Pots and Pans

by Anne Rockwell

Two appealing toddlers discover a treasure trove of wonderful "toys"—right in their own kitchen cupboard. The smallest lapsitter will delight in naming all the items the inquisitive pair find. The simple text and cheerful, poster-bright artwork add up to a winning book for the very youngest child.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published March 1, 1993

Reviews

[Allie]

Thank goodness we have two copies, because it's out of stock (indefinitely) and one of our copies is super busted. This is such a lovely picture book that would be great to introduce kids to the things they might encounter in a kitchen, whether they're helping you cook ("helping" ha*) or just playing around with the pots and pans. This would also be a fun read aloud if you're doing a family food program. I also really love Lizzy Rockwell's illustrations. Sometimes her work skews a little too cartoony, but here the images of pots, kettles, and wooden spoons are all really lovely.


*I laugh, but there is a lot of good research indicating that kids helping you cook is a good way to educate them on healthy eating. Plus if you're narrating as you go, it introduces them to lots of interesting vocabulary words.

[Becky Everhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to the kids at my preschool, and they really seemed to enjoy it. I felt like the plot was a bit lacking, but there was good stuff about different kitchen items, opportunities for counting and learning colors, and interesting, large pictures. All in all, good read-aloud material.

[Mikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great art. A good intro to utensils used in the kitchen. Encourages pretend play. Has an illustration that makes for a fun counting activity.

[Hendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most beautiful pictures we’ve come to expect from Lizzie Rockwell (Anne’s daughter). I can’t wait until I’m big enough to play with all of mommy’s pots and pans and tupperwares!

[Katelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Concept

2. A little boy and a little girl explore the different pots and pans in their kitchen.

3. A - The illustrations are accurate of the different types of pots and pans, which is helpful for younger children. This is a clever way to focus on things children can safely play with in the kitchen, instead of focusing on what not to play with.
B- The book is very simple because it is a concept book. The concept is well represented and straightforward. This is a positive and strong point because younger children can surely grasp the concept. I thought the specific items that were displayed were appropriate because they were all things that kids see, but they might not know the name, or they were things that children can enjoy safely.
C- Each pot and pan have their own page that includes a picture of it, and its name. Young audiences will learn the names, ad possibly be able to pick it out in their own kitchen. At the end of the book, the little boy and girl are seen playing with pots and pans, and having fun.
*I read this to a two year old and she got a kick out of it. When we finished, we picked out different pots and pans from my kitchen, and found them in the book. She thought it was hilarious for some reason....maybe it was because it brought the book to life? Either way, it was a positive experience, and she was able to pick them out in her toy kitchen later that day.*

4. Teachers can use this book when explaining safety, baking, or cooking. They can also use it as an example if they want to model concept books, and exploring vocabulary.

[Asho · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to my 4-year-old because it was in the book bundle I grabbed for him from the library, but it would definitely be more appropriate for my toddler. It's not a story, it's basically an overview of various kitchen tools and gadgets. It's appealingly illustrated, and is a nice way to develop some basic kitchen vocabulary. I like all of Anne Rockwell's books that we've read so far. They are great for toddlers and young preschoolers.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super simple book, but Spencer loves it.

[Kylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great for younger children because it accurately describes and pictures the most used items in a kitchen. I think that it gets kids excited about being in the kitchen and cooking!

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Large illustrations and font size. Showcases items found in a kitchen. It's easy to incorporate counting activities and color identification.

2015 Theme: Dishes

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Rachel Rouleau · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter loved pointing out which things we have in our kitchen and which things Nini has at her house.

[SARAH · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that it was going to be a great book for a beginning reader, but it had unfamiliar words