Over the last decade or so, I’ve amassed a sizable collection of children’s books, for which I’m truly grateful. While most tend to be the standard picture book fare, a small part of the collection is made up of cookbooks written for use with young children. With the release of Carol Odell’s book Once Upon a Time in the Kitchen: Recipes and Tales from Classic Children’s Stories, I’ve added a unique and standout item to this part of the collection.

As the title makes evident, this book isn’t merely a series of recipes for children to enjoy, but instead offers excerpts from twenty-one pieces of classic children’s literature, along with a related recipe for families to make as an accompaniment to the reading. When one opts to read a little Winnie-the-Pooh, what better to snack on than a “Bear Honey and Nut Spread?” Or, if Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is your selection, why not share some of “The Queen of Hearts’ Jam Tarts?”

While the stories excerpted here will most likely be familiar to most parents picking up this book to share with their children (at least of my generation or older), I wonder if they are losing their ground with today’s children. I adored The Wind in the Willows and The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, but I’m not sure that my oldest child has included either of these in his reading pursuits yet. In addition to offering tasty-sounding recipes for families to make together, this lovely book, complete with inviting watercolor illustrations by Anna Pignataro, will also entice children and their parents to return to the library or comb their home bookshelves for some of the classics!

Our friends at Sleeping Bear Press are graciously offering THREE copies of Once Upon a Time in the Kitchen: Recipes and Tales from Classic Children’s Stories for this week’s giveaway. Just leave a comment below, U.S. and Canada residents only, please.

We’ll announce the winners in our July 12th 5 Minutes for Books column.

Our giveaway of a White House local cooking and eating cookbook and another children’s book from Sleeping Bear Press is still open. Enter at From the White House to Your House.

Book blogger Dawn’s cooking skills are far surpassed by her reading skillz. (Yes, they’re good enough to earn a ‘z.’) More wackiness can be found at her blog, my thoughts exactly.