John Burns (8) (1968–)

I was looking for ideas to make our family’s bag lunches more exciting. When I browsed the library’s shelves, most of the lunch-themed cookbooks had recipes that were geared toward kids, required reheating, or were messy to eat. Then I found this book which was perfect for my needs, even though it's not about lunches in particular.

The Urban Picnic is all about dining al fresco in a city setting. There's a fairly lengthy introduction that includes historical information, followed by show more themed menus (e.g. Barbeque, Sports, Beach, Hotel Room) and the collection of recipes. There are two versions of each themed menu, one of which is vegetarian, and the authors also include a music playlist to match each theme.

The recipes look good, though a good many are rather basic. My biggest complaint about the book is the lack of photos. There are some nice line drawings, but they just don't inspire me the same way as beautiful food photographs. I made a chicken salad wrap and an Asian style salad from the recipe collection and were happy with the results of both. show less

A detailed treatise covering the history of the picnic, the Slow Food movement and lots of menu ideas. The book then moves on to a huge range of superb recipes from a range of contributors. Bound to get you wanting to plan a sojourn into the fresh air. The recipe for Mousetraps give a crisp snack for those who like cheese and Marmite which is nothing short of addictive.

Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Statistics on teenage runaways are frightening. Knowing that teens are living homeless in big cities and surviving by their wits is terrifying. John Burns takes readers into the world of the teenage runaway. It is a frightening place, where survival can depend on becoming part of a group and having to trust some very scary individuals with your life.

Peter Weir's life takes a sharp turn downhill when his mother shows up at show more school to announce that his father just died of a heart attack. His attempts to pull his life back together are feeble. Just moving on doesn't work well for Peter.

After a meeting with his father's attorney to discuss his estate, Peter finds he has a thousand dollars in cash at his immediate disposal. The future seems clear - take it and run. He boards a bus and heads for someplace far from his absent father.

Traveling alone isn't as easy as Peter thought. Roughed up by several bullies, he loses all but two hundred dollars of his money. His remaining funds dwindle quickly. Peter is relieved to meet several other homeless teens who introduce him to Dekman. Survival seems easier as he joins their group and panhandles for Dekman in exchange for a place to sleep and food to eat.

The dark side of Dekman begins to surface, making Peter uncomfortable but still dependent for survival. His artistic talent could possibly offer him a chance to break free of the group, but he fears Dekman's threats too much to take the chance.

Afraid of Dekman, yet also afraid to call home for help, Peter's subconscious takes over. He realizes that he is able to create his own special world inside his mind. This world he calls Runnerland, and it gives him a place to escape the stress and danger of his current situation -- but it also seems to make the unstable Dekman jealous.

Peter's story is a realistic one. The deserted buildings that become his home, the creative methods he devises to beg and earn his living, and the fragile and scary trust he must have in the leader, Dekman, all come together to illustrate the dark and dangerous life of the homeless. This well-written story will make readers consider just how many of these teens are out there today, living on the edge of survival. show less

This book was about a boy who father died, later on he finds out that he is adopted. He left his home and lived on the street, joining a gang. I thought this book was good, it was directed at teenage life, and how life really is when you live on the street, with no home, clean clothes or a roof over your head.