Customer Reviews

Kids Cook!: Fabulous Food for the Whole Family (Williamson Kids Can! Series)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a great cookbook! Real food for real kids and their real parents. Not only is the layout easy to follow, the book contains good basic info on measuring, cooking techniques, and equipment. It also has invaluable information (in the margins on every page) on safety, nutrition, and other fun facts. The recipes are rated easy to more difficult so that cooks of all levels can enjoy this book. I may even get one for my cooking-phobic sister-in-law!

The perfect cookbook for kids, kids and parents, and parents alone! Great recipes for all ages. Nutritional tips and info are a wonderful plus for kids learning to cook. Be sure to try the chicken salad recipe.

"Kids Cook!: Fabulous Food For The Whole Family" by Sarah and Zachary Williamson is a compilation of more than 150 delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes specifically designed to be 'kid friendly' and thereby allowing children to learn the joy of cooking in their family kitchens. From breakfast dishes that include 'Easy French Toast' and 'Breakfast Sundaes', to luncheon favorites like 'Chicken Shirt Pocket' and 'Roast Beef Super Sub', to savory salads including 'A Whale of a Fruit Salad' and 'Veggies and Shells', to snacks like 'Jammed Potato Skins' and 'Nacho Nibbles', to special treats such as 'Easy Hot Fudge' and 'Orange Creamsicle', to dinner entrees like Pizza Originale" and 'Stuffed Burgers', to simply wonderful desserts including 'Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes', and 'Autumn Apple Crisp', "Kids Cook!" offers a wide and savory range of make-it-yourself dishes that would grace any family table. Also very highly recommended for children's cookbook collections is Deanna F. Cook's "The Kids' Multicultural Cookbook: Food & Fund Around The World".

As a children's librarian, I bought this book for my library based on reviews and the pictured cover. When I buy my own cookbooks, I look for color photos of the recipe. The pairing of the recipe and final product are truly appetizing and certainly sell, not only the food, but also the cookbook. However, open Kids Cook! and find colorless pages! In fact, it truly looks like a coloring book. At first, I was really annoyed. Children also deserve color photos. Then I reread the reviews and re-examined the cookbook. OK, true, it is a fine little cookbook, easy to read, easy to follow.

With those things in mind, I came up with a way to write a totally positive review. After (you and) the child puts the product in the oven, s/he can sit down and color the recipe page! I suggest keeping nearby a big box of colors--one with bunches of choices in order to get the colors of the food just right. Unless the cook has homework, what better way to use the time while the food cooks?! Pairing a second creative talent with the first! Not only that, but the child can keep up with what has been tried at a glance. On the inside cover, create a chart of good/bad and all between ratings and then mark each colored recipe accordingly! What fun!

I bought this for our kids weekly "kids cook night" and they (9 and 10) had very little kitchen experience. This has a nice variety of dishes and gives very detailed "kidese" directions.

I should have paid more attention to the publication date for this book...1992. The authors' ideas about good nutrition are decidedly out of date. This book is full of high fat, high sugar recipes. I also find it hard to believe the authors are children. I've taught school and the authors write like no young people I know. I would suggest investigating other cookbooks for kids if you're thinking of buying this one.

I bought this for my daughters about 2 years ago or so. They found it at the library and liked it, but I wanted our own new copy (a lot cleaner). Anyhow, they've used it so many times. They are 14 & 12 now and we refer to it quite often. They have their favorites in the book (the desserts) and I've even compared some of my recipes to it.