Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat, by Megan Carle and Jill Carle

Cover:

Bibliographic Information:

Title: Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat

Author: Megan Carle and Jill Carle

ISBN:  978-1580085847

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

Copyright: 2004

Reader’s Annotation:

What is the easiest way for teens to learn to cook?  Follow a cookbook written by teens who cook!

Summary:

This book is a collection of recipes and general cooking tips for teens who may not have much experience with cooking.  The book covers a variety of dishes, including breakfasts, snacks, soups and salads, solo dinners, family meals, and desserts.  The recipes vary in difficulty, from your basic brownies to chicken piccatta.

Critical Evaluation:

The book is written in a traditional “cookbook” style, including lists of ingredients, then instructions for each recipe. The recipes are accompanied by bright, appetizing looking pictures.  As a book simply for reading or browsing, it is well produced, and pleasant to look at.

In terms of the recipes being used for teens to follow, the majority of the recipes are quite basic, and straightforward.  These are good introductory recipes for teens just starting out.  The majority of ingredients are things typically found in most kitchens, or easily found at a local grocery store.  When anything in the ingredients listed is unusually, or needs to be overly specific, this is spelled out quite clearly in the recipe.  This helps insure teens following the recipe will know exactly what to do to make their cooking successful.

There is additional information included in the title, such as kitchen tips, vocabulary, and explanations of the science behind the chemical processes involved.  The writing is very straightforward, and because it is written by actual teens, the tone of the writing is quite engaging.  There are even some stories of kitchen mishaps, which teens will find amusing.

Author Biography:

Megan Carle (from author’s Penguin author page)

Megan Carle was a vegetarian throughout her formative cooking years and, as a result, has more ways with pasta than she can count. She is currently a graduate student in Linguistics at Arizona State University.

Megan and Jill's previous books include Teens Cook, Teens Cook Dessert, and College Cooking.
Jill Carle (from author’s Penguin author page)
Jill Carle is an adventurous omnivore with soft spots for ethnic cuisines and all-American comfort food. She is also in graduate school at Arizona State University, studying American Politics.

Megan and Jill’s previous books include Teens Cook, Teens Cook Dessert, and College Cooking.

Genre(s): 
Non-Fiction, Cookbook

Curriculum Ties:

Pennsylvania State Standard - CC.1.2.11-12.L

Read and comprehend literary non-fiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently and proficiently.

Booktalk Ideas:

A discussion on kitchen safety.

A discussion about why it is important to pay attention to nutrition as a teen

          

Reading Level:

Not available

Interest Age: 

12 and up

Challenge Issues: Could be challenged based on encouraging teens to use potentially dangerous kitchen equipment

  If this book were challenged I would:

·         Listen to the concerns of the person raising the challenge

·         Consult the library’s collection development policy

·         Explain how this work meets a library need based on the collection development policy 

·         Consult YALSA’s Dealing with Challenges to Young Adult Materials

·         Consult reviews on VOYA, Amazon, Common Sense Media, and Kirkus

·         Discuss any awards or notable commendations the book received

·         Explain the library’s commitment to intellectual freedom as discussed in the ALA Library Bill of Rights

·         Give the patron the procedure for a formal challenge should they seek to pursue it

Why was this book selected:

Not all teens have opportunities to learn real world skills.  While some teens get to take classes such as home economics, or family and consumer science, this is not always an option for teens.  Similarly, not all teens learn these types of skills within the home.  We frequently see millennials being criticized for not being independent or adult enough, yet we are not equipping them with the skills for independent adult living.  By including books in the library collection that teach real world skills, we are empowering them for their future.  This particular title appealed to me because it was actually written by teens who cook, and features things like basic kitchen tips and safety, as well as explanations of the science behind the cooking processes.