What My Child is Reading - May 1, 2010

We ended up with four books from the library this week, that all have recipes at the back. Can you imagine our dilemma? I'm hoping to share each of them separately, over the next week.

They are all totally different types, and styles of stories, but they all have interesting titles, that drew us in, like Tomie dePaola's Watch Out For Chicken Feet In Your Soup. I was also attracted by dePaola's illustrations. They remind me vaguely of cartoons from the '70s. And, the recipe for a bread doll, is one we're anxious to try.


My father's favorite aunt was named Edna, so Ethel Footman Smother's title, was a must read, for me. It would actually be perfect for one of those "no T.V." weeks, as it is about old fashioned fun, like button spinners, paper bag curlers, and baking together, in a house without a television (gasp!).


Apple Batter, by Deborah Turney Zagwyn, was a bigger hit with the children, than with me. I found the illustrations ugly, and disturbing. But, the children enjoyed the story of a boy, determined to improve his swing, and his mother, determined to finally harvest an apple off her trees. It not only includes a recipe, but also a series of baseball tips, and more information than I thought possible, about caring for apple trees in your yard.

Finally, A Cake All For Me! by Karn Magnuson Beil, is a math story for younger children. I'm not in love with the story, but the children have all taken their turns looking through it, and enjoying it. It does provide a nice list of measurements, such as how many teaspoons make a tablespoon, or how many pints are in a quart. And really, who could resist such a title!

I'm sure after all the Easy Bake Oven cakes, the girls have been whipping up, and devouring this week, the cake recipe at the back of Beil's book, will be the first the boys will want to pursue. I'm a little torn, though, they all look quite interesting, and yummy.

You can find more children's book recommendations and reviews at the What My Child Is Reading blog hop, hosted by Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns.

It's great to be a homeschooler.