Ages: 9-12
 

The Kids Can Press Jumbo Cookbook
by Judi Gillies and Jennifer Glossop; illustrated by Louise Phillips.

In The Kids Can Press Jumbo Cookbook , Canadian authors Judi Gillies and Jennifer Glossop set out to make cooking seem like a simple, easy, and fun thing for kids to do—and they succeed! The book begins with very helpful sections on basic cooking terms and techniques, measuring methods (both metric and imperial), safety tips, and menu planning. It then proceeds to the recipes, which include kid-friendly foods such as French Toast, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Chili con Carne, Pizza, and Pretzels, and fun foods like Jelly Aquariums and Toad in a Hole. Some of the recipes, such as Quesadillas, Hummus, and Sushi, are somewhat unusual foods for children, but if a child had a hand in the preparation, he or she might be willing to at least try one or two of them.

The recipes are written clearly enough for a child to be able to read and understand them without much help, and each one includes the utensils and ingredients needed for it and the amount of time it takes to prepare and cook it, as well as the instructions for producing it. The authors also include, in recipe margins, helpful hints and how-to's for things like making a hard-boiled egg and how to tell if chicken is done, as well as "Try This!" tips that let the child cook add his or her own touch to a recipe. Last but not least, Louise Phillips' funny line drawings demonstrate a few techniques while provoking giggles along the way.

-Betty Winslow

Betty Winslow is a writer and school librarian from Bowling Green, Ohio.   Her writing has appeared in many places, among them FamilyFun, Christian Library Journal, Guideposts, Writer's Digest, and six anthologies (so far).