The Magazine Rack: New Reviews, April 2011

The new magazines reviewed this month range from a cooking how-to for parents and kids to a repository of primary source materials on the Tea Party movement.

ChopChop. 2010. q. $14.95. Aud: GA (Subject: Children—Nutrition. Issue examined: Issue 3, Winter 2010)
ChopChop is an entertaining, informative magazine that is pitched to kids but perfect for parents who enjoy sharing cooking and meal planning with their children. The magazine's mission is "to educate kids to cook and be nutritionally literate, empower them to actively participate as health partners with their families, and help establish and support better eating habits." The inaugural issue has 11 recipes for a variety of simple dishes, including oatmeal, bean dip, minestrone, cornbread, and stir-fried vegetables. All recipes are easy to follow and clearly indicate when an adult should help. The examined issue includes a Q&A with First Lady Michelle Obama. ChopChop is published by the independent Kid2Kid Corp and receives a technical review and endorsement from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The advisory board includes doctors, nutritionists, and five kids ages ten to 14. The editorial content and graphic design are expertly suited to fulfill ChopChop's mission, making it an especially fine choice for public libraries.

The Daily. 2011. d. $39.99. Aud: GA (Subject: Current Events. Issue examined: Feb. 18, 2011)
According to their website, The Daily is "a tablet-native national news brand built from the ground up to publish original content exclusively for the iPad." The publishers hope that iPad owners will be willing to pay for stories on topics covered extensively for free on dozens of websites. The Daily's sections are "News," "Gossip," "Opinion," "Arts & Life," "Apps & Games," and "Sports." Coverage of foreign affairs is the publication's strongest suit. The disaster in Japan and imposition of a no-fly zone in Libya on March 18 were covered briefly but well. Text is large and sharp enough to be easily read, and the photos on the iPad are more vivid than can be achieved with ink on paper. However, readers may find themselves agreeing with Simon Dumenco of Advertising Age that this tablet newspaper is erratic, unfocused, and has a tendency to crash (Mar. 14, 2011, p. 14). Dumenco thinks the iPad version of the New York Post is far superior. So while libraries may need to find ways to make tablet-only periodicals available to patrons, there's no pressing need to do so for The Daily.

The Journal of the Civil War Era. 2011. q. $60. ISSN 2154-4727. Aud: Ac (Subject: United States—History—Civil War, 1861–1865. Issue examined: Vol. 1, No.1, Mar. 2011)
The University of North Carolina Press and the George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center at Penn State copublish this journal by and for specialists in 19th-century United States history. The inaugural issue contains three research articles, a historiographic review essay, and reviews of 16 books. A distinctive addition to this standard fare is a "Professional Notes" section, which in this issue focuses on the quantity of job openings for specialists in 19th-century U.S. history (it's dropped rather dramatically). The Journal of the Civil War Era serves a subspecialty that is of fairly broad interest, and this breadth is enhanced by the coverage of the entire era surrounding the events of 1861–65. This allows plenty of room for scholarship on topics ranging from the secession crisis to memories of the Civil War from any place in the world that affected or was affected by it. So although there is no shortage of publications about the Civil War, the pedigree and mission of the Journal of the Civil War Era make it a solid and affordable choice for libraries serving research in that phase of American history.

Northeast Flavor. 2010. q. $12. Aud: GA (Subject: Cooking, American—New England Style. Issue examined: Vol. 1, Issue 2, Spring 2011)
Part cooking magazine and part travelog, Northeast Flavor brings a fresh assessment of notable restaurants and puts contemporary twists on traditional New England dishes. Features in the examined issue include articles about ideas for a fondue party, Emeril Lagasse's New England roots, northern shrimp, and beets. True to the magazine's modern approach, the piece on beets includes recipes for a roasted beet salad with oranges and goat cheese and grilled beets with shallots and feta. Northeast Flavor is definitely a magazine for foodies who are attracted to novel recipes and who put a priority on fine dining while traveling. This attractively designed and well-written publication will appeal to lovers of fine food who live in or plan to visit the Northeast.

Tea Party Review. 2011. m. $34.95. Aud: GA (Subject: Tea Party Movement. Issue examined: Vol. 1, No.1, Mar. 2011)
Tea Party Review belongs in libraries for two compelling reasons. First is Article II of ALA's Library Bill of Rights: "Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view." Patrons should be able to read why one author believes ObamaCare is "the equivalent of a bomb, and it must be wholly repealed," and know that the author's preferred alternative is no government involvement in medical care, everyone paying expenses out of pocket, and health insurance being reserved exclusively for reimbursing patients for catastrophic losses. The second compelling reason is that Tea Party Review is a neat package of primary source material on a significant U.S. populist movement that will undoubtedly be studied by historians, political scientists, and sociologists for decades to come. The content can be exasperating because of the authors' simplistic generalizations about the Left and their apparent unwillingness to accept that there can be various reasonable interpretations of the Constitution. But the publication presents an authentic cross-section of opinions within the loosely organized and ideologically diverse Tea Party movement. There's no reason Tea Party Review should not be in public libraries that can afford it (or accept it as a gift), and it would be downright irresponsible for academic libraries serving history, political science, or sociology not to acquire and preserve it.

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