Peeny Butter Fudge

Peeny Butter Fudge
by Toni Morrison & Slade Morrison
illustrated by Joe Cepeda

While mom heads out, Nana is left with the children and a schedule and instructions to follow. However, this fun-loving grandmother doesn't quite adhere to the instructions, but her and the kids sure have a great time. Just before the mother returns, Nana and the kids make a batch of peeny butter fudge, a secret family recipe. Mother returns and sees the huge mess that Nana and the kids made. However, before she can begin to reprimand, she catches a whiff of the delicious peeny butter fudge and remembers making it herself as a child. Want to make peeny butter fudge? There is a recipe in the back of the book!

My kids LOVED this book. They thought Nana was so much fun! We even followed the recipe and made our own batch of peeny butter fudge.

My Pop Pop and Me

My Pop Pop and Me 
by Irene Smalls
illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson

This is a sweet story about a boy and his grandfather. The boy and his grandfather, who happens to be a chef, spend time together baking a lemon cake. With descriptive rhymes, you follow along as the two sniff, peel, pish, mash, plop, pound, clack, dip, slurp, scrape, and swipe in the kitchen. Finally, they have prepared a delicious Lemon Bar Cake! As an added bonus, the recipe appears in the back of the book!!!

Down the Road

Down the Road 

by Alice Schertle
illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Walking down the long road to town all by herself for the very first time, Hetty is thrilled that her parents have decided that she is old enough to go to town to get fresh eggs for their morning breakfast. Hetty makes it to town and gets the eggs. She is very careful not to break them. However, as she reaches up to pick apples for her and her parents, her basket tips...and tips a bit more until all the eggs fall out. Feeling sad, she doesn't want to return home to tell her parents about the eggs. So, she climbs the apple tree to think it over. Her dad comes looking for her. Next, her mother comes looking for her and her dad and finds them both in the apple tree. Pretty soon all three of them are in the apple tree admiring the view. They head home and rather than fresh eggs for breakfast, they enjoy a delicious apple pie.

Just Try It

Just Try It

by Christianne C. Jones
illustrated by Hye Won Yi

This is a Read It! Reader book about a boy who did not like vegetables. We read this book when we did our unit on vegetables. He did everything possible to avoid eating them! He stuck his veggies in his nose. He put them in his shoe. He fed them to his dog. He refused to give his vegetables a try. Finally, his mom made a casserole with peas, beans, corn, broccoli, and carrots (all the veggies he refused to eat) and he tried and he liked it! We did have to talk about what you should and should not do at the dinner table while reading this book.

Full, Full, Full of Love

Full, Full, Full of Love

by Trish Cooke

illustrated by Paul Howard

Each Sunday Jay Jay goes to his Grannie's house for dinner. While waiting for dinner to be served, Jay Jay notices that Grannie's cupboard is always full, full of colorful dishes. Her fish tank is always full, full of all kinds of fish and her candy tin is full, full to the brim. Once all of their family and friends arrive, dinner is served and there is plenty for everyone! Everyone was full, full of Grannie's dinner! When it was time to go, Jay Jay and Grannie hugged and kissed each other and Jay Jay is reminded that Sunday dinner at Grannie's house is always full of love!

Feast for 10

Feast for 10

by Cathryn Falwell

Count from one to ten twice as this family works together to prepare "a feast for 10" people. Although the book does not specify as such, I do think this is a great counting book to read and relate to the preparation of a Thanksgiving dinner.