I'm going to say two words, and I want your gut reaction: American cheese. So what did you think? If you conjured up a slice of a plastic-wrapped, yellow-orange rubbery substance, you're way behind the curve. Well, maybe not that far behind, because this industry is growing faster than most of us can stay abreast of. The fact is, in 2004 there were about 150 American cheesemakers and that number grew to almost 400 in 2006.

Most of us don't know the vast variety of artisanal cheese being manufactured in North America. Even if we have a great cheese shop or grocer, it can be intimidating when so many unfamiliar and new names are popping up. We stand there staring at the different shapes and monikers wondering about the taste, and when someone offers to help, we snatch a piece of chèvre (thank goodness we know that one) and say everything is fine, leaving none the wiser.

Laura Werlin is here to help. She wants to take the mystery out and put fun into selecting cheeses. Laura Werlin's Cheese Essentials goes a long way toward accomplishing that goal. The education begins as she categorizes cheese in eight styles from mild to strong; beginning with fresh cheeses and ending with their washed-rind cousins. Within those categories, we learn what the group of cheeses is commonly used for (burgers, pasta, sauces, etc); their names (brie, epoisses, Cashel Blue, etc); what to look for when buying (visual, textural, aroma, and flavor); and most important: when not to buy (smells like ammonia). And then there are assignments for "getting to know" each of the categories. With a grocery list and specific instructions on how to go about tasting the cheeses of the category — with lemon or with honey, for example — it's a no brainer. Sounds like a party to me, so why not educate a bunch of friends at the same time.

This is a great reference book, but if you'd rather be seduced by a recipe to gain more knowledge about cheese, Werlin offers 75. I chose Mushroom Toasts with Rocchetta, Goat Cheese and Lentil Salad, and Mimolette and Apple-Cranberry Galette.— Linda Avery (May 10)

As a very young child, my son Jai had an unaccountable aversion to learning any language other than English. Yet, I was determined to teach him Hindi, my mother tongue, to ensure he did not miss out on a culture and heritage for lack of simple knowledge of its language.

I would point to his clothes, toys and books and encourage him to respond with their Hindi names. Eventually, he spoke a few words — he could point to a chair and call it kursi and say the numbers from 1 to 10 in Hindi. But he did not know simple phrases such as "How are you?" or "My name is Jai." He could not have a conversation in Hindi. That all changed during a trip to India when Jai was four. more » (May. 9)