Book Review Bonanza and Giveaway

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Today I have three books to tell you about.  And I’m giving one of them away!

The first is called The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Sushi and Sashimi.   I have to begin by saying that I’ve always been constitutionally opposed to words with “Idiot” in the title.  No matter how clueless I happen to be on a particular topic, I simply refuse to call myself an idiot.  However, when I was contacted by the publisher offering one of their titles for a review, I could not resist the sushi one.  And given the fact that I didn’t even know what sashimi was before I got the book, maybe in this case the Complete Idiot title fits me better than I’d care to admit.

I have made lots of Korean-style sushi before, but never learned how to make the rice taste ‘right’– ie like sushi that I’ve bought — so that was the section of the book where I went first.   The description was clear and easy to follow.   Also in the book there are recipes for all sorts of sushi variations.  I was especially pleased to see a vegetarian section.  Seafood can be spendy, and I’ve wondered if it is possible to make something yummy that is meat free. The answer is yes. I’ll also be trying some of the recipes that work well with imitation crab meat.  I would have liked this book better if it had more pictures, but it is worthwhile, and I am looking forward to trying some of the recipes.

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The second book I have to talk about — this is the one I’m giving away!– is called First Lego League: the Unofficial Guide.  Several years ago my big boys did a lot of playing with Lego Mindstorms, Legos that let you build and program robots.   These days there are more advanced Lego robotic kits available.   In fact, there are robotics competitions for preteen kids all over the country.   If your kids are robot builders, and if you are interested in starting a Lego League of your own, this book would be a great tool.  It covers the history of this sport, gives hints for organizing your own team and even talks about robotics construction.  At the moment none of my kids are really into this, so I’d love to share my copy with any reader who might be interested in having this book.   Leave me a comment and tell me why you’d like this book, and I’ll send it to the reader who seems most likely to get some good use out of it!

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The final book is one that I am itching to read in its entirety.  Dateable:  Are You?  Are They? snagged me in the Christian bookstore simply because of its title.  By the time I’d read 10 pages without putting it down, I’d decided it was most likely a book that would also interest my teenagers.   I handed it to my daughter in the car after we got out of the store, and she was still reading it 5 miles later as we drove.  The book was written by youg adults and has a breezy approachable style.  It warns of the pitfalls of casual dating relationships, and explains the different ways that guys and girls think.

I remember as a teen getting all sorts of grief for wearing the type of clothing that was in style then:  super-tight jeans and short shorts– and I didn’t really understand why my dad was so concerned.  After several years of conflict over the issue, my dad sat down and explained to me the way a girl’s clothing affects a guy’s thoughts.  Finally I understood that his restrictions were less about me and more about them– about the ripples I made around me in the world. Though I still didn’t love the rules, I understood the ‘why’ behind them.  This book has that same type of talk with girls and guys, in a very teen friendly way.  Kids who read this book will come away with a better understanding of the opposite sex.