(3) 4-6 Archer and Craig provide an overview of different plant food sources (including roots, leaves, flowers, and stems) and then, with an emphasis on the process, explain how to grow and cook them yourself. Readers are encouraged to try new foods and techniques with sixteen colorful fruits and vegetables. Novel recipes include chocolate beet cake and zucchini and polenta fries. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Savvy: Between the Bread series. Illustrated by Bob Lentz. Piles of widely varied sandwich ideas await young "sandwich savants" in these quirky cookbooks. Themed by filling type, each volume's recipes are kid-friendly and use fairly common ingredients kids may find laying around the kitchen. Sandwich facts and tips (in unfortunately tiny type) adorn the jam-packed pages; cartoony illustrations make the sandwiches look tasty. Review covers these Savvy: Between the Bread titles: Fish and Fowl, Hold the Meat, and More Meat Please!.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Karl James Mountford. "Maurice was not like the other Beasts." The well-mannered, smiley vegetarian is sent to the Abominable Academy for Brutish Beasts, where Maurice's differences save the day from an infiltrating "creature" (a puppy) and even spark progressive changes ("He led a campaign to add kale to the lunch menu," etc.). Illustrated with more-cute-than-frightening mixed-media art, the lighthearted story conveys its you-be-you message without didacticism.

Reviewer: Lauren Chambers

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Julie McLaughlin. Delving first into the history of humans' meat-eating as well as vegetarianism, this book goes on to discuss topics such as religious and cultural norms surrounding meat, reasons to become a vegetarian or "flexitarian" (including tips on talking to family members about the choice), and menu suggestions for a meat-free week. Friendly art accompanies the approachable text. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 Lightning Bolt Books: Healthy Eating series. In each volume, four or five short chapters give a casual introduction to very basic nutritional concepts. Each brightly colored page contains two or three beginning-reader-pitched sentences, color photographs with boxed captions, and generous open space. Appended to each volume is a suggested activity (such as keeping a food log and preparing an unfamiliar food) and a few random "Fun Facts." Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Lightning Bolt Books: Healthy Eating titles: Caution in the Kitchen!, Taste Something New!, What's on My Plate?, and Why Doesn't Everyone Eat Meat?.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 Like Gleeson's bestselling cookbook for adults, The Forest Feast, this volume features her gorgeous photographs of the dishes and ingredients, watercolor art, and hand lettering. Kitchen tools, cutting techniques, and prep terms are clearly described and illustrated, and the easy-to-follow, real-food recipes (kids wanting to make marshmallow treats should look elsewhere) are divided into sections such as "Snacks," "Meals," "Sweets," and "Parties." Ind.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) 1-3 Monster Heroes series. Illustrated by Dave Bardin. Four do-gooder monsters--a shy ghost, a beet-juice-drinking vampire, a tofu-eating zombie, and a curse-reversing witch--are loosely joined up in cheesy episodes meant to encourage early readers. The print is large, the chapters are short, and each story's lightweight problem is quickly solved by the "superheroes." Full-color illustrations ensure these characters seem silly rather than scary. Questions and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers the following Monster Heroes titles: The Ghost Trap and Vampires and Veggies.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) YA This well-researched text discusses what our prehistoric and BCE ancestors ate; the science of nutrition and changing dietary recommendations (e.g., the late-twentieth-century "low-fat frenzy"); and the effects of corporate farming on the land, animals, and our health. The book, illustrated with stock photos, concludes with intriguing new trends, such as aquaponics and food-info apps. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) YA Lifestyle choices take on a whole new meaning in a witty send-up of modern diets and the ways they can shape a family dynamic. The very posh Savage family keeps their food preferences to themselves--cannibalism isn't exactly legal. When teenage Sasha dates a devoted vegetarian who cheats on her with a militant vegan, things really get cooking in this tastefully gruesome comedy.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) K-3 Dinosaur fan Ruth Ann visits the "Cretaceous Surprises" exhibit at the museum and meets a T. rex who's a vegetarian--apparently he's just too nice a guy to kill anything. The story won't please kids who know their dino facts, and vegetarian readers won't necessarily relate to the big and brave veggie dinosaur either. Neubecker's brightly colored, humorous illustrations accompany this cheery but confusing story.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) 4-6 Checkerboard How-to Library: Cool Recipes for Your Health series. Each book provides a brief description of how to follow a diet omitting or using certain foods, followed by lengthy picture lists of ingredients, cooking tools, and cooking terms; eight kid-friendly recipes with easy-to-follow steps, such as "Bite-Size Pizza Pinwheels" and "Banana Brownie-Wowies," may encourage young readers with food sensitivities or allergies to become participants in their meal preparation. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard How-To Library: Cool Recipes for Your Health titles: Cool Dairy-Free Recipes, Cool Meat-Free Recipes, Cool Nut-Free Recipes, and Cool Raw Food Recipes.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 Easy Cookbooks for Kids series. Each book features recipes in the title category from eleven different countries (one recipe per country with some overlap across volumes). With photos of children preparing and enjoying appetizing international foods, cuisine is presented as a way to understand world cultures and tastes. Capsule introductions to the countries, cook's tips, and added facts about food enrich the lively magazine-like presentation. Safety reminders are included. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Easy Cookbooks for Kids titles: Easy Desserts from Around the World, Easy Main Dishes from Around the World, Easy Snacks from Around the World, Easy Breakfasts from Around the World, Easy Lunches from Around the World, and Easy Vegetarian Foods from Around the World.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) YA Nutrition and Health series. Focusing primarily on the deleterious health effects of a meat-based diet, Traugh also touches on other reasons for choosing vegetarianism, including religious, ethical, and environmental concerns. Despite a few gaps (e.g., the use of the old food pyramid) and inconsistencies (overlooking some facts while excessively detailing others), this book is a solid introduction. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 In this fractured fairy tale, the wolf asks for help rehabilitating his reputation. Little Red Riding Hood's advice (become a vegetarian) works--for a while. The book overflows with lift-the-flaps; envelopes with tiny letters inside and a fabric shower curtain and apron are also included. The boldly colored naive-style paintings are enhanced by collage elements, including rickrack borders.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) YA What Do You Think? series. This book clarifies terms, quotes some research and opinions on both sides, suggests critical thinking and evaluation skills, and coaches readers in debate techniques. Though it's not nuanced or deep, the material reasonably introduces the subject of animal rights for beginning debaters. Photographs, charts, sidebars, and numerous headings clutter the pages. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 Hubert, a pig-like horned "pudge," escapes from Farmer Jake's Pudge Processing Farm, but he can't enjoy his freedom until he liberates his friends. In this entertaining if thinly disguised animal-rights manifesto, the happy ending rests on the commercial success of tofu hot dogs. Visible line strokes and heavy texturing define the wildly humorous colored-pencil and ink illustrations.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks series. Each book in this series includes a brief overview, safety tips, recipes ranging from breads and breakfasts to entrees and desserts, and color photos of the dishes. These editions have been revised and expanded to include vegetarian and low-fat recipes and more cultural information. Though not geared toward young cooks, the recipes should inspire them to try something new. There are five other spring 2002 books in this series. Glos., ind. [Review covers these Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks titles: Holiday Cooking around the World, Vegetarian Cooking around the World, Cooking the Israeli Way, Cooking the West African Way, Cooking the Polish Way.]

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA Courtney, the sometimes-lapsed vegan from Truth or Dairy, goes into culture shock when she gets to college in Wisconsin, the land of bratwurst and milk. Her diary describes dorm life, her troubled long-distance relationship, and her protest to get the school initials changed from CFC, the abbreviation for "chlorofluorocarbon." The combination of honest self-examination and naiveté is amusing.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 4-6 Nutrition and Fitness series. In each book, brief chapters cover definitions, sort fact from fiction, and provide a few recipes and simple suggestions for healthier eating. Peer and advertising pressures on teens are acknowledged, while knowledgeable, independent choices are promoted. The relentlessly upbeat tone is annoying, but the information presented is solid. Color photos are included. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) 4-6 If you're fat and a vegetarian, and your name is Meatball, you get a lot of teasing. Luckily, once Meatball eats his namesake, he gains the magical power to turn into anything, and hence discovers and disarms a plot by school principals to rid the world of fun. Everything is over-the-top, so sit back and enjoy this outrageous, taut farce.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam