Owen Ruth. Halloween Sweets and Treats

Kidhaven Press, 2010. — 64 p. — (Holiday Cooking for Kids!) — ISBN10: 1448880793, ISBN13: 978-1448880799."Easter Brunch Eggs," "Eyeball Cupcakes," and "Apple-Honey Cranberry Sauce" are a sampling of the fun recipes found in these holiday-themed cookbooks. Each one utilizes easily accessible tools and features helpful information for young cooks before they get started, such as measurements, safety, and basic techniques. The authors regularly remind kids to seek out adult supervision, which is important since nearly all the recipes require the stove and/or oven. The stock photos in each book can sometimes feel low-quality, but what recommends them is that they often feature finished products that look like they were decorated by a kid rather than an aspiring Martha Stewart. Each title also features nutritional tidbits and interesting "food facts." The books have a mix of both savory dishes and desserts (the titles are somewhat misleading). Easter specifically references the "Christian calendar" and the "Christian Bible"; it also describes the holiday as a secular celebration and a "rebirth in nature." A quibble: having the list of ingredients for each recipe on a separate page from the instructions is less than ideal.-Laura Lutz, Pratt Institute, New York Cityα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.