This is a mix of easy holiday crafts and edibles, including tomato soup with snowman-shaped grilled cheese sandwiches, reindeer bark (chocolate and almond bark), baked goods for gifts, and holiday-themed soaps (Santa's Suds).

This fun book covers the gamut of Jewish holidays, offering easy recipes kids will enjoy making and eating, including mandel bread (similar to biscotti), baked stuffed apples, even jam doughnuts. It's a nice way for children to explore their heritage, or learn about another culture.

Charming illustrations walk children through easy recipes for kid-friendly classics, such as monkey bread, pancakes, various stews, sloppy joes and beef kebabs. Illustrated ingredient and equipment lists are an especially nice touch.

Budding gourmets will appreciate Franklin's easy takes on classic Italian dishes, such as rosemary foccacia, tomato and bread soup, tomato crostini (called tomato toasts for the little ones) and calzone. The familiarity of many of the ingredients and dishes, as well as the many photos of children preparing each recipe, makes this a nice way of drawing kids into the kitchen.