Let's Find That Book!: Hanukkah is Here!

Looking for a Hanukkah present for a child? What could be more fun than a children's cookbook in Hebrew? Although it can really slow you down, it's a lot of fun to cook and bake with kids. It's also a good way to get your children reading Hebrew and feeling connected to Israel by using the local food products. There are recipes whose ingredients include a bag of chocolate milk, malawach ( fried Yemenite dough), a container of Dani chocolate pudding and so many other Israeli food items. Even children's cookbooks that are translated from another language are adjusted to the local foods.

There is a large selection of children's cookbooks available. Many, but not all, Israeli and translated cookbooks are kosher. If the cookbook is kosher, it will usually say "kosher" on the title page.

אפייה זה משחק ילדים /Baking is Child's Play written by קרין גורן/ Carine Goren is my younger daughter's favorite children's cookbook. Goren is a well-known cookbook author in Israel. The book has very clear and easy to follow illustrations and instructions. Ages 8+

שמח במטבח / Happy in the Kitchen is a series of seven children's cookbooks translated from English. This series has books on different topics such as Bread, Chocolate and Food from Around the World. Although this book does have vowelization (ניקוד), it's not meant for young children. There are step-by-step instructions and clear illustrations but the instructions are more complicated than in Carin Goren's book. Ages 10+

מאסטר שף ילדים/ Junior MasterChef is a cookbook with recipes from the Israeli version of the cooking competition television show "Junior MasterChef". I borrowed this book from my neighbor who told me it was her high school daughter's favorite cookbook. The recipes look good and I plan to make several of them myself. This cookbook is not kosher but there are no recipes that have seafood or pork in them. Ages 11+

Tip no. 8 Here are two tips for making really easy bookmarks.

1. I like to cut a piece of cardboard or a piece of a cereal box to the size of a bookmark. I then cover it several times lengthwise ( not widthwise!) with washi tape. In minutes, I have a pretty and sturdy bookmark.

2. Another really easy way to make a bookmark is to snip off the corners of a used envelope. The triangle fits easily on the corner of the book. You can decorate the triangles with stickers or flowers. You can have your littlest ones scribble a picture on the bookmark! Nothing could be faster or easier.