Pittsburgh Cuisine Showcased in New Teen Novel
Ƶ University's Lee McClain Authors “Sizzle”
Lee McClain, Ph.D., professor of English at Ƶ University, has written her fourth book for teens, “Sizzle,” which is published by Marshall Cavendish Books.
McClain's fast-paced, dialogue driven story, told in the first-person from the lead character’s point of view, is a fun, light read for tween girls. An unexpected family illness forces a 14-year-old Latina foodie, Linda Delgado, to leave her Arizona home for the large Pennsylvania household of her aunt, uncle and their seven children. In addition to being uprooted from her Native American best friend Julia and her quiet life in Arizona, Linda can’t even find solace in her cooking, as the kitchen is her aunt’s domain. Linda’s life takes a turn when she gets her chance to sizzle with a cooking project at school with a cute Italian boy who’s hiding a food-related secret.
“Featuring cuisine from Pittsburgh’s various ethnic neighborhoods, Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAT) bus trips through the East End and food shopping in the Strip District, "'Sizzle' should find a place on many Pittsburgh teens’ bookshelves,” said McClain. 'Sizzle' makes for a fun, light read to be devoured quickly,” said Paula J. Gallagher, Voice of Youth Advocates, a library magazine serving those who serve young adults.
McClain, of Greensburg, Pa., teaches undergraduate and graduate classes at Ƶ University. A fan of reality cooking shows, McClain got the idea for "Sizzle" while trying to negotiate between friends’ sophisticated foodie tastes and her own Midwestern adoration of canned-green-bean casserole. McClain obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Ohio State University and earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Colorado.