Skip to main content

5 Fave Books for Aspiring Young Chefs

Half of my kids love to strap on an apron and help in the kitchen. They do not get that from me.  The other half really hate cooking in all it's different shapes and forms. They DEFINITELY get that from me. But even those of us who don't enjoy cooking really love to look through great cookbooks and dream about how yummy our lives could be. Whether your kids are already little chefs or just dreamers of it, they're sure to enjoy perusing the pages of these beautifully compiled cookbooks just for kids.  

The Big Fun Kids Cookbook
By Food Network
Hearst Home Kids, 2020. Informational.

150+ fun, easy recipes for young cooks, plus bonus games and food trivia! The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook from Food Network Magazine gives young chefs everything they need to succeed in the kitchen. Recipes are easy to follow, and include color photos and tips for beginners. 


By America's Test Kitchen Kids 
Sourcebooks Explore, 2019. Informational.

The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs includes recipes tested by more than 5,000 kids to get them just right for cooks of all skill levels.  There are recipes for breakfasts, breads, pizzas, cookies, cupcakes, and more.


By Deanna Cook
Storey Publishing, 2019. Informational.

Best-selling author Deanna F. Cook leads young chefs on a tour of global cultures through their cuisines. Kids gain practical kitchen skills through preparing yummy food from around the world.


By Food Network Magazine
Hearst Home Kids, 2022. Informational.

Inside you'll find 365 sweet and savory recipes and photos-one for every day of the year! You'll also find holiday cookies and gifts, easy food crafts, cupcake decorating, and fun food trivia. 


By Danielle Kartes
Sourcebooks Explore, 2020. Informational.

The kid-friendly recipes in My Very First Cookbook are the perfect introduction to cooking for little chefs just starting out. Step-by-step instructions are written directly to the child reader with clear indications for when they need help from a grownup.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Review: Fowl Play

  Fowl Play By Kristin O'Donnell Tubb New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2024. Fiction 277 pages. Still reeling from her beloved uncle's death, Chloe Alvarez is comforted and confused when at his last will and testament reading, Uncle Will gifts her his African Grey parrot, Charlie. Charlie has a robust vocabulary and loves to make Alexa requests for her favorite songs, but when she starts saying things like, "homicide," and "cyanide," Chloe becomes convinced that Uncle Will may have met his demise by murder instead of a genetic disease, as was previously thought. Ultimately, bringing in her brother, Grammy, and Uncle Frank (and of course Charlie,) Chloe's ragtag and adoring family support her search for answers ---going on stakeouts, engaging in fast pursuits, and searching for clues. But as the suspects stack up and the mystery grows, Chole will learn that the process of death and grieving is complicated, and in the end her Uncle Will's words that, ...

Review: The Factory

The Factory By Catherine Egan New York, NY : Scholastic Inc., 2025. Fiction. 306 pages.  Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle has been invited to join the Factory, a secretive research facility in the desert which ostensibly extracts renewable energy from the electromagnetic fields of its young recruits. But Asher soon realizes something sinister is going on. Kids are getting sick. The adults who run the Factory seem to be keeping secrets. And the extraction process is not only painful and exhausting, but existentially troubling. Asher makes a handful of new friends who help him with an investigation that turns into a resistance, which turns into...a cliffhanger! The Factory is a page-turning sci-fi with multidimensional characters, an intriguing plot, and refreshingly straight-forward writing. Egan weaves in detail about climate crises and social unrest, making the story's dystopian setting feel rich and plausible. With its sophisticated themes and accessible storytelling, I would recomm...

Review: A Game of Noctis

A Game of Noctis By Deva Fagan New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2024. Fiction. 310 pages. On the island of Dantessa, social standings and wealth are determined by your place in the Great Game. If you keep on winning, you can reap treasures, power, and security for yourself and your family; but if you lose too many games, you'll be exiled to Pawn Island and a life of servitude. That's what happens to 12-year-old Pia's grandfather. Due to poor vision, he struggles to see the games, but also can't afford new eyeglasses without winning. When his score falls to zero, he is sent away. Desperate to bring him back, Pia joins a ragtag group of misfits to form a team for the annual game of Noctis. The game requires contestants to perform dangerous challenges in front of a live audience, and no one outside the wealthy Diamond District has ever won. Each member of Pia's team, the Seafoxes, has their own reason to compete, but if they're going to win they'll h...