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to this predicament since they may be used to family dinners and mom-cooked meals. Knowing how to cook for themselves (or how to ask Mom and Dad what to cook) is vital to a teenager’s health and well-being. I became vegetarian at the end of high school, and vegan soon after. My mom’s initial reaction was to panic. But after reading through recipes and nutrition tips, we both adapted to a new way of cooking. The Teen’s Vegetarian Cookbook came in especially handy in the dorm kitchen.

New Line Home Entertainment, 2004

Directed by Peter Jackson

Starring Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellan, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Bean, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys Davies

Rated: PG-13

Summary:

By a strange twist of fate, Frodo Baggins, a hobbit, has come to own The One Ring—the ring of power created by and for The Dark Lord Sauron. Although Sauron was previously defeated by the forces of good, he has finally come back into power. When he learns of his ring’s location, he and his followers begin chasing Frodo across Middle Earth.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy follows Frodo and his friends as they quest to destroy Sauron’s ring of power. Along the way, they fight amongst themselves and with foes, lose friends, gain allies, and fulfill ancient destinies. The Lord of the Rings films effortlessly bring the fantasy classics to life.

Review:

I love the books and I love the films. I’m probably in the minority on that, but I stand by my opinions. The movies definitely differ from the books, but, like most book-to-film adaptations, the changes were made for a purpose. Legolas the elf is somber and quiet rather than jolly; Arwen plays a much bigger role than she does in the books; and Faramir treats Frodo with a cautious hostility never seen in writing. Nevertheless, the movies are an extraordinary adaptation of a staple in fantasy literature. I’d recommend these movies to fans of the books, fans of sci-fi and fantasy, adventure lovers, and anyone who prefers Orlando Bloom blond.

Richard Adams

Published by Scribner, 1996; ISBN 068483605X

Recommended reading age: teen, adult

Summary:

Sandleford Warren is home to a well-ordered, content band of rabbits. But when one of them has a vision of impending danger, they flee to find safety elsewhere. Watership Down follows this group of rabbits across the countryside as they face countless obstacles, such as cars and wild animals. Richard Adams creates a truly believable rabbit society, filled with social order, history and folktales.

Review:

I’ve always been a fan of talking-animal stories, from Peter Rabbit to Redwall. I love Richard Adams for making a talking-animal story for an older audience. Within the simple concept of rabbits finding a new home, Adams addresses all kinds of social issues, such as violence, sex and death. These issues hit even closer to home because they came through an anthropomorphic story, and I’m a huge animal lover. The book also contains short stories from rabbit folklore, and those were fascinating in and of themselves. I definitely recommend this book to fans of Redwall, to animal lovers, and to anyone who likes a classic adventure odyssey.

Mark Twain

Published by Puffin, 2008; ISBN 0141321091

Recommended reading age: 12 and up

Summary:

Huck Finn has always been a trouble maker, but never rebelled against anything bigger than his small-town society. When his alcoholic father kidnaps him for money, though, Huck must flee down the Mississippi River and face the larger world. His friend Jim, a runaway slave, accompanies him down-river. Mark Twain uses Huck’s trip to paint a picture of pre-Emancipation America, and to challenge the reader with frequent moral dilemmas.

Review:

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has two major strikes against it: it’s a frequently banned or challenged book; and it’s often required reading in high schools. That’s enough to repel a big chunk of readers! However, anyone brave enough to pick up Mark Twain’s classic will be rewarded with an entertaining, multi-layered adventure. “Moral struggles” tend to be a topic for English papers, but Huck’s dilemmas were actually quite interesting. His logic only adds to that, as he’s just a kid who’s never internalized society’s nuances. Huck’s very good-versus-bad; he rarely sees the gray in a situation. Twain’s writing is gritty enough to bring history to life, but it never feels like a history lesson. I’d recommend this book to fans of historical fiction and fans of realistic adventure. (Hesitant readers can always pick up the movie)

The Long Way Home (Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 8, volume 1)

Joss Whedon and Georges Jeanty

Published by Dark Horse Comics, 2008; ISBN 1593078226

Recommended reading age: Young adult

Summary:

The Long Way Home picks up where the TV show left off. Buffy and her new army of slayers have relocated (Sunnydale is a crater now, remember?), and now operate in several countries. Buffy, Xander and Dawn lead the slayer team out of Scotland. But, as usually happens with Buffy, nothing goes completely smoothly. Dawn has turned into a giant, some old enemies have reappeared, and the American government has become interested in tracking down Buffy and her slayers. With a couple of stand-alone episodes thrown into the mix, The Long Way Home makes an excellent replacement for the late TV show.

Review:

Some Buffy fans truly prefer comic-book format, since Joss can do things on paper he could never do on TV. Personally, I would love to hear these lines spoken aloud by Sarah Michelle Gellar and Alyson Hannigan. Still, The Long Way Home was a decent replacement for my favorite ex-TV show, making for an entertaining read. Joss throws in his trademark action and humor, as well as a few interesting plot twists. I’d recommend The Long Way Home to Buffy fans.

Jane Eyre

Miramax, 1996

Directed by Franco Zeffirelli

Starring Anna Paquin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, William Hurt

Rated: PG

Summary:

Based on Charlotte Bronte’s novel, Jane Eyre follows the heroine from an impoverished childhood to an appointment as a governess in a large country mansion. Jane’s unhappy and plain childhood still cling to her, as she is now a plain and unhappy young woman. Nevertheless, she and the mansion’s owner, Mr. Rochester, develop a friendship, affection, and finally a romance. But as Jane grows closer to Mr. Rochester, she also begins to learn some of his darker secrets. Jane Eyre, while certainly a romance, also carries elements of tragedy and suspense.

Review:

Bronte described Jane as quiet and plain, and Zefferelli certainly made Charlotte Gainsborough fit the bill. I love Charlotte Gainsborough and would never call her ugly, but I understand how she was easier to hide in grays and bad hair than some other actresses. Her physical appearance works perfectly as Jane, and her acting is excellent as usual. William Hurt also plays an excellent Rochester—a brilliant blend of anger, mystery and kindness. I enjoyed the music, the scenery and all the acting, and thought it was an excellent adaptation of Bronte’s novel. I’d recommend this film to fans of the book, romance fans, and Jane Austen lovers.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Based on the book by Ann Brashares

Warner Home Video, 2005

Directed by Ken Kwapis

Starring Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrara, Blake Lively, and Alexis Bledel

Rating: PG

Summary:

Although the four main characters of the story take personal journeys, the main traveler becomes a shared pair of jeans. Lena, Bridget, Carmen and Tibby have quite different personalities and pant sizes, yet each fits perfectly into the same pair of jeans. Deciding the pants are magic, the four friends create a plan for sharing the pants—then sending them on—throughout the summer. Lena goes to visit her grandparents in Greece; Bridget travels to Mexico for soccer camp; Carmen spends time with her father in South Carolina; and Tibby stays home to work a summer job. In their individual destinations, the girls learn lessons about love and family and self-confidence.

Review:

The premise is a little hokey, so the movie’s a little hokey. Nevertheless, the four leads are all talented actresses who manage to make this a quality film. Even during the predictable scenes, I wanted to see what would happen. The movie definitely has the potential to get saccharine and sentimental, but it remains relatively realistic. Recommended to young girls and their best friends, teen girls, women who miss their friends, and fans of the book(s).

By Doublefine/Majesco, 2005

Playstation 2, Xbox, PC

Rating: T

Summary:

Raz has grown up the circus, but always harbored dreams of becoming a Psychonaut, a psychic fighter. Against his parents’ wishes, he runs away to the Psychonauts’ summer camp. He has a very short amount of time to pass every test before his parents come to collect him. But while Raz is earning his badges, he uncovers an evil plot within the summer camp: a mad scientist is stealing brains from Psychonauts and campers! Playing as Raz, you must earn all the merit badges in order to become a full-fledged Psychonaut, and then save the other campers from the evil scientist.

Review:

I’ve adored Tim Scafer since his work on Monkey Island. He definitely brings his imagination and quirky humor to Psychonauts. The game fits the action/adventure bill, combining unique combat with puzzles (and plenty of jokes). The visuals are stunning and bright, and the voice work is amazing. This may not be perfect for a gamer who loves first-person shooters, lots of competition, and gratuitous violence. But it’s a great pick for anyone who loves funny, imaginative gaming like Katamari Damacy, Monkey Island or Ico.

Katamari Damacy

By Namco, 2004

Playstation2

Rating: E

Summary:

“When the King of All Cosmos accidentally destroys all the stars in the sky, he orders you, his pint-sized princely son, to put the twinkle back in the heavens above. The only way you can do that is by rolling everything on Earth into clumps so that he can replace what’s missing in space.” These clumps—aka katamaris—take shape as you roll up paperclips, cats, candy wrappers, traffic cones, cars, guitar players, and skyscrapers. As long as you form a big enough katamari in the allotted time, your creation will become a constellation, a planet, or a star. The goal is to make a katamari so big that you can roll up the sun itself.

Review:

I adore this game, as does everyone I know. The graphics are bright, the music is brilliant, and all the script is hilarious. The concept is ridiculous and kind of difficult to explain, but once you start, you’ll be hooked. The movement is done with a combination of the analog sticks, and getting the movement down is the hardest part. It’s completely free of competition, so it may not be the best choice for die-hard competitors. Otherwise, Katamari Damacy truly is a perfect game for everyone.

Beyond Good and Evil

by Ubisoft, 2003

Xbox, PS2, PC

Rating: T

Summary:

When the world of Hyllis gets attacked from space, the Alpha Section—a military unit—repels the invaders. But as the Alpha Section gains more control, and the invaders never fully leave Hyllis, a group of citizens grows suspicious and rebellious. Among this group is a reporter named Jade, who uses her photography and her fighting skills to battle the Alpha Section. Players control Jade, moving through Hyllis and onto other planets in the quest to overthrow the Alpha Section and uncover the truth.

Review:

I loved playing Beyond Good and Evil, and have actually gone through it twice. I love console games that offer strong, fully-dressed female leads. Beyond Good and Evil also has a nice mix of adventure, combat and puzzles. The graphics are attractive and the characters have great voices. I hear a sequel is in the works, and hopefully that will draw attention to the original game. I’d recommend this game to everyone, from video-game newbies, to girl gamers, to anyone who loves action/adventure and puzzles.