Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Ann L. Henderson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Pretend Soup has rapidly become the children's cookbook classic, and no home or daycare center should be without a copy. Mollie Katzen, author of the Moosewood Cookbook, and educator Ann Henderson have created a masterpiece formatted for grown-ups--with written instructions, suggestions, and caveats--and for kids--with illustrated, easy-to-follow pictures. The recipes are both tasty and healthy, and the quotes from kids are very funny (Matthew: "This is so good, I can't even say a word.") While safety is stressed and tips and warnings are included, Katzen and Henderson always stress the fun in food preparation. "Spills are what sponges are for. So keep plenty of sponges around, and a good time will be had by all!"

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-The theme of this fine cookbook is that cooking is a many-splendored thing. The book's purpose is "to enable very young children to cook as independently as possible under the gentle guidance of an adult partner." Each of the 17 recipes appears twice, once in words and once in full-color pictures. The child is the focus here: attention is paid to physical ability, comfortable work levels, and variety of tactile experience. A long list of skills and attitudes children can gain from cooking supports the idea that the process is more important than the product. Quotes reflect the young cooks' keen observation and joyful participation. Parents' Nursery School's Kids Are Natural Cooks (Houghton, 1974) also uses natural foods and has the same intent as this title. That book is arranged by season and contains more recipes; Pretend Soup focuses more on the processes. Anyone who works or plays with young children would benefit by having both.
Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, ME
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Tricycle Press; illustrated edition edition (March 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1883672066
• ISBN-13: 978-1883672065
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 8.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,602 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really cute... recipies are fun and yummy, March 24, 2003

By	Heather "zubzubzub" (OH) - See all my reviews

My daughter is only 3, but she participates a lot in these recipies. Lots of fun.
The names they give the foods and the pictures also make children more willing to eat the food. If you have a picky eater he/she will surely eat the creations from this book.

I appreciate that they didnt use a lot of fancy ingreadiants or get too rediculous with cutting things into shapes etc. like many kid's recipie books

The hide-and-seek muffins are awsome! they taste like shortcake w/ the strawberry baked right in!

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Food for the Pre-Schooler's Soul!!!, August 3, 1998

By A Customer

What a find! Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson have compiled a delicious assortment of fun-to-make recipes for kids. My daughter was THRILLED to be able to make and serve Blueberry Pancakes for Sunday breakfast. The experience was a terrific boost for her. You could virtually see her self-esteem growing as she presented her culinary masterpiece to us. She also made chocolate-banana shakes for dessert last night. The recipes are so well illustrated that she is able (at 4 and a half years old) to verify that she has included all of the ingredients. She is eagerly anticipating her next cooking adventure. I tip my chef's hat to the authors for combining real food with recipes that are truly suited for kids. Does anyone know if the Culinary Institute of America offers scholarships? I think she's ready!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun for parents and children!, April 4, 1997

By A Customer

"Pretend Soup" is thoughtfully written, beautifully illustrated, and a great introduction to cooking for small children. Each recipe has detailed instructions for the grown-up helper, followed by a two-page children's recipe -- step-by-step pictures and simple word instructions. Unlike some other children's cookbooks, the recipes are all "real", healthful foods (Pretend Soup is a real recipe for a fruit salad in a yogurt/orange juice "soup"). This has become one of my standard gifts for the 4-6 year old birthday party circuit.