Delightful Children's Books to Spark Holiday Cooking Magic
🧑🍳 Winter break is such a special time to spend time in the kitchen with family and friends! This collection of books includes all sorts of books to spark holiday cooking magic.
You can find our complete list on our Bookshop.
When Grandmas Cook
Author: Margot Mustich | Illustrator: Alette Straathof | Publisher: duopress
Every grandma has a few special dishes she enjoys cooking for her family, and this beautifully illustrated book invites children into the kitchens of grandmothers around the globe while celebrating the love children have for their own grandmas.
Soulful Holidays
Author: Ciara L. Hill | Illustrator: Christian Krabbe | Publisher: Lawton Classic Books
Cozy up together with this charmingly illustrated family book told in easy-to-read memorable rhymes. Through this heartwarming tale, children and families all over the world can experience the magic of Christmas and the true essence of Kwanzaa. Read about the food, songs, cultural decorations, and more! The catchy couplets in this dazzling picture book will delight readers with the inclusive traditions of families who honor one or both of these incredible holidays.
Black-Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese: A Story of Food, Family and Freedom
Author: Glenda Armand | Illustrator: Steffi Walthall | Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
A little girl helping her grandmother prepare a holiday meal learns about the origins of soul food in this powerful picture book that celebrates African American cuisine and identity from an award-winning author.
A celebration of the stories that connect us, this picture book urges us to think about the foods we eat and why we eat them. This book was inspired by the author's own childhood and includes her family's very own recipe for pralines in the back!
May Your Life be Deliciosa
Author: Michael Genhart | Illustrator: Loris Lora | Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
A delicious and fortifying picture book inspired by award-winning author Michael Genhart’s family and illustrated by Loris Lora, May Your Life Be Deliciosa features the Mexican tradition of holiday tamale-making.
Challah for Shabbat Tonight
Author: Sara Holly Ackerman | Illustrator: Alona Millgram | Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
This sweet, rhyming, beautifully illustrated picture book celebrates Jewish joy and intergenerational love as it follows a girl and her grandmother preparing for Shabbat dinner by baking traditional challah from scratch.
Carla and the Christmas Cornbread
Author: Carla Hall | Illustrator: Cherise Harris | Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
In this heartwarming tale inspired by her childhood, superstar chef and TV host Carla Hall shares the story of young Carla, who eats a sugar cookie meant for Santa on the night before Christmas and tries to make things right.
Latkes and Applesauce
Author: Fran Munushkin | Illustrator: Kris Easler | Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
A cat and dog create a Hanukkah miracle, just in the nick of time in this updated reissue of the beloved holiday classic.
A perfect Hanukkah story about kindess, perfect for 3 to 7 year olds and anyone searching for a sweet holiday story.
Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light
Author/Illustrator: Apryl Stott | Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Bear is sad. All the other animals think he’s mean because he’s so big. But his human friend, Coco, offers to help him. Coco shares her grandmother’s advice: “When life gets dark as winter’s night, share some kindness, bring some light.”
They decide to bake cookies to “share some kindness” and make lanterns to “bring some light.” But when the cookies and lanterns don’t work, they must look for another way to win over the other animals. And while they’re at it, Coco and Bear just might discover that kindness is a gift that only comes from the heart.
Wintercake
Author/Illustrator: Lynne Ray Perkins | Publisher: Greenwillow Books
This cozy, gently humorous, and irresistible holiday tale from Newbery Medalist and New York Times-bestselling author Lynne Rae Perkins features universal themes of friendship, community, empathy, and generosity. Wintercake is a great pick for story times during the winter season.
