SANDOR KATZ AND THE TINY WILD

Fermentation expert Sandor Katz’s hearty voice punctuates Lori Prince’s overall narration of this picture book. It’s a biography of Katz, who moved to a “community of queer folk” in Tennessee in search of a healthy life after his HIV diagnosis. He has become famous for his recipes for fermented foods. The titular “tiny wild”—the microbes that make the culinary magic—swirl as multicolored dots through Julie Wilson’s humorous illustrations. Prince clearly relishes the text’s occasional alliteration and onomatopoeia just as much as Katz’s friends savor his “kraut-chi.” The story and a concluding note written and narrated by Katz are presented twice, with and without page-turn signals. Further information, including notes read by each co-author, concludes the book and recording. The whole package fizzes with briny verve. V.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2023 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2023]