This is such a lovely dolly-mixture-coloured volume that I am considering adopting a few kids just to have the excuse to throw a party for them! The photography by Thayer Allyson Gowdy is charming and remarkable when one considers the difficulty of taking a good picture of children doing anything other than sleeping!
The Author, Lisa Atwood, has worked as a food writer and an editor and publisher for the celebrated Williams-Sonoma cookbooks. She has also worked as a children’s cooking instructor so has plenty of experience at the sharp end of entertaining kids.
Kids Parties – Creative Ideas and Recipes for Making Celebrations Special, to give the book its full title, has seven party themes appropriate for all ages and interests. It’s not just the food that is planned but also invitations, decorations and activities. Lots of the recipes are child-friendly and offer a new experience for young hands.
There are some inspiring chapter headings. Pizza Party, Halloween Party, and Easter Party are just a few of them. Cupcake Party would be a popular theme for little girls who want a sophisticated and thoroughly feminine celebration. There’s plenty of advice on even the smallest of details. Party hair clips decorated with butterflies are great gifts for the guests. Frilly straws, pastel-coloured drinks with slices of strawberries and sugared rims will make everyone feel grownup. Make the cupcakes beforehand and let the kids decorate them. All you will need are three buckets of delicately coloured icing in various shades and as many sugar or chocolate decorations as you can find.
Lisa takes the fear out of entertaining children. She provides all the inspiration you’ll need to give a stylish bash without breaking the bank. You can mix and match the ideas and recipes and tailor the party to the tastes of you own children. Each party theme has all the advice you’ll need to help your day be less traumatic. There are Party Plans, Recipes, things to do Ahead of Time (that’s good to see), on the Day of the Party, During the Party and Activities.
Kids Parties will be a book that your children will enjoy looking at, and if you involve them in choosing and preparation they will feel the day is truly theirs. A bit of planning will give you a worry-free celebration with lasting memories of a fun time for the whole family.
Kids Parties
Author: Lisa Atwood
Published by: Apple Press
Price: £14.99
ISBN 978-1-84543-287-4
Cookbook review by Chrissie Walker © 2018