Food for thought: New non-fiction

Junior Gourmet: amazing recipes from around the world

Imaging impressing your friends and Mum and Dad with dishes like vegetable moussaka or crepes with strawberries! Ok, you might need some help with the cooking and chopping, but the recipes themselves are pretty straightforward. It’s full of amazing pictures of mouthwatering food, divided into recipes by country.  You learn a little bit about the country and its food and then you can get straight on to cooking! It’s probably not the book for you if you’ve never cooked anything before, but if you’ve got more experience, this book will taking your kitchen skills and your tastebuds to the next level.

 

 

Cooking for kids with allergies

If you’re gluten intolerant, dairy free or allergic to nuts (or all of the above) don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten you! This cookbook is filled with delicious things to eat that won’t trigger your allergies.  A lot of the recipes can be served to those with more than one allergy; for example, the lemon tarts are both nut-free and gluten-free! Everything looks tasty and healthy, and there’s some good information about how to deal with your allergies.

 

 

 

Joe-Joe the Wizard brews up solids, liquids and gasses

Joe-Joe the wizard is brewing up something quite different in this science book. When he tries to turn his homework into chocolate (and fails) his science teacher uses this to teach him about different states of matter. A cross between a picture book and a science book, this would be useful to explain basic scientific concepts to younger readers .

 

 

 

Island: A story of the Galápagos Islands

This is another book that’s part picture book , part non-fiction book. It tells the story of the Galápagos Islands, from six million years ago, when a volcano erupted,  starting off the environmental changes which would make the Galápagos  Islands such a unique place full of amazing creatures.  It also talks clearly about the process of evolution; over the generations finches, for example, end up changing to suit the harsh environment of the Islands. The illustrations are beautiful and all the information is set out clearly.  Another book that’s great for you if you’re just starting to learn about science.

 

 

Super Nature

This is a big book that will help you out if you ever need to know what the smallest carnivorous mammal  is  (Least Weasel) or the heaviest insect (our own Little Barrier Giant Weta.) It also has information about more obscure  if no less awesome creatures, such as the Bombardier Beetle, which defends itself by spraying its attacker with boiling liquid projected from its rear end. This book is all about the extremes in the animal world.

 

 

 

 You are Stardust

“You are stardust,” this book begins, “Every tiny atom in your body came from a star that exploded long before you were born.” This beautiful book is part science, part philosophy and part story. It’s told in simple language, but that doesn’t mean its message is any less powerful.