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Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook
Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook: Fun and Healthy Recipes for Young Cooks
From the 2019 winner of The Great British Baking Show comes a charming and mouthwatering cookbook for aspiring little chefs and culinary novices alike.
Gather your frying pan, mixing bowls, and rolling pin--it's time to cook! David Atherton, 2019 winner of The Great British Baking Show, walks readers through delicious and delightful recipes such as banana bear pancakes, tasty tacos, and mega-chocolatey cake. From tomato soup (served in a teapot!) to brownies made with sweet potatoes, David Atherton offers a kid-friendly collection of recipes that feels at once timeless and modern. Accompanied by warm illustrations from Rachel Stubbs that capture the joys of cooking together, My First Cook Book features sweet and savory recipes for any time of day, a list of needed equipment, a glossary of cooking terms, and some important tips. Don your apron and grab your favorite little sous-chef--this will be a first cookbook to cherish.
Gather your frying pan, mixing bowls, and rolling pin--it's time to cook! David Atherton, 2019 winner of The Great British Baking Show, walks readers through delicious and delightful recipes such as banana bear pancakes, tasty tacos, and mega-chocolatey cake. From tomato soup (served in a teapot!) to brownies made with sweet potatoes, David Atherton offers a kid-friendly collection of recipes that feels at once timeless and modern. Accompanied by warm illustrations from Rachel Stubbs that capture the joys of cooking together, My First Cook Book features sweet and savory recipes for any time of day, a list of needed equipment, a glossary of cooking terms, and some important tips. Don your apron and grab your favorite little sous-chef--this will be a first cookbook to cherish.
88 pages, Hardcover
Published December 7, 2021
1 person is currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
David Atherton
16Ìýbooks7ÌýfollowersDavid Atherton is the 2019 winner of The Great British Baking Show. Formerly an international health adviser, David Atherton now writes a food column for the Guardian, where he shares some of his fun and healthy recipes. Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook is his debut book, focused on tasty recipes that will inspire a love of cooking and baking in little ones and their caretakers. He lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 16, 2022
On January 20, I started making Nutty French Toast. I ended up making it again the next day because I didn’t follow the recipe exactly the first time. It was because there were only two eaters versus three. The less fillings the better I shall hint here. I loved it. Tasted delicious and easy to make.
On February 4, I learned to make Magic Tomato Sauce. This tomato sauce was used for making pizza, pasta, and lasagna. See below for my attempts at making Octopus Pizza!
On the same night of February 4, I attempted at making Octo-Pizzas! Let just say here that my toddler called it Starfish pizza! Thank goodness it still tasted good! I must say I couldn’t follow the pizza dough recipe exactly because my dough came out to be super dry. I wonder if I use All Purpose Flour and it’s dried as compared to bread flour per the recipe. I made it again and my toddler called it Hand Pizzas! I think it looks like a Ghost Pizza haha but despite that, it was delicious. Even my picky toddler eater loved it.
On February 5, I learned to make Perfect Pasta Bake. There were no meat to this dish and I thought it wouldn’t taste good but it was delicious! This dish use the magic tomato sauce I made above.
This book is actually a cookbook for youngsters who are interested in cooking. My 10 year old is not interested in cooking so I’m making it for him to eat.
This book opened up to the author’s introduction. He has a twin brother and another cookbook prior to this one. The author liked to experiment with different foods like cake made with avocado. I have yet to try out that recipe.
Next is the contents and equipment list as well as cooking terms.
This is my first cookbook with dishes for kids and I loved it. My toddler is a picky eater so a cookbook with different dishes definitely came in handy. It’s also healthy so I don’t worry about serving them to my kids! I highly recommend this cookbook to everyone!
Do visit my blog for pictures of my cooking at
Many thanks to Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read, cook, and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
On February 4, I learned to make Magic Tomato Sauce. This tomato sauce was used for making pizza, pasta, and lasagna. See below for my attempts at making Octopus Pizza!
On the same night of February 4, I attempted at making Octo-Pizzas! Let just say here that my toddler called it Starfish pizza! Thank goodness it still tasted good! I must say I couldn’t follow the pizza dough recipe exactly because my dough came out to be super dry. I wonder if I use All Purpose Flour and it’s dried as compared to bread flour per the recipe. I made it again and my toddler called it Hand Pizzas! I think it looks like a Ghost Pizza haha but despite that, it was delicious. Even my picky toddler eater loved it.
On February 5, I learned to make Perfect Pasta Bake. There were no meat to this dish and I thought it wouldn’t taste good but it was delicious! This dish use the magic tomato sauce I made above.
This book is actually a cookbook for youngsters who are interested in cooking. My 10 year old is not interested in cooking so I’m making it for him to eat.
This book opened up to the author’s introduction. He has a twin brother and another cookbook prior to this one. The author liked to experiment with different foods like cake made with avocado. I have yet to try out that recipe.
Next is the contents and equipment list as well as cooking terms.
This is my first cookbook with dishes for kids and I loved it. My toddler is a picky eater so a cookbook with different dishes definitely came in handy. It’s also healthy so I don’t worry about serving them to my kids! I highly recommend this cookbook to everyone!
Do visit my blog for pictures of my cooking at
Many thanks to Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read, cook, and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.
November 18, 2021
This children's cookbook is perfect for any young bakers who want to learn the basics of cooking and get inspired in the kitchen. It's so cool that this is written by one of the winners of the Great British Baking Show! This book includes recipes for breakfast, lunch and supper, cakes, and desserts.
These recipes are kid-friendly and give instructions to the young readers about when to ask an adult for help. There are recipes for pancakes, tacos, pizza, scones, potpie, lasagna, and a lot of yummy cakes. I really want to try the recipe for Victoria sandwich buns, which is a little cake with jelly in the middle.
Each recipe has cute illustrations that show the step-by-step process for creating delicious food. And there are illustrations of children and adults enjoying the food and having fun cooking together! I love the adorable art style. The colors are warm and attractive!
Although the author is British, the edition that I have has all the American-style measurements in cups and teaspoons, instead of the European-style metric system. There may be different editions for the UK and USA.
This would be the perfect gift for a young cook who wants to learn how to cook delicious meals and special treats!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
These recipes are kid-friendly and give instructions to the young readers about when to ask an adult for help. There are recipes for pancakes, tacos, pizza, scones, potpie, lasagna, and a lot of yummy cakes. I really want to try the recipe for Victoria sandwich buns, which is a little cake with jelly in the middle.
Each recipe has cute illustrations that show the step-by-step process for creating delicious food. And there are illustrations of children and adults enjoying the food and having fun cooking together! I love the adorable art style. The colors are warm and attractive!
Although the author is British, the edition that I have has all the American-style measurements in cups and teaspoons, instead of the European-style metric system. There may be different editions for the UK and USA.
This would be the perfect gift for a young cook who wants to learn how to cook delicious meals and special treats!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
December 24, 2021
I love cookbooks aimed at young home cooks. This one is particularly pleasing. It is written by the 2019 winner of The Great British Baking Show, so he really knows his way around the kitchen. The book is aimed at kids just developing an interest in cooking and baking, so Atherton begins with A Quick Equipment List, a list of Cooking Terms, and a list of helpful measurements, plus some handy tips to read before kids begin to make any of the recipes, mostly about adult supervision and being safe in the kitchen. The book is divided into four sections - Starting the Day, Lunches and Simple Suppers, Delicious Treats, and finally Cakes and Bakes. My Kiddo and I tried a few recipes from this book and they were really easy and delicious. Some of our favorites were Oatmeal Toppers, Edible Chia Bowls, Craveable Corn Bites (are really good), and Magic Tomato Sauce, which we've used a number of times now. All the recipes include easy to follow instructions and are very kid-friendly tastewise. Each page has humorous ink and graphite spot illustrations that were finished digitally. Most of the recipes can be made anytime, but there are some for holidays, like the Valentine Upside-Down Cake, the Christmas Cookie Baubles, and the Sweetie Birthday Cake. Cookbooks are always a great gift idea for kids because working in the kitchen with a parent or other adult can be such a wonderful bonding experience.
January 28, 2022
An enjoyable but thorough first cookbook for elementary-schoolers. The wide range of appealing recipes are explained in easy-to-follow boxes of information. Recipes include kid-friendly foods such as pancakes, pizzas, and cake. I like how some weave in animal elements. For example, Banana Bear Pancakes, Octo-Pizzas, and Hummus Lion. It doesn’t take much extra work to elevate a seemingly standard recipe to something exciting.
Kids will enjoy exploring recipes such as Edible Chia Bowls, Happy Curry, and Zingy Cake Squares (lemon adds the “zing�). I appreciate new-to-me ideas such as making your own hot dogs (Veggie Hot Dogs) and the clever concept of serving soup from a teapot (Teapot Soup). Other personal favorites include Sweet and Spicy Dip (with sweet potato, garlic, tahini, lime, and spices) and the adorably tasty Crunchy Hedgehogs (a variation of twice-cooked potatoes with tuna, cheese, and peas coated with bread crumbs).
Care is taken throughout to convey information in a way that’s simple to grasp. The upbeat art by Rachel Stubbs helps further explain the directions and provides a pleasant, visual element. I would recommend this cookbook without hesitation for young cooks and their adult helpers.
Kids will enjoy exploring recipes such as Edible Chia Bowls, Happy Curry, and Zingy Cake Squares (lemon adds the “zing�). I appreciate new-to-me ideas such as making your own hot dogs (Veggie Hot Dogs) and the clever concept of serving soup from a teapot (Teapot Soup). Other personal favorites include Sweet and Spicy Dip (with sweet potato, garlic, tahini, lime, and spices) and the adorably tasty Crunchy Hedgehogs (a variation of twice-cooked potatoes with tuna, cheese, and peas coated with bread crumbs).
Care is taken throughout to convey information in a way that’s simple to grasp. The upbeat art by Rachel Stubbs helps further explain the directions and provides a pleasant, visual element. I would recommend this cookbook without hesitation for young cooks and their adult helpers.
November 3, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
I love cookbooks. I hate to cook, but I love reading about cooking. There are so many fun cookbooks for children, but my students aren't all that interested in them. Luckily, I have several students who are checking out lots of my books, so this is a good purchase, and I don't even need to justify it.
One of the things that I enjoy about cookbooks is what a great snapshot of social history and popular culture they are. The illustrations in this are so completely 2021 that they made me very happy. A vague 60s vibe with a more gently colored palette, lots of white space, and very readable font. The recipes were kid friendly but also updated-- there are more vegetarian dishes, like the hummus lion, and a spicy sweet potato dip/spread that I definitely want to try.
Even though this had a decided British feel to it (even I have never thought to serve tomato soup from a teapot, although I have several I could use), the measurements are in cups rather than grams, which made me happy.
I'm not sure how many middle school students watch the Great British Baking Show, but think this will be a big hit even without that connection.
I love cookbooks. I hate to cook, but I love reading about cooking. There are so many fun cookbooks for children, but my students aren't all that interested in them. Luckily, I have several students who are checking out lots of my books, so this is a good purchase, and I don't even need to justify it.
One of the things that I enjoy about cookbooks is what a great snapshot of social history and popular culture they are. The illustrations in this are so completely 2021 that they made me very happy. A vague 60s vibe with a more gently colored palette, lots of white space, and very readable font. The recipes were kid friendly but also updated-- there are more vegetarian dishes, like the hummus lion, and a spicy sweet potato dip/spread that I definitely want to try.
Even though this had a decided British feel to it (even I have never thought to serve tomato soup from a teapot, although I have several I could use), the measurements are in cups rather than grams, which made me happy.
I'm not sure how many middle school students watch the Great British Baking Show, but think this will be a big hit even without that connection.
Want to read
August 24, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
September 5, 2024
I loved this kids cookbook for its inventive recipes, adorable art, and accessible format. Some recipes seemed similar, but I was eager to try the food on almost every page. While the directions were easy enough for a beginner of elementary age, some of the shaped-foods seemed a little more juvenile—but maybe that's the adult in me or the disposition of my particular kids. The author's consistent use of vegetables might be a great way to introduce some picky eaters to healthier foods. And the thing I liked best was that, in comparison to so many other kids cookbooks on the market, these were actual meals or parts of meals, not just fluffy desserts or ordinary foods with kid-friendly shapes. Be warned, there is actual prep and cooking involved, which is perfect for introducing young readers to kitchen skills and encouraging them to be part of a team. Delightful beginning to end.
December 30, 2022
I love cooking with kids and am always on the look out for recipe books for them. These are fairly easy recipes for kids to follow, with adult help. Nice variety! A little something to please everyone. I love the innovative use of veggies to encourage healthy eating habits. Kids could prepare a meal for the family dinner. I always think introducing children to baking and cooking is a good idea as it teaches sooo many skills. Kudos David Altherton. Love the illustrations by Rachel Stubbs, too.
I won a copy of this book from the publisher, but the opinion are my own.
I won a copy of this book from the publisher, but the opinion are my own.
January 18, 2022
BAKE MAKE AND LEARN TO COOK was written by David Atherton, winner of the Great British Baking Show. This one is aimed at kids a little younger. The illustrations have a darling picture book feel and the directions in the recipes are aided by drawings to help kids who aren't as ready to read instructions. The recipes are pretty simple and easy to follow. There are lots of kiddie touches that are great for making healthy food fun for little ones.
January 8, 2022
A little too technical for the average 6-8-year-old picture book reader to accomplish by themselves and cook. For new cooks it is detailed with photos and each step of the recipe with illustrations and ingredients planned out. There are 43 recipes and kitchen equipment, and cooking terms spelled out but many recipes lean toward older palates and British cuisine not children in the states.
January 27, 2022
This fun, informative cookbook is written just for kids, with kid-friendly recipes, easy-to-follow directions and lots of illustrations, making it the perfect companion for kids in the kitchen. Enjoy!
February 24, 2022
A very short, simplified cookbook for young children/teenagers to learn to cook using. This book uses simplified text and corresponding pictures to show the reader step by step how to cook.
February 26, 2022
Not a single usable recipe; my little one already knows how to cook everything in this book.
April 17, 2022
I'm on the lookout for great cookbooks for kids and this one was a keeper. Fun, healthy recipes with nice diversity, and loaded with kid-friendly illustrations.
June 1, 2022
I liked this book as it was aimed at children. I liked the illustrations but I did not like that there weren't any photos of the finished recipes.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
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