These are the books I featured on WBRC Fox 6 this month. From a children’s book about a young John Lewis to a close look at the power of a street address to delicious and different Southeastern Asian barbecue recipes to a book about eels–get ready to be informed and entertained.
Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis by Jabari Asim with illustrations by E.B. Lewis
This beautifully illustrated book for grades 2-5 tells the story of the childhood of one of America’s most respected Civil Rights icons: the late Congressman John Lewis. As a child, Lewis was tasked with taking care of the many chickens on his family’s farm, and he took care of them in his own way: emulating his church’s ministers by preaching to the hens. When they fought over their meal, he’d tell them: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” When a hen wouldn’t want to share, he’d tell her: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” The future Freedom Rider and U.S. congressman would even baptize newly hatched chicks. E.B. Lewis’s luminous, sun-dappled watercolor illustrations—perfectly capturing the light of an Alabama morning—are as captivating as the story.
The Address Book: What Street Addresses Reveal About Identity, Race Wealth and Power by Deirdre Mask
The author travels the world and looks back in time (from ancient Rome to modern-day Kolkata) to discover how our addresses (or lack of an address) influence our politics, culture and technology. Addresses, she says, are about identity, class, race and (mostly) power. They are even critical to our health—shown on a map by 19-century British physician John Snow that illustrates the spread of cholera cases during an 1854 outbreak in London. The book is filled with interesting and entertaining information on people and places.
The Flavors of the Southeast Asian Grill by Leela Punyaratabandhu
Fire up that charcoal grill! There are 60 mouthwatering recipes in this new book that show that Asian roadside barbecue is as delicious (and easy) as any of our American backyard versions. The recipes are from Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and more. Learn techniques, flavor profiles and spices of each area as you use your smoker, grill, or even open flame to cook. Consider Chicken Satay with Coriander and Cinnamon, Malaysian Grilled Chicken Wings and Thai Grilled Sticky Rice. The author maintains that Southeast Asian-style barbecue translates easily to the American outdoor cooking style, so don’t expect these recipes to be Westernized or altered. The integrity of the recipes honor the people who created them as well as their traditions and cultures.
The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World by Patrik Svensson
Life and science come together in this highly informative book that is part memoir, part natural-world nonfiction. The author grew up fishing for European eels with his father, and that led to a lifelong fascination with these creatures. Little, really, is known about the European eel. Where do they come from? What are they, anyway? Fish? Something else? Scientists have plenty of questions about how they breed and give birth, too. And why, after living for decades in freshwater, do they swim back to the ocean at the end of their lives? Svensson draws on history, literature and modern marine biology to create a book that explores our own place in this world—as humans, as animals ourselves.
I link to Amazon to show you exactly what book I’m talking about, but I love to shop locally at Church Street Coffee and Books, The Alabama Booksmith, Little Professor Book Center, and I often visit my local library.
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