Whether you love to cook or approach it from a more utilitarian perspective, it's a wonderful skill (and art) to share with and pass on to a child. When I was young I had a small collection of kids cookbooks that I spent hours poring over. I fondly remember a spiral bound edition of Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Boys and Girls with its "wide eyed" pizzas and ghost cake that enchanted me.

This summer, as you're home more, may be the perfect time to get the kids in your life into the kitchen to learn about food and cooking, how to read a recipe, how to measure and the pleasure of eating and sharing what you've made. Little ones will need your help and supervision, but older kids will be able to use many of these cookbooks on their own. To get kids interested, let them page through the book and pick out a recipe to try that excites them. All of the cookbooks below are available to check out digitally. You can find more e-cookbooks for kids in our catalog.

The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America's Test Kitchen

For the first time ever, America's Test Kitchen is bringing their scientific know-how, rigorous testing, and hands-on learning to KIDS in the kitchen! Recipes were thoroughly tested by more than 750 kids to get them just right for cooks of all skill levels—including recipes for breakfast, snacks and beverages, dinners, desserts, and more. Step-by-step photos of tips and techniques will help young chefs feel like pros in their own kitchen. 

Cooking Class Global Feast!: 44 Recipes That Celebrate the World's Cultures by Deanna F. Cook

Kids gain practical kitchen skills through preparing breakfasts, drinks, snacks, dinners, and desserts from around the world. Alongside recipes for foods such as Irish soda bread, ANZAC biscuits, ramen noodle soup, and mango lassi, step-by-step photography and profiles feature children from a wide range of backgrounds honoring their heritage and preparing dishes that reflect their unique food traditions. 

The Forest Feast for Kids: Colorful Vegetarian Recipes That are Simple to Make by Erin Gleeson

The Forest Feast for Kids includes the most kid-friendly favorites from The Forest Feast, along with 20 new recipes, plus ideas for kids’ parties and easy-to-follow instructions on techniques, measurements, and other helpful kitchen aides. In addition to its recipes—which span meals, party food, snacks, and beverages—this nonfiction book includes ideas for crafty table decoration, party ideas, an illustrated guide on kitchen safety, and a glossary of culinary terms. 

Noodlemania!:50 Playful Pasta Recipes by Melissa Barlow

You’ll go noodle crazy with the playful and colorful pasta recipes in Noodlemania! It’s filled with hot and cold main dishes, salads, and even desserts! Try Super Stuffed Monster Mouths made with jumbo pasta shells, Rapunzel Pastamade with extra-long spaghetti, Spider Cookies made with crunchy ramen noodles, or Gloppy Green Frog Eye Salad made with acini di pepe. Noodlemania! also teaches basic math skills and includes fun trivia. 

Recipes from Mexico by Dana M. Rau

Recipes from Mexico includes a variety of recipes for each meal of the day. Information on how to read a recipe, safety in the kitchen, and daily nutritional requirements are also included. Quick tips and variations as well as considerations for dietary restrictions round out each recipe.

The Help Yourself Cookbook for Kids: 60+ Easy Plant-Based Recipes Kids Can Make to Stay Healthy and Save the Earth by Ruby Roth

Experts tell us the best way to teach kids healthy eating habits is to involve them in the process. This irresistibe cookbook presents 60 appealing recipes kids will beg to make themselves, in fun and charming illustrations they will love. Bursting with color, humor, cute animal characters, and cool facts, Help Yourself empowers children to take charge of their own nutrition—for now and for life! 

Nadiya's Kitchen: Over 100 Simple and Delicious Family Recipes by Nadiya Hussain

Cool African Cooking: Fun and Tasty Recipes for Kids by Lisa Wagner

Introduces cooking terms, techniques, and utensils and provides easy-to-follow recipes for six traditional African dishes.

The Teen Kitchen: Recipes We Love to Cook by Emily & Lyla Allen 

The Children's Baking Book by Denise Smart

Inspire your child to bake up brownies, breads, pastries, muffins, cookies, cakes, and more.More than fifty fabulous recipes are guaranteed to stir any baker. With twists on old favorites and delicious new ideas there’s something for everyone.Easy-to-follow step by step instructions make sure creations turn out exactly as they should. Tips and advice on preparation and cooking will help budding chefs become brilliant bakers!

The Family Cooks: 100+ Recipes to Get Your Family Craving Food That's Simple, Tasty, and Incredibly Good for You by Laurie David

InThe Family Cooks, David inspires parents and kids to take control of what they eat by making it themselves. With her longtime collaborator, Kirstin Uhrenholdt, David offers more than 100 recipes that are simple, fast, "low in the bad stuff and high in the good stuff," and designed to bring kids into the cooking process. The authors also demystify cooking terms and break down basic prep techniques, creating stress-free meals that foster health, togetherness, and happy palates. The Family Cooks is the ideal companion for unseasoned chefs of all stripes, whether they're parenting or being parented.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Don't forget to "return" your e-books when you're done—the sooner you return them, the sooner someone else can use them.