A Tasty Breakfast

Gr 4–6—These slim volumes introduce kids to cooking and meal preparation. The books start off with some basic rules ("Wash your hands before and after preparing food," "Ask an adult to help with the blender or food processor"). Each book has a section on nutrition, advising readers to think about food labels and healthy choices. Colorful asides provide useful information about different types of food as well as fun facts. A "You Will Need" list includes what utensils will be used, while another includes all the ingredients in the recipe, followed by step-by-step written and photographed instruction for each dish. Recipes are labeled with preparation time, skill level, and whether they involve actual cooking ("no cooking" accompanies low maintenance dishes such as salads, sandwiches, or dips). Clear, average-quality images portray a diverse group of young chefs creating and enjoying meals. Though these concoctions are on the simple side (cheesy eggs, vegetable soup, hot chocolate), the directions are accessible and the results are fun and tasty. The books conclude with instructions on different kitchen skills—peeling fruit and chopping and cubing meat and vegetables—among others. Readers will also appreciate the equipment page with labeled pictures of the cooking utensils employed throughout the book. These offerings are sure to motivate aspiring young chefs.—Cynde Suite, Bartow Cty. Lib. Syst., Adairsville, GA