The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs

October 1, 2018

Gr 4 Up-This cookbook contains over 100 kid-tested recipes and 20 desserts from America's Test Kitchen and is contemporary eye-candy for middle grade readers and teens. Each recipe includes short testimonials from some of the 750-plus kids who were part of the test group, making the book fun and interactive. The cookbook also features informational sections for new chefs, such as "Getting Started in the Kitchen" and "Conversions and Equivalents." Taking a stance on nutrition, the work provides a section on "Healthy Eating 101" in the back matter, which includes information dedicated to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate system of five food groups. The design of the book is busy and blocky, reminiscent of Pinterest or Instagram, with informational asides and related tidbits with snappy headings. The organization follows a similar tact, including general information-such as how to choose the right kid-friendly knife-among the recipes, rather than in the front matter of the book that is dedicated to "Getting Started in the Kitchen." The pictures are small (there are no full-page spreads) and few step-by-step photos are included. Younger cooks and emergent readers may feel overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of information contained on a page, as the format sometimes fights the procedural and chronological nature of a recipe. VERDICT Despite some flaws, this is a must-have book to update tween cookbook collections-and a great holiday buy, too.-Shannon O'Connor, Unami Middle School, Chalfont, PA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 1, 2018
Grades 3-7 *Starred Review* The always-reliable America's Test Kitchen brings their expertise to aspiring foodies with this cookbook designed for kids in the kitchen. Thorough, generously illustrated introductory pages offer tips on cooking jargon; basic skills, such as dicing, folding, cracking eggs, and melting butter; recommended tools, all of which are required at some point or another in the recipes; and common pantry staples. The recipes, all labeled by difficulty, include plentiful, full-color photographs of kids performing the steps, inset boxes with further explanations, suggestions on variations to the recipes, and near-constant mention of asking for adults' help. The recipes themselves are all kid-friendly and require ingredients easily available at many grocery stores. Apart from the requisite pizza, chocolate-chip cookies, and grilled-cheese sandwiches, there are some surprisingly sophisticated choices, such as a classic French-style omelet, maple-glazed salmon, and an inspired upgrade to packets of hot cocoa?freezable portions of chocolate ganache that can be melted in a cup of hot milk whenever a craving strikes (YUM). The pages on knife safety ( a sharp knife is a safe knife ) and recommendations for specific tools are particularly useful. The inviting, encouraging tone, which never talks down to the audience; emphasis on introducing and reinforcing basic skills; and approachable, simplified recipes make this a notable standout among cookbooks for kids.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)