Review: National Geographic Kids Cookbook

A fun cookbook great for kids from Barton Seaver (a master chef and National Geographic Explorer)

The Set-Up:
The book follows the months of the year with several dishes to try. The recipes are easy to understand with clear instructions. Sidebars give cooking tips, details on different cuisines,kitchen skills, people profiles, cooking challenges and more.  Pictures and color blocks make this a very attractive book

The Good:
The range of recipes from main dishes to desserts to appetizers to cultural dishes makes this a diverse book for foodies. The book touches upon entertaining, going green, and eating healthy.

The Bad: I don't know which recipe to try first

Overall: 
A fantastic fresh cookbook that kids and teens will enjoy reading and testing out the recipes.

Recipes I want to try
(either with teens at the library or just because it looks yummy!
Raspberry Yogurt Parfait
French Puff Pastry Napoleon
Zucchini Bread
Awesome Oatmeal Cookies
Fruit Smoothies

Tween Tuesday Review: X Why Z Animals

Kids ask questions about animals and the editors answer.

The Set-Up
The book's broken up into sections:
Mammals
Reptiles
Amphibians
Insects
Arachnids
Sea Animals
Birds
and even Dinosaurs

Each 2 page spread contains two or three questions, pictures of each animal asked about, and a fun fact. 

My Thoughts:

The pictures are fantastic (Even though some like bats and snakes I wasn't eager to see)

The information's great and memorable 

Did you know that dogs can move each nostril separately, or that crabs breathe through their knees, or that the T-Rex name means Tyrant Lizard King in Greek?

The Q and A set up works really well - providing short and to the point information.

This book is perfect for kids who are curious and for those who love animals. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: Sent for Review

Review: One Times Square

A historical look at One Times Square - from farm land to a legendary landmark.

My Thoughts: I don't normally read nonfiction, unless the subject catches my eye. It's a genre I struggle with at times. I read a great review of this in PW and put it on my to-read list.

This nonfiction read is perfect for tween readers. I loved learning about this space as it changed from farm land to a place for hotels and newspapers to billboards and New Year's Eve celebrations. Subways, World War II ending, and baseball scores played a part in the history. 

I loved the maps of buildings incorporated into the illustrations and how Joe McKendry showed the changes of various buildings - how they were torn down and rebuilt over the years. The illustrations are fantastic.  The text and the illustrations are so rich, it makes this book fascinating and easy to read.

Cover Thoughts: Great
Source: My Library