I grew up with this book, read it to my own kids and read it to the children in my first grade classes. The book is appropriate fr ages 2--8. The stories are simple, but engaging, and the language is gently repetitive and delightful. You will want to read it aloud again and again just to hear yourself say "Andrewshek's Auntie Katushka."

What a wonderful little book. It has a wide variety of delicious homemade recipes that don't take much time at all. The prep time and cooking times are listed for each recipe to help you fit them into your busy schedule. Instructions are simple and step by step for those who don't bake often and at the very end of the book are simple, yet wonderful recipes to a wide variety of different icings, sauces and glazes. Don't forget to try the Sour Cream Chocolate Cake, it's to die for.

When my mother use to read this to me it taught me alot about not giving up and to always try my best and work for what I wanted in life and to follow my dreams with intensity and I also liked the way the story has been passed through the traditon of Japan and carried it values onto the modern life it was a kind and passionate story which I still to this day would read. At a young age the book had been lost and well purchasing this book again has returned a part of my life and my heartfelt memories of my time with my mom. Thank You

I'm from Eastern Kentucky, and this book contains authentic Kentucky recipes. Accept no substitute. The biscuit recipe alone ("Earlene's") is worth the price of the book.

This is the book that makes healthy eating worth while. It has many fantastic ideas how to lower the calories and fat of chocolate recipes without loosing the flavor. Five stars!

My son loved this book, he could read it himself, and he laughed hysterically at the drawings of the animals being covered with frosting.

They keep this book simple and to the point. They cover what you need to create two different quilts shown in the book. The directions are easy to follow and they have the patterns in the book for you to cut or copy and use. I highly recommend this book for someone interested in trying applique.

This is one of the first books that I ever was read to. I have had my mom read it to me over and over again and I never tire of hearing the magic of the story. It is a truly stunningly fabulous work of art that goes straight to the heart. I hope that you all love reading it as much as I did!

Make Delicious Italian Desserts at Home

In her latest cookbook, "Sweet Maria's Italian Desserts: Classic and Casual Recipes for Cookies, Cakes, Pastry, and Other Favorites," baker Maria Bruscino Sanchez offers traditional family recipes for the home baker. She demystifies the "handful of this and that" that one often finds with "old country" family recipes. Italian baking, like Italian cooking, is regional. Maria offers recipes from her Neapolitan and Abbruzzese heritage; from her Sicilian husband's heritage; and from her travels all over Italy. She shares updated traditional and contemporary recipes from her own Sweet Maria's Bakery in Waterbury, Connecticut, where Italian-Americans and others purchase desserts.

The recipes in this cookbook are easy to follow. Here you will find authentic Italian recipes for everything from cookies (including biscotti), cakes (including cheesecakes), pies and tarts, pastry (wonderful cannoli), sweet breads, frozen desserts, fruit desserts, and dessert sauces.

Of special interest are recipes for tiramisù (including savioardi--Italian ladyfingers), homemade limoncello, crostata di fico (fresh fig tart), millefoglie (thousand-layer apricot tart), biscotti di cioccolata con noci (chocolate hazlenut biscotti), and apricot-almond semi-freddo. For special occasions, such as St. Joseph's Day (March 19) and Easter, Maria tells how to make "Pane di Pasqua con Uovo" (Braided Easter Bread with Eggs). For Christmas, there are recipes for "Panettone" (Christmas Fruit Bread) and "Crostata di Natale" (Christmas Tart).

Sidebars occur throughout this cookbook that offer tips such as "How to Make an Italian Cookie Tray," "Bomboniere" (favors for Italian weddings and bridal showers), and "Al Dente." Another sidebar tells how ". . . Italian pastry chefs traveled with Catherine de Médici when she went to live in France . . . .who showed the French chefs some of their basic techniques for pastry making, which they then adapted to make some of their legendary sweets."

Highly recommended for authentic Italian dessert recipes!