Grandpa's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Cookbook

K-Gr 3— Having fun is the order of the day in these recipes inspired by the classic picture book; there are no pretentious foodies here. The book begins with a letter from Grandpa to Henry and Kate, explaining that he put together this collection from Chewandswallow. Following the introduction, a list of rules and tools includes reminders that pots and stoves get hot, to wash hands, to review all directions carefully before cooking. The table of contents is nontraditional yet kid-friendly with cartoon images of the dishes, arranged from breakfast through dessert. The excellent illustrations are bright and entertaining with tons of child appeal. Photo of the finished products are included. The recipes are basic with clear instructions-toast, English-muffin pizzas-but they have clever names and they're presented creatively. Most kids are not likely to eat steamed broccoli dressed in only lemon juice and olive oil just because it's called Broccoli Tree Salad, but the rest of the vegetable section has perennial kid-friendly dishes: French Un-Fries and Snowy Mashed Potatoes with Sunrise, for example. There are some recipes that do not require cooking, such as Cheese-and-Tomato Superhero, but the majority do require the stove. Overall, this is an amusing, approachable introduction to cooking.—Laura Lutz, Pratt Institute, New York City