Captain Cook's Christmas Pudding

Children's Literature - Ru Story-Huffman

This is the tale of the pudding that is named after Captain James Cook, who explored much of the South Pacific during the late 1700's. The fictionalized account has Sarah and her Granny making a Christmas Pudding, with Granny providing the background information. As the recipe is followed, the reader is treated to historical information about Captain Cook and his travels. In addition, some of the illustrations show scenes of Captain Cook, his men, and their journey. This book presents historical information in a pleasant way, which allows readers to learn as they are being entertained. Included in the story is the recipe for the Pudding and a Creamy Hard Sauce. A good book for use in the classroom or home.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3This picture book falls flat. Sarah and her Granny are making Christmas pudding from an old family recipe that is named for Captain Cook, the explorer. Slowly and ploddingly, they go through the process of making the dessert. As each ingredient is named, Sarah wonders out loud where it might have come from. Then Granny gives a synopsis of an incident from one of Captain Cook's voyages. Most of her stories have nothing to do with the ingredients mentioned, except that the events she describes occurred where the sugar, lemons, or spices might have been found. The result is a discordant mix of holiday cooking and social studies. The watercolor illustrations of Captain Cook's voyages try to capture some of the flavor of his adventures but the scenes of Granny and Sarah are static. Cook's explorations and Christmas don't make a good mix, no matter how you try to blend them.