Winter Punches to Nut Crunches

April 1, 2013

Gr 1-6-The 13-to-14 recipes in each volume are easy to make, require accessible ingredients and prepared foods, and cover a variety of categories, from drinks ("Warm Cranberry Punch") to dessert ("Baked Stuffed Apples"). They're also wholesome without calling a lot of attention to that fact; they're packed full of fruits and vegetables, fiber, and sugar substitutes such as honey and agave nectar. Bright, seasonally appropriate palettes and sharp, color images of food and ingredients give the books an appealing, modern look. The "Healthy Tips" section at the end of every title offers additional ways for readers to make their culinary creations delicious and nutritious. The syntax is occasionally stilted, with many simple sentences and few transitions, but this is not much of an issue given that the bulk of the writing here is instructional.

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2013
Grades 3-5 With the cold, gloomy weather in the winter months, the bright, warm, healthy, and tasty recipes curated by LaPenta might be just the pick-me-up the doctor ordered. After an exhaustive list of necessary equipment and a stern warning to seek adult help with knives and other tools, straightforward instructions are laid out like recipe cards, which include estimated cooking and preparation times. However, the illustrations do little to aid instruction; the strangely stylized pictures of food don't always make such dishes as coconut balls and quick corn chowder look appetizing. Nevertheless, some recipes are sure to be hits, like the health-conscious valentine-pink hot cocoa, which includes beets to make the cocoa pink. Design choices aside, this is a solid entry in the Yummy Tummy Recipes: Seasons series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)