To Every Season: A Family Holiday Cookbook - Hardcover

Jane Breskin Zalben has not only written and illustrated many children's books, but also has designed and acted as art director for most of them. She is the author of the award-winning Beni's Family Cookbook for the Jewish Holidays, an ALA Notable book, as well as the holiday series featuring Pearl, the lamb, which includes Pearl Plants a Tree, Pearl's Marigolds for Grandpa (both ABA Pick of the Lists), and most recently, Pearl's Eight Days of Chanukah. She says, "Making books is like cooking: You take the ingredients of life -- a little bit of this, a little bit of that -- and a story comes out. What a joy creating a book of recipes for all American holidays throughout the year, learning the origins of the holidays, and then -- the icing on the cake -- doing the art for each recipe!" Her web site address is www.janebreskinzalben.com. Ms. Zalben lives with her family and her lop-eared rabbit, Zoë, on Long Island, New York. She can often be found writing and painting in her favorite room of the house -- the kitchen.

Grade 3 Up-A wonderful potpourri of recipes for many occasions. Following an author's note that stresses the importance of traditions and togetherness and gives safety precautions for the approximately 70 recipes that follow, Zalben offers two to seven recipes for each national or religious holiday. All of the recipes are kosher and vary in difficulty from simple to advanced. Most require adult supervision, and the foreword clearly states that the need for such supervision obviously varies from family to family. Whether readers want to know how to decorate Easter eggs, arrange the seder plate, bake Irish soda bread, prepare latkes, make sweet potato pudding for Kwanzaa, or flip a veggie burger-it's all here. The Halloween party foods will have particular appeal. Each holiday is introduced with a one-page historical account. Ingredients are easily obtainable and clearly listed. Illustrations have a soft delicacy that is both pleasing to the eye and well matched to the text. Back matter includes an excellent glossary of cooking terms. This winning title with a multicultural appeal will surely whet the appetite of anyone who browses through its pages.
Augusta R. Malvagno, Queens Borough Public Library, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.