Bean Appetit

July 1, 2010
Gr 2–5—-ifteen bean-themed chapters (for instance, "Peanocchio: Book-Themed Food and Fun" and "Sweet Pea: Delicious Desserts") make up this playful mix of recipes, games, songs, and activities. Based on ideas used at Bean Sprouts, the authors' café and cooking school, the book has a commendable emphasis on healthy eating and using natural and organic ingredients. However, it suffers in other ways. Some of the directions are vague and require an experienced adult to fill in the details. A page listing ingredients for "Sweet Sippers" gives great ideas for making smoothies but doesn't suggest any specific (or even general) quantities. Elsewhere, readers are told they can grow herbs from seed by planting them in pots and simply "tending them." The graphics, mostly cartoons in varying shades of green, set a whimsical tone but serve little other function. There are some color photos throughout but few show the finished dishes. Overall, this could be a useful resource for adults who, like the authors, work with groups of children. It also may be more suited to personal rather than library use, since there are places where readers are told to mark the book (play "Bean-go" by crossing off pictures of fruits and vegetables as you taste them).—"Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2010
With Carisa Dixon. This cookbook posits that beans are a mainstay for a healthy approach to food. The high-energy text features puns ("let it bean," "peacasso"), games, activities, and other ways to amuse oneself while cooking ("Chant 'Pancakes! Pancakes!' as you combine the flour..."). Bean-green illustrations of cartoon legumes appear with photographs of some of the finished products. Grownup help is required for most recipes. Ind.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)