Food picture picture book recommendations are by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. These titles may be found on my Amazon Storefront under Food Picture Books– https://amzn.to/4d1yfmz .)
❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗
The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America’s Cook
by Emma Bland Smith (Author), Susan Reagan (Illustrator)
Summary: In the late 1800s, Fannie Farmer developed a passion for cooking. Despite contracting polio at the age of sixteen, she enrolled in the Boston Cooking School, where she excelled and eventually became the principal. Fannie’s teaching focused on precise measurements and exact cooking methods, ensuring success for home cooks.
She rewrote the school’s cookbook with precision, which became incredibly popular. Fannie also gave lectures nationwide and even taught at Harvard Medical School.
Comments: After reading this narrative nonfiction picture book, I learned that people used non-standard measurements for cooking even though standard measurements were available. I was surprised to discover the variety of measurements in recipes passed down from generation to generation, such as a dash of this, a smidge of that, or a pinch of this.
The back sections contain photos and additional information about Fannie and the Boston Cooking School and how Ms. Farmer really improved cooking through precise and detailed recipes.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
How Do You Eat Color?
by Mabi David (Author), Yas Doctor (Illustrator), Karen Llagas (Translator)
Summary: A boy and girl spend a day exploring and tasting various fruits and vegetables, grouped by color.
Comments: This is translated from Filipino.
The illustrations were created using oil on paper.
The back sections are A Rainbow of Colors(which highlights food from different colors, explaining how they benefit the body, and ways to eat them), Why Should We Eat A Rainbow of Fruits and Vegetables?, and How Families Can Eat More Colors Together.
This book could supplement an elementary-level food or color unit.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
India on a Plate!: Indian Food from A to Z
by Archana Sreenivasan (Author)
Summary: Young readers will enjoy seeing and learning foods of India in this brightly illustrated ABC board book.
Comments: Each letter has a fun rhyming three-lined verse describing the food.
There is a pronunciation guide after each food.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Jollof Day
by Bernard Mensah (Author), Annalise Barber-Opp (Illustrator)
Summary: A young boy and his dad wake up before the rest of the family on Jollof Day to prepare a special stew. They joyfully chop the ingredients and let the stew simmer. When the rest of the family wakes up, everyone sits down together for the special meal.
Comments: The recipe for the jollof rice dish is in the back of the book.
The bright and dynamic illustrations were created using watercolor paints, gouache, colored pencils, and digital edits in Photoshop.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Details and buying options are on this book’s Amazon page.
The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian, who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.