The Mother Goose Cookbook: Rhymes and Recipes for the Very Young [Hardcover]

Marianna Mayer (Author), Carol Schwartz (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Parents and young chefs are invited to join Peter Pumpkin, Little Miss Muffet and a cheerful cast of ani mal characters, for breakfast, lunch, dessert and snacks. '

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4?Mayer presents 14 rhymes, each with a corresponding recipe, with often pleasing and enlightening results. One can make "pease porridge hot," which is not porridge as we know it, but split-pea soup. There's also a recipe for Peter Piper's pickled peppers and a variety of breads, beverages, and desserts. An introductory letter explains that these are recipes for adults, with children helping as they are able. The letter also notes the frequency of food in Mother Goose rhymes, which inspired this cookbook. The book is clearly written, with emphasis on fresh foods and no mixes. The cover is a Betty Crocker-ish red-and-white check, and the gouache, cheerfully old-fashioned illustrations are full of animals: the King and Queen of Hearts are lions, and Peter Pumpkin Eater and his wife are mice. An enjoyable addition to the genre of "literary cookbooks" for children.?Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, ME
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 6^-8. Although the rhymes are favorites and the artwork is adorable, it's hard to see how the recipes here are for the "very young." Mayer has taken a number of dishes mentioned in the Mother Goose rhymes, but rather than simplifying their preparation (by using cake mixes, for instance), she offers recipes that even adults might find challenging. Among the more difficult are old-fashioned plum pudding and Peter Piper's best-ever pickle recipe, which requires canning. For those who don't know what pease porridge is, a recipe is offered, but it hardly seems a dish that children will be clamoring for. In an introduction, Mayer states that the recipes are aimed at enabling a novice cook to become a working partner in the kitchen, but kids old enough to be cooking those dishes will probably not be interested in the Mother Goose tie-in. Still, the book may work for adults who are ready to spend some serious time with kids in the kitchen. Little ones will enjoy Schwartz's delightful gouache-and-airbrush artwork, which has a slightly old-fashioned feeling. But after children play pat-a-cake, they may prefer just to eat a slice of cake rather than to prepare strawberry cake from scratch. Ilene Cooper

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 26, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688152422
• ISBN-13: 978-0688152420
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,295,661 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars the mother goose cookbook, August 17, 2010

By 

susan lynn jacobson - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Mother Goose Cookbook: Rhymes and Recipes for the Very Young (Hardcover)

Great little book with some nursery rhymes I'm not familiar with, can't wait until my grand daughter is old enough to sit and listen to them. The recipes all look great and are from scratch, no box mixes or canned goods.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mother Goose Rocks and so do you!, April 16, 2009

By 

Karen R. French "popspuffin" (Santa Rosa, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mother Goose Cookbook: Rhymes and Recipes for the Very Young (Hardcover)

I first bought this book 22 years ago but it was stolen! After all these years, I was so glad to be able to purchase this again. It is even the same version. This time, I bought 3 copies!