World Kitchen: ­Celebrations

Gr 3-7–To appreciate different cultures, start with what people eat. Budding chefs looking to cozy up to some bedtime reading with a celebratory theme would enjoy this colorful companion to World Kitchen. This title brings baking around the world to life with Prabhat’s distinct illustrations of food, family, and fun. The cookbook is not organized traditionally by new year but begins March 1st with Welsh St. David’s Day and Halloween, then jumps to Twelfth Night. A world map and cooking instructions with tools and descriptions paint an international picture of festive cuisine. Educators could use this to pair with Lois Ehlert’s Eating the Alphabet and create a lesson using local farmers’ markets to illustrate how it takes a village to put food on the table. A QR code links to videos that show how special occasions are celebrated worldwide, with recipes to download and cooking guides. Wheatley whips up valuable points about handwashing, positioning pan handles, and explicitly states that users should consider allergies before making a recipe. Text layouts include which fruits/vegetables, cakes, drinks, and spices are associated with the celebrations for a real cultural infusion. Families from around the world contributed these recipes that will inspire children to research and share their favorite sweet and savory ethnic foods.