Sometimes, a book inspires you to action. This is particularly true with cookbooks, which have a practical use beyond just perusing. Teachers introducing new cultures and traditions may want to include a tasting lesson. Kids and teens might want to stretch their creative muscles and give a new recipe a try on their own. Parents could begin helping their children develop independent skills in the kitchen, one easy ingredient at a time. Whatever the reason, the S-Collection’s cookbooks are educational, fun…and tasty.
To find cookbooks or books with recipes, try a subject search of “juvenile” combined with a keyword search of “cookbook” and/or “recipe*”; you can add keywords like “vegetarian,” “Indian,” or “dessert” to find your favorite type of cuisine!
Brennan, Georgeanne.
Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by Dr. Seuss! 2006.
Pair your favorite Dr. Seuss rhymes with silly, delicious treats like Cat in the Hat Pudding and real Green Eggs and Ham!
[SSHEL S COLLECTION Q. S.641.5 B75g]
Chung, Okwha.
Cooking the Korean Way. 2003.
Chung focuses on the rich culture associated with food in Korea while presenting delicious, easy recipes for san jok (vegetable and beef skewers) and other traditional dishes.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.59519 C472k]
Cotler, Amy.
My Little House Cookbook. 1996.
Fans of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House series will love a chance to make some frontier food that Laura and her sister might really have eaten.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.5123 W645m]
Dahl, Roald.
Roald Dahl’s Revolting Recipes. 1994.
Some of the names might not be very appetizing — Stink Bug Eggs and Lickable Wallpaper don’t exactly sound delicious — but Roald Dahl promises to please kids in the kitchen with yummy (and silly) recipes inspired by his beloved books.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.5123 D137r1997]
Frankeny, Frankie.
The Star Wars Cookbook II: Darth Malt and Other Galactic Recipes. 2000.
Doesn’t food just taste better when the recipe comes from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away? Each dish in this cookbook, from salad to dessert, is inspired by a Star Wars character or location.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.5 F853S 2000]
Gold, Rozanne.
Kids Cook 1-2-3: Recipes for Young Chefs Using Only 3 Ingredients. 2006.
Kids Cook 1-2-3 is the perfect starting cookbook for even the youngest children. Recipes are friendly to small hands and encourage collaboration between guardians and children in the kitchen; the basic PB & J is represented, but so is more exotic fare, like wasabi-crusted salmon!
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.5123 G563k]
Gordon, Lynn.
Messipes: A Microwave Cookbook of Deliciously Messy Masterpieces. 1996.
Ovens aren’t always kid-friendly — but microwaves often are! This sandwich-shaped cookbook spices up favorite recipes but stays simple enough for young ones to follow.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.5882 G656m]
Groner, Judith.
Maccabee Meals: Food and Fun for Hanukkah. 2012.
The eight nights of Hanukkah can be even sweeter with the recipes in this book; many are paired with activities for the whole family to enjoy.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION 641.568 G898m]
Krizmanic, Judy.
The Teen’s Vegetarian Cookbook. 1999.
New vegetarians of all ages can appreciate the ease and diversity of recipes included in this cookbook; the author also recommends it for parents who unexpectedly find themselves raising — and feeding — a young vegetarian.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.5363 K899t]
Ling, Mary.
The Pirate Cook Book. 1997.
Pirate Pete brings kid chefs recipes from the high seas. He recommends the Scurvy Salsa and Salty Dog Snacks!
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.5 L646C1997]
McCallum, Ann.
Eat Your U.S. History Homework: Recipes for Revolutionary Minds. 2014.
Eat Your U.S. History Homework takes hands-on learning to a whole new level! Recipes include succotash from the First Thanksgiving and Colonial Cherry-Berry Grunts to help kids taste the past. Other books in the series include Eat Your Science Homework and Eat your Math Homework.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.5973 M124e]
McElmeel, Sharron L.
Authors in the Kitchen: Recipes, Stories, and More. 2005.
Children’s book authors from Eric Carle to Yuyi Morales share recipes inspired by their stories — what better way to end a read-out-loud than with a treat!
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 061.5 M153a]
Parham, Vanessa Roberts.
The African-American Child’s Heritage Cookbook. 1993.
Parham uses her home economics background to lay out traditional African and African-American recipes in an easy-to-follow way. She includes little history lessons along the way to explain the origins of familiar recipes.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.59296703 P217a]
Plotkin, Gregory.
Cooking the Russian Way. 2003.
Those looking for a little borscht will find it here, alongside brief discussions of Russia’s changing political and cultural scenery.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S.641.5947 P724c]
Smithyman, Kathryn.
Native North American Foods and Recipes. 2006.
An effective companion to introductory lessons about the indigenous peoples of North America, this cookbook highlights historical facts while describing — and providing step-by-step instructions to make — recipes that have been part of the diets of different Native Nations.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.59 Sm69n]
Vezza, Diane Simone.
Passport on a Plate: A Round-the-World Cookbook for Children. 1997.
Learn about international food customs and etiquette as you make delicacies from the Caribbean, Russia, the Middle East, and more.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION S. 641.59 V649p]
White, Linda.
Cooking on a Stick: Campfire Recipes for Kids. 1996.
S’mores and hot dogs are just the beginning in this outdoorsy recipe book. Kids who love camping are sure to love ideas for food they can cook themselves over the fire.
[SSHEL S COLLECTION 641.578 W584c]