Kids in the Kitchen

Just like a Veg-O-Matic, cooking does it all for kids. While they're busy slicing and dicing, popping and chopping, they get a big helping of learning along with the fun. In Honest Pretzels, Mollie Katzen lists many things elementary school students get out of the process, including "reading comprehension skills; sequencing skills and development of logical thinking; communication and organization skills; refinement of small motor skills and hand-eye coordination; cultural awareness from trying different ethnic cooking styles," as well as science and math skills. Personal qualities like confidence, self-esteem, creativity, responsibility, patience, and curiosity also flourish in the kitchen.

The Science Chef and The Healthy Body Cookbook, both by Joan D'Amico and Karen Drummond, offer tasty lessons in health, anatomy, and science, while firsthand experience with different cuisines as offered by Matthew Locricchio's The International Cookbook for Kids and Kari Cornell's Holiday Cooking around the World will rev up multicultural studies. Outside the classroom, cooking and food are important to family life, as experienced in Jama Kim Rattigan's Dumpling Soup, and Joanne Rocklin's Strudel Stories. The kitchen is the heart of the home in Jerdine Nolen's celebratory In My Momma's Kitchen, and even the scene of a crime in John Stewig's hilarious Making Plum Jam.Middle schoolers add cooking to their independence skills in Megan and Jill Carle's Teens Cook, and learn to make choices regarding their health and values with Judy Krizmanic's The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook. They might even begin to contemplate restaurant careers like the budding chefs in Susan O'Keefe's Death by Eggplant and Tucker Shaw's Flavor of the Week, two protagonists headed for culinary school.

Cooking is nutritious, delicious, and just plain fun–bring the kids into the kitchen and serve up success. Satisfaction guaranteed!–Joyce Adams Burner

Fiction

COFFELT, Nancy. What's Cookin'? A Happy Birthday Counting Book. illus. by author. Chronicle Books. 2003. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-8118-3561-8.

PreS-Gr 1–In a sunny kitchen, a young cook is joined by nine friends, each of whom plays a special part in baking an enormous surprise birthday cake. Rendered in vivid oil pastels, the decidedly diverse cooks frolic through their tasks with a cheerful black cat underfoot. The rhyming verse rocks along simply and rhythmically. "Tips for Cooking with a Child," "Math in the Kitchen," and a recipe for "Cousin Alice's Easy Layer Cake" bring this delicious book to a sweet conclusion.

HOPKINSON, Deborah. Fannie in the Kitchen: The Whole Story from Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes with Precise Measurements. illus. by Nancy Carpenter. Atheneum. 2001. RTE $16. ISBN 0-689-81965-X; pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-689-86997-5.

Gr 1-3–Before finding fame at the Boston Cooking School, Fannie Farmer worked as a mother's helper. In this fictionalized account, her spunky charge initially resents Fannie's intrusion into her home, but is soon won over by the culinary delights coming from the kitchen. Fannie records the precise measurements and directions that produce a perfect cake every time so that Marcia can learn to cook, too. Whimsical color-washed Victorian etchings humorously depict the serene Fannie and her precocious charge.

LEWIN, Ted. Big Jimmy's Kum Kau Chinese Take Out. illus. by author. HarperCollins. 2002. Tr $16.95 ISBN 0-688-16026-3; PLB $16.89. ISBN 0-688-16027-1.

Gr 1-3–A young narrator revels in the action, sounds, and aromas of his family's Chinese restaurant. "Chop! Chop! Chop! Dice and slice. Trim and dice. Slice and shred." Boxes of vegetables are delivered, mountains of meat cleavered. Regular Brooklyn neighborhood customers arrive, the phone rings incessantly. Rich watercolor illustrations depict a team of uncles working in the kitchen, "side by side, moving around each other like dancers in a ballet." Order up!

NOLEN, Jerdine. In My Momma's Kitchen. illus. by Colin Bootman. Lothrop. 1999. Tr $15.95. ISBN 0-688-12760-6; PLB $15.89. ISBN 0-688-12761-4; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-06-443786-8.

K-Gr 3–A close-knit African-American family celebrates a college scholarship won, welcomes the aunts in for "Talking Pots Day," and prepares crab-apple jelly with the cat's "help," and Daddy dances and sings as he makes barely edible corn pudding. Richly colored oil illustrations depict happy relatives gathered in the heart of their home enjoying good food and good company

RATTIGAN, Jama Kim. Dumpling Soup. illus. by Lillian Hsu-Flanders. Little, Brown, 1998. pap. $6.99. ISBN 0-316-73047-5.

K-Gr 3–Marisa's big "chop suey" family loves the New Year's celebration held at Grandma's house on Oahu, where they share Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Hawaiian food with traditional dumpling soup served just after midnight's firecrackers. Lush watercolors depict the island setting and enhance the warm love and acceptance characterizing this inclusive family, where Marisa's dumplings are declared to be the very best.

ROCKLIN, Joanne. Strudel Stories. Delacorte, 1999. Tr $14.95. ISBN 0-385-32602-5; pap. $4.50. ISBN 0-440-41509-8.

Gr 2-5–The trick to making excellent apple strudel? Telling family stories as it's prepared. Each of the three chapters features an older person preparing the pastry while relating family history. Russian children in 1894 hear of the boy who danced with ghosts, while in 1947 Brooklyn, listeners learn how a young girl outwitted Ellis Island officials. The present-day generation, now living in Los Angeles, hears about a young cousin orphaned by the Holocaust and taken in by the family in America. Warmly genuine, with strudel recipes.

STEWIG, John Warren. Making Plum Jam. illus. by Kevin O'Malley. Hyperion. 2002. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-7868-0460-2.

Gr 2-4–Jackie is surprised when his three eccentric aunts raid a neighbor's plum tree and startled when the farmer roars up on his tractor, "shouting angry words my mother says I cannot use." After escaping, the quartet spends the afternoon making jam. When Jackie's conscience keeps him awake that night, he sneaks back to the farmer's house with several jars of plum jam. Jewel-toned colored pencil illustrations hilariously depict the affectionate characters.

Nonfiction

GILLIES, Judi & Jennifer Glossop. The Kids Can Press Jumbo Cookbook. illus. by Louise Phillips. Kids Can Press, 2000. pap. $14.95. ISBN 1-55074-621-9.

Gr 3-5–Readily available ingredients and simple instructions make this a great starting point for beginning chefs, with black-and-yellow cartoons adding a giggle. Recipes range from basics like scrambled eggs and tacos to more involved undertakings like sushi and tabbouleh. The emphasis is on healthy choices and fresh ingredients, with difficulty rated and prep and cooking times noted. Menus for entire meals are suggested, and tips on cooking safety and meal planning are included.

KATZEN, Mollie. Honest Pretzels: And 64 Other Amazing Recipes for Cooks Ages 8 and Up. illus. by author. Tricycle Press. 1999. Tr $19.95. ISBN 1-883672-88-0.

Gr 2-6–An introduction encourages parents to include children in cooking as a team and offers a wealth of ideas for making the experience successful for all participants. The recipes are vegetarian, encouraging young cooks to try fruits and vegetables on their own terms. Each kid-tested recipe begins with a list of ingredients and utensils, followed by step-by-step illustrated directions. Small colored-pencil illustrations and hand lettering lend graceful charm.

MAZE, Stephanie. I Want to Be a Chef. Harcourt. 1999. Tr $17. ISBN 0-15-201864-6; pap. $10. ISBN 0-15-201936-7.

Gr 4-6–Students interested in culinary professions can begin their search in this attractive introduction to different cooking careers. Bold color photographs take readers into the kitchens of actual restaurants and cooking schools, revealing the specific behind-the-scenes duties of everyone from the dishwasher to the executive chef. Training programs ranging from those offered by the Culinary Institute of America to summer cooking camps are included, as is a brief history of culinary arts, the impact of modern technology, and some famous chefs.

PORTER, Cheryl. Gross Grub: Wretched Recipes That Look Yucky but Taste Yummy. Random. 1995. pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-679-86693-0.

Gr 3-8–Recipes include "Boogers-on-a-Stick" (cheese spread, green food coloring, pretzel sticks) and "Slab o' Scabs" (toast with red jam and raisins), unappetizingly depicted in simple drawings. Besides the nasty titles and appearances, some recipes even feature action like "Simple Pimples" (cherry tomatoes hollowed out and filled with flavored soft cream cheese) that are fun to squeeze, pop, and chow down. Consider the Halloween party potential in this book that adults will loathe and kids will snarf up.

WILKES, Angela. The Children's Step-by-Step Cookbook. DK. 2001. Tr $17.99. ISBN 1-56458-474-7.

Gr 4-6–Big, bright color photos make this a visual feast and encourage confidence in the kitchen. Recipes range from simple snacks like popcorn to more complex productions such as "Kabobs," "Stuffed Potatoes," and "Iced Sponge Cake." Each one includes photographs of all ingredients and utensils as well as step-by-step pictured instructions and finished results, often with easy variations suggested. Appended material–more photos–includes several menus and a picture glossary of cooking terms. Highly practical, with an emphasis on fresh ingredients and good nutrition.

Fiction

CREECH, Sharon. Granny Torrelli Makes Soup. illus. by Chris Raschka. HarperCollins. 2003. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-06-029290-3; PLB $ 16.89. ISBN 0-06-029291-1; pap. $5.99. ISBN 0-06-440960-0.

Gr 4-7–Granny Torrelli makes zuppa with 12-year-old Rosie, and amid the chopping and simmering, tells stories from her own life that resonate with Rosie's changing feelings toward Bailey, her next-door, life-long best friend. Bailey's encroaching blindness, the intrusion (and inclusion) of a new girl on the block, and the complications of approaching adolescence are mixed with graceful rhythm and a generous sprinkling of Italian words and phrases, making this story tasty indeed. Audio version available from HarperChildrens Audio. $18. ISBN 0-06-056432-6.

DESSEN, Sarah. The Truth about Forever. Viking. 2004. Tr $16.99. ISBN 0-670-03639-0.

Gr 7 Up–After witnessing her father's death, Macy retreats into self-disciplined caution to please her perfectionist boyfriend and her driven mother. She stumbles into a job with Wish Catering, headed by pregnant and disorganized Delia and staffed by unpredictable characters who help Macy come to terms with her past and embrace her future. Exquisitely insightful characterizations throughout.

O'KEEFE, Susan. Death by Eggplant. Roaring Brook Press. 2004. Tr $15.95. ISBN 1-59643-011-7.

Gr 5-8–Struggling to pass eighth grade, Bertie Hooks dreams of attending the Culinary Institute of America. When his teacher gives him an extra-credit assignment: caring for a flour-sack baby for 10 days, his mortal enemy kidnaps the "baby," and Bertie enlists the aid of his wacky parents in getting revenge. The boy's confusion and turmoil as he works through issues of self-esteem and identity are well done and followed through slightly improbable yet entertaining turnovers in the action, with lots of great food and cooking info tossed in.

SHAW, Tucker. Flavor of the Week. Hyperion. 2003. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-7868-1890-5.

Gr 6-9–Cyril Bartholomew, 16, is a whiz in the kitchen and is secretly preparing to audition for culinary school. He is smitten with Rose Mulligan, who only sees him as her dear 240-pound pal. When his old friend, Nick, returns to town, Rose is captivated by his charm and good looks, and mistakenly believes that Nick is the master chef. Eventually the truth comes out, and Cyril wins Rose's heart. A recipe is included in every chapter of this comically culinary retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac.

Nonfiction

CARLE, Megan, Jill Carle, & Judi Carle. Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat. Ten Speed Press. 2004. pap. $19.95. ISBN 1-58008-584-9.

Gr 7 Up–Two sisters encourage other teens to take charge and cook meals appealing to themselves and to their families. This mix of 85 recipes, ranging from comfort food to sushi, includes traditional American fare as well as other cuisines. Vegetarian Megan offers advice on adapting many of the recipes to her diet. The "Kitchen Disaster" sidebars are amusing accounts of mistakes made by the Carle family. Striking color photos display finished dishes and demonstrate cooking procedures (and kitchen fun with friends and family).

CORNELL, Kari A. Holiday Cooking around the World. Lerner. 2002. PLB $25.26. ISBN 0-8225-4128-9.

Gr 5-8–"Thai Egg Rolls," "North African Chicken Soup," "Danish Rice Pudding," and Italian "Dead Bone Cookies" are some of the specialties found in this compendium of dishes served at various holiday meals. Safety hints and cooking basics follow a lengthy introduction that explores holiday traditions, and a list of ethnic ingredients and two international menus complete with shopping lists are offered. Suggestions for vegetarian conversions are included. Bright color close-up photos show the finished dishes.

D'AMICO, Joan & Karen Eich Drummond. The Healthy Body Cookbook: Over 50 Fun Activities and Delicious Recipes for Kids. illus. by Tina Cash-Walsh. Wiley. 1999. pap. $12.95. ISBN 0-471-18888-3.

Gr 4-6–Combine one part hands-on health activities with two parts nutritious recipes and you get this particularly scrumptious book that will be great for curricular units on the human body and health. Arranged by parts of the body–heart, blood, muscles, bones, teeth, hair, nerves, digestive system–each chapter includes basic health information, a simple experiment, and several recipes (rated for difficulty) for foods that will keep that system healthy. Basic cooking and nutrition information is included, and simple line drawings decorate the text.

D'AMICO, Joan & Karen Eich Drummond. The Science Chef: 100 Fun Food Experiments and Recipes for Kids. illus. by Tina Cash-Walsh. Wiley. 1995. pap. $12.95. ISBN 0-471-31045-X.

Gr 5-9–"Why does popcorn pop?" "Why do onions make you cry?" Young scientists can head into the kitchen and find out with this fun book of experiments and related recipes. Illustrated with modest line drawings, the recipes are rated for difficulty, and utensils and ingredients are listed. The emphasis is on enjoyable cooking success with a little scientific insight thrown in for good measure, with factoids set in the margins and general scientific information confined to brief chapter introductions.

KRIZMANIC, Judy. The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook. illus. by Matthew Wawiorka. Viking. 1999. Tr $15.99. ISBN 0-670-87426-4; pap. $10.99. ISBN 0-14-038506-1.

Gr 5 Up–Krizmanic encourages vegetarians to take charge of their diets and cook for themselves, then offers a wide variety of recipes chosen to fit into a busy teen's schedule. The recipes use common ingredients and offer clear instructions, many labeled "Insanely Easy." Sidebars add helpful hints about food selection and preparation. A "How-to-Get-Your-Nutrients Substitution Chart," information on baking without eggs, and a chapter devoted to being a vegetarian in college are particularly on target. Small line drawings dot the text.

LOCRICCHIO, Matthew. The International Cookbook for Kids. Marshall Cavendish. 2004. Tr $18.95. ISBN 0-7614-5185-4.

Gr 5 Up–In this tempting buffet of recipes for classic dishes from "the big four" of world cooking–Italy, France, China, and Mexico–recipes are grouped under "Soups," "Appetizers and Snacks," "Salads," "Pasta, Pizza, and Polenta," "Vegetables and Side Dishes," "Main Dishes," and "Desserts," with a special section devoted to "A Taco Party." Everything is made from scratch, emphasizing fresh ingredients for superior flavor, with a bright color photograph of each dish. Locricchio promotes cooking as teamwork involving family and friends in an enjoyable experience.

RAAB, Evelyn. Clueless in the Kitchen: A Cookbook for Teens. Firefly. 1998. pap. $12.95. ISBN 1-55209-224-0.

Gr 7 Up–A wryly humorous collection of 200 recipes aimed at teens who truly are clueless in the kitchen, this book features sections like "Breakfast–A Cruel Joke" and "Vehemently Vegetarian." Raab devotes a healthy introductory section to substantial basic information on cooking and shopping, including "How Not to Run the Dishwasher," empowering independence in the kitchen. Comical line drawings and icons identifying different sorts of recipes ("Cheap Eats," "Mom Food") maintain the friendly tongue-in-cheek tone.

SCOBEY, Joan. The Fannie Farmer Junior Cookbook. illus. by Patience Brewster. Little, Brown. 2000. pap. $15.95. ISBN 0-316-77617-3.

Gr 5-7–Scobey updates a perennial classic with information on timesaving techniques and an emphasis on fresh ingredients while pen-and-ink illustrations preserve the charm of the original. Recipes for "Microwaved Fish" and "Microwaved Chicken Breasts" join stalwarts like "Baked Ham" and "Panfried Lamb Chops." Instructions are clear; both ingredients and equipment needed are listed for each recipe. Cooking and safety information is solid. Tried and true.