Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this set, free of charge, from Penguin Publishing, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it
Continuing our travel theme, we have 4 countries on one page!
This new box set takes Giada set of books for kids, that feature cooking and recipes and puts them all together with additional brand-new, extra-special recipe cards and a chef’s hat
Book 1- Naples
When Zia Donatella comes to live with the Bertolizzi family, little do Alfie and his older sister Emilia know what's in store for them. Zia Dontella is determined to show the kids how a home-cooked meal is better than even the best take-out pizza or burrito. And when Zia's plan actually transports Alfie and Emilia to famous food cities around the world, they learn first-hand how food can not only take you places but can also bring you back home. Alfie and Emilia find themselves transported to Naples, where they meet Marco, a young Italian boy on a very important mission to shop for the essential ingredients for his family's entry in the city's annual pizzafest contest. In their whirlwind search for the perfect items, Alfie and Emilia not only get a taste of Italy, but also find themselves refereeing a family feud between Marco's family and his uncle's family.
Book 2- Paris
Zia Dontella transports Alfie and Emilia to Paris, where a case of mistaken identity finds them caught up in the behind the scenes drama at a traditional French cooking school. As they explore the beautiful city of light and try to figure out how to get back home, they meet an incredible cast of French characters, as well as sample some of the best pastries and real hot chocolate that Paris has to offer.
Book 3- Hong Kong
In the third book in the series, Zia's secret ingredient takes Alfie and Emilia to the other side of the world - Hong Kong! Ying and her family are convinced that Alfie and Emilia are the foreign exchange students scheduled to visit them, and the siblings soon find themselves helping out with the opening of the family's new restaurant. Between shopping at the markets, assisting in the kitchen, and trying to get back home, Alfie and Emilia discover the sights and sounds of the exotic and bustling city.
Book 4- New Orleans
In the fourth book in the series, Zia's secret ingredient takes Alfie and Emilia to New Orleans. There they meet the members of a kids’ jazz band and are soon helping save the band’s performance venue, as well as tracking down a long-lost cookbook, which just might hold some very special secrets. From beignets and gumbo, to jazz and zydeco, Alfie and Emilia experience everything New Orleans has to offer, all while trying to find their way home.
Review:
This set is aimed at the 7-11 age crowd,and it is a good fit. The easy chapter books re great for their reading level, and the recipes are easy but not too simple! Miss Grace ADORES the set, especially the NOLA book and is already passing them around to her friends, and they are looking forward to more books in the series! I love how the series is aimed at girls AND boys equally! As you can see the reading is easy, Francesca's illustrations perfectly match the style and tone of the books, and each book has it's own recipe cards. Your children will have a lovely set of recipe cards to start them on their culinary way when they get through the 4 books! This is a great set for any young child who loves to cook and loves to read. It would also be a great homeschooling addition, as it would encompass reading, math, and the science of cooking! Young cooks would love to receive this set with some of the needed items for a meal from one of the books!
Additional books in the series coming soon:
Book 5- Rio de Janiero- releasing in January
Book 6- Hawaii- releasing next May
Recipe:
I had to share one of the NOLA recipes with you! Here's a local fav, BBQ Shrimp!
About the Author:
Giada De Laurentiis was born in Rome and grew up in a big Italian family. They spent lots of time together in the kitchen, which is where Giada discovered her love of cooking! Later, she would hone her skills at Le Cordon Bleu, a very cool cooking school in Paris. Many puff pastries and a graduation later, Giada began working in a fab restaurant called Spago in Los Angeles. Shortly after, she founded her very own catering company. She is now the Emmy Award-winning star of Food Network's Everyday Italian, Giada's Weekend Getaways, Giada in Paradise, and Giada at Home, as well as the author of six cookbooks. She lives with her husband, Todd, and daughter, Jade, in a cozy house by the beach in Los Angeles.
About the Illustrator:
An italian illustrator and animator based in London, Francesca moved to London in 2008 after one too many baking Italian summers and after many years of animation studio work, both as designer and animator. Great projects followed like the BBC TV animation series like Wee Wise World, The World of Happy and beautiful title sequences like Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang plus many more.She's thrilled to be working on this young readers series, doing some editorial work and animating as a freelancer using Flash. Check out her website, http://francescagam.co.uk/ for more.
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