From School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up—This villian cookbook from Disney is designed for children with kitchen experience who still require adult supervision or assistance. It opens with a thorough Before You Begin list, including instructions to tie back hair, push up sleeves, and wear an apron. The how-to pages are comprehensive and encourage kitchen clean up. An apple symbol is used to indicate a recipe's difficulty level, and the photographs with every recipe will also aid success. Recipes cover all meal categories, and each is related to a villainous Disney character. However, these villains are healthy eaters. Recipes call for kale, whole grains, fresh veggies, and fruits. Budding chefs have the opportunity to experiment with flavors and learn new techniques. For recipes requiring more skill, step-by-step pictorial instructions are included. Not every recipe is intense, as several use pre-made pizza crust, purchased sugar cookie dough, and the ice cream is no-churn. For those with dietary needs, there is a list of recipe titles with notations as to whether they are gluten or dairy free, vegetarian, or vegan. VERDICT A must-purchase for collections serving Disney fans.
Review
Gr 8 Up–This villian cookbook from Disney is designed for children with kitchen experience who still require adult supervision or assistance. It opens with a thorough Before You Begin list, including instructions to tie back hair, push up sleeves, and wear an apron. The how-to pages are comprehensive and encourage kitchen clean up. An apple symbol is used to indicate a recipe’s difficulty level, and the photographs with every recipe will also aid success. Recipes cover all meal categories, and each is related to a villainous Disney character. However, these villains are healthy eaters. Recipes call for kale, whole grains, fresh veggies, and fruits. Budding chefs have the opportunity to experiment with flavors and learn new techniques. For recipes requiring more skill, step-by-step pictorial instructions are included. Not every recipe is intense, as several use pre-made pizza crust, purchased sugar cookie dough, and the ice cream is no-churn. For those with dietary needs, there is a list of recipe titles with notations as to whether they are gluten or dairy free, vegetarian, or vegan. VERDICT A must-purchase for collections serving Disney fans.- SLJ (May 1, 2023)
About the Author
Joy Howard is the author of Disney Eats, and is a freelance writer, recipe developer, and food stylist. She writes a regular column about kids and cooking for Eating Well magazine, and her work has appeared in projects for Parents, Burger King, Friendly’s, and more. She lives in Western Massachusetts.
