How the Cookie Crumbled: The True (and Not-So-True) Stories of the Invention of the Chocolate Chip Cookie

Gr 2–4—Everyone is familiar with the deliciousness of chocolate chip cookies, but did you know some people say they were invented by accident? Ruth Wakefield's lifelong passion for cooking and baking would eventually lead her to create the beloved chocolate chip cookie recipe. While some parts of her life story are straightforward, the actual invention of the tasty treat is surrounded by lore and legend. Readers will learn all three purported origin accounts, along with a little biography of the inventor herself. Laden with food and cooking puns, the vocabulary might go over the heads of younger readers and make it somewhat difficult for newly independent ones, too. However, the cartoonish flair of the rich and expressive illustrations, in combination with the subject matter, will widen the appeal to younger audiences. The lively, conversational writing style makes the book feel more like a whispered secret being passed down than a standard work of nonfiction.