By Emma Bland Smith
Illustrated by Susan Reagan
Calkins Creek / Astra, 2024
40 pages
978-1-63592-612-5
Ages 6-9
Fannie Farmer loved cooking as a child. When she lost the use of her leg as a teenager due to polio, her love of cooking helped reshape her vision for the future; while she recovered, she cooked. Fannie noticed that the imprecise instructions and measurements in most recipes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (e.g., “a suspicion of nutmeg”) made for inconsistent results. She enrolled in the Boston Cooking School and stayed on after graduation, eventually becoming principal. She not only led the school, but she also led the charge for using exact measurements and providing precise instructions in recipes. She showcased the results when she rewrote the school cookbook, which became a hit with the general public. This spirited recounting of the accomplishments of this food pioneer concludes with terrific end matter, beginning with a note about research and conjecture vs. fact in the narrative before exploring many dimensions of Fannie’s life, work, legacy, and the times in which she lived. A design that highlights quotes from Fannie throughout as well as pleasing watercolor and digital illustrations round out this winning picture book biography. ©2024 Cooperative Children’s Book Center