Plant, Cook, Eat!: A Children's Cookbook

In this affirming gardening and recipe book, horticulturalist Archer and food writer Craig offer a garden-to-table approach to eating. Introductory topics include seeds, soil and compost, plant reproduction, and sowing seeds both outside and indoors. Subsequent sections provide instructions and photographs detailing how to grow 16 vegetables ("Harvest once the leaves die back and you can see the swollen onions"). Recipes follow the descriptions of planting and harvesting each vegetable: kale pesto pasta, cranberry bean burgers, chocolate beet cake, and other dishes. Color photographs of children eating and gardening appear throughout. With an easy-to-read presentation and thorough details, Archer and Craig put the power to grow and prepare food in readers' hands while driving home connections between what we grow and what we eat. Ages 7-10. (Mar.)

Gr 3-7--This colorful instructional guide to planting and cooking vegetables offers a wide range of healthy recipes and gardening tips for kids. The opening pages detail what plants need to grow, how seeds germinate, how to sow seeds indoors and compost, and other related topics, all presented in a clean layout accompanied by color photographs. The authors include several helpful suggestions, such as using glass jars to protect young seedlings from birds, or planting lavender and buddleia near a garden to attract bees. The "Let's Get Started" section, which makes up the bulk of the book, features spreads on how to grow particular types of vegetables, followed by a related recipe. Dishes include potato pancakes, kale pesto pasta, onion soup, pea gnocchi, bean burgers, and chocolate beet cake. The recipes are presented with clear step-by-step instructions and photos of the finished product, and generally call for fresh, easy-to-find ingredients. Many pages note interesting facts about the nutrients or medicinal uses of different vegetables. VERDICT This attractive, well-organized guide to gardening and cooking would make a strong addition to most library collections.--Ashley Larsen, Pacifica Libraries, CA