by Kristen Kish
First published 2021
Arlo receives a journal from his parents with instructions to record thoughts and feelings. Instead, he fills the pages with recipes that bring him joy and calm. The kitchen becomes his playground where he experiments with ingredients, follows some recipes completely, and improvises with others. When recipes fail, Arlo starts fresh or transforms mistakes into something entirely new. He discovers that cooking mirrors life itself. Both require exploration and willingness to take risks to build something authentic. Each new flavor he creates becomes unique and delicious. Life presents unexpected challenges, but Arlo learns he can always combine ingredients in surprising ways. The journal guides him toward understanding himself through culinary adventures. His friends also use the journal to explore their own identities. Together, they learn that cooking and living both reward creativity and courage.
Genres: fiction, family-life, contemporary, cooking, food-and-drink, culinary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, self-discovery
64 pages · Hardcover · Tool of North America LLC