Salad People and More Real Recipes: A New Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up (Library Binding)

by Mollie Katzen (Author) "Children love to cook, and even those as young as three or four are drawn to the kitchen with a tremendous sense of curiosity and..." (more)
Key Phrases: please review pages, honey spoon, child pour, Children's Tools, The Critics Rave, Pretend Soup (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 3–In this charming offering, Katzen follows the format and emphases of Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes (Tricycle, 1994) to present 20 new kid-tested concoctions. Not a hot dog, tub of frosting, or package of Kool-Aid is to be found among these dishes; this is real food, the nutritious and delicious kind–low fat, low sugar, and meatless. The first recipe encourages kids to be creative and make their own miniature Salad People out of cheese, fruit, vegetables, and pasta. Tiny Tacos are tortilla chip sandwiches of refried beans, guacamole, salsa, and grated cheese. Focaccia starts with store-bought pizza dough that is painted with olive oil, sprinkled with rosemary, and baked. Chewy Energy Circles are a nutritious alternative to expensive power bars. Each tasty treat is presented in an easy-to-use, three-part format. First, an introductory section for grown-ups describes the end product and outlines tips to help children achieve success. Next, ingredients and directions are provided. Finally, a colorful spread combines simple language with clear illustrations to clarify each step. Safety tips and an essay discussing the benefits of this activity for children are included. Throughout, the writing is clear and encouraging, empowering novice chefs to discover new skills and tastes as they explore this rewarding endeavor. A winner!–Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* PreS-Gr. 2, with parental guidance. What's the best way to encourage kids to eat healthy food? Give them "the opportunity to prepare it with their own hands," says Katzen, whose many cookbooks include the original Moosewood titles. As in Pretend Soup (1994), her previous cookbook "for preschoolers and up," Katzen offers a range of vegetarian, kid-friendly recipes in an artistic, innovative format. Each recipe receives two spreads. The first contains detailed, step-by-step instructions for adults; the second, directed to children, illustrates stages of preparation in a series of clear, boxed drawings. Katzen's whimsical color pictures of dancing produce and animals decorate the pages, and many readers may find that recipes such as Chewy Energy Circles will become family staples. All recipes in the book have been "preschool tested," and Katzen gives parents plenty of tips on preparing a safe, nurturing cooking space for kids and communicating concepts such as "washing your hands with flour" before handling sticky dough. These detailed, practical, and inspired ideas may extend far beyond the kitchen, helping adults approach parenting in new ways and helping kids develop a lifelong interest and confidence in healthy food. For food-related picture books, see the Read-alikes "Kids in the Kitchen" in the October 15 issue. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Library Binding: 96 pages
• Publisher: Tricycle Press (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582461414
• ISBN-13: 978-1582461410
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #63,610 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great healthy food cookbook for young sprouts!, February 8, 2006

By	Mom of 2 boys (Chicago, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This cookbook is a real gem in the world of children's cookbooks. All of the kids' cookbooks I have seen in the past are heavily laden with sugar, chocolate, and more sugar. This one focuses on simple, healthy recipes such as "Cool Cucumber Soup" with cucumber, mint, honey, and yogurt; or "Foccacia" made with storebought pizza crust, olive oil, and rosemary.

The format is wonderful, with 2 pages for the adult to preread, followed by 2 pages of picture directions, simple enough for a 3 yr. old to "read."

I feel good about sharing these recipes with my kids (ages 5 and 3) and I don't have to worry about inducing a euphoric sugar high! My only complaint is that the kids aren't thrilled with most of the recipes... they took one sip of the cucumber soup and said, "Yuck!" They liked the foccacia but picked off the rosemary. But I will keep trying!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Big results for small people, September 27, 2006

By	wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This is the best cookbook I know for pre-K kids. The recipes are simple and clearly illustrated, but they're real food - lots of the dishes here would be welcome at any dinner table. If you want to build your child's self esteem, respect and genuine achievement are the best way to do it. This book respects the child's intelligence, and offers the achievement of making a real contribution to the family's meal. Your child will need some help with this book, but you may be surprised at just how little.

When I bought this book at a brick'n'mortar store, the clerk took one look and said "Oh. Vegetarian," as if that were all she needed to know. Yes, it is a vegetarian book, but that's the least important thing about it. It's the best cookbook I know for the age group: real food, not just peanut butter on celery, with skills transferrable to any kind of cooking. As an extra benefit, I've found that kids who cook seem a bit less fussy at the dinner table - if that's a battle you have to fight, you have nothing to lose by taking a chance on this book.

//wiredweird

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for kids and grownups, January 31, 2006

By	Happy Mother "a." (usa) - See all my reviews

My kids got this book for Christmas, along with Pretend Soup And Other Real Recipes by the same author. We love it. The picture recipes are fun for even young kids to follow, and each recipe is preceded by cute reviews by children. There are some really fun recipes, some very quick ones if you're in a hurry, and some that are not messy at all if you don't feel like cleaning up when you're finished. I definately recommend it, it's a lot of fun!