Chefs and Cooks

Children's Literature

Each entry in the "Community Helpers" series discusses what people do in specific occupations while the pictures show aspects of the job. Contemporary photographs show a variety of settings, such as resorts, bakeries, and restaurants, in which the job is performed by a variously multicultural staff and options within the career, such as managerial or supervisory roles. Specialized vocabulary words appear in blue type with a short definition below the text on the page and each book ends with a short glossary of those words, "Hands On" features something to try at home or in the classroom (making instant pudding and decorating it creatively), and an index. Each also includes mention of the skills and education a person might need to become fully trained in that occupation, whether it is trade school, on-the-job training, or higher education. With the many occupations represented in the series, children can certainly increase their knowledge of the many options available in the world of work. Other nonfiction references and related websites are included. 2002, Capstone Press,
— Susan Hepler