I love to watch cooking shows. No cuisine is off limits for me and there is no age restriction for the contestants. I really like watching kids cook and bake. I am amazed at the skills I have seen these young chefs and bakers display. They are far more talented than I am in the kitchen. At times I wish I had spent more time with culinary arts. I also wish I had spent more time in the kitchen with my children learning how to cook and bake. One of my fondest memories with my kids is making sugar cookies at Christmas time. They weren’t the most beautifully decorated and probably tasted too floury for most, but we had so much fun. This holiday season I thought it would be good to look at some cookbooks written for young aspiring chefs and bakers, and for those who just want to have fun making food with the children in their lives.

One of the cutest trends in cookbooks that I have seen in the last few years is creating recipes that relate to a specific book, movie, video game or television show. of my Harry Potter Bake, Create, and Decorate by Joanna Farrow (Junior 641.813 Farrow) is one of my favorites. Harry Potter fans and budding bakers will love this cookbook. I am a fan of any cookbook that includes basic instructions for cooking, baking, and kitchen safety. You will find this book does not disappoint. Learn how to make large cakes, cupcakes and cake pops, cookies and brownies, and basic recipes. There is a helpful guide called the Wizarding Skill Level which lets you know the difficulty of the bake and decoration of each treat featured.

The Official Fablehaven Cookbook: Wondrous recipes Inspired by the Characters from the series by Brandon Mull and Cherie Mull (Junior 641.5 Mull) will appeal to bakers even if they are not fans of the Fablehaven series. Conjure up some of Muriel’s Pretzel Knots, or Tanu’s Heartening Tomato Soup with the detailed instructions and color photographs. This cookbook features plenty of mouthwatering recipes for all skill levels but also crafts and a short story by Brandon Mull.

New to the collection is Cupcake Class: 50 Fun Themes & Totally Amazing Designs for Kids to Make & Share by Joy Howard and Deanna F. Cook (Junior 641.8653 Howard).

This book is a masterclass on how to bake and decorate cupcakes. Each page is brightly colored and fun with detailed photographs to help a new baker. Tips and techniques are covered with every cupcake design featured in the book. I love a cookbook that spends time on the details for beginners, and this one does a wonderful job with that. The decorating techniques in this book can be used on more ambitious baking projects as well.

Next up is Priya’s Kitchen Adventures: A Cookbook for Kids by Priya Krishna (Junior 641.59 Krishna). Priya learned to love traveling from a very young age. At 2 months her parents took her and her three-year-old sister to Spain. Though she didn’t eat the cuisine then, she did learn as she grew that good food can be found all over the world if you just allow yourself to try it. You will find recipes from twelve different countries along with detailed lessons for cutting vegetables, as well as tips for success.

Bread Workshop by Megan Borgert-Spaniol (641.815 Borgert) is about creating yeast doughs and quick breads. After starting with a smart history of bread, moving on to ingredients, and tools used for making bread, you will learn how to make some of the tastiest breads available. From cornbread to focaccia, you will learn tips and techniques for making bread that you will use your whole life.

Please ask at the Children’s Desk if there is something you’re looking for and can’t find it right away; we’re here to help. And check out our monthly calendar of programming. We offer a variety of activities for all ages, from story time to video game club for teens. You can find more information on our website at www.newulmlibrary.org on the Library Events page.

The library is located at 17 N. Broadway and is open to the public Monday to Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.