Good cookery book for ds? (7) Oh and child safe knives?

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My youngest ds has recently become really interested in cooking, which I am delighted about, as I also love to cook. He has a little step he likes to stand on by the stove and add ingredients, stir the pan etc.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a cookery book for children I could get him for Christmas? Not a baking book, as it's cooking rather than baking that he likes. We do already have the Silver Spoon book for children but I'd like him to have something that's just his.

I also wondered about child safe knives? My neighbour used to have one which was great - you could chop carrots with it but not fingers. I think Lakeland stock one but it doesn't get great reviews.

Meant to add, I have looked elsewhere for child safe knives but not managed to find anything so far.

Oh I just looked on amazon again and found a knife. Any idea if this is any good? Reviews are OK.

We sometimes borrow books from the library but we don't have specific cookbooks for kids. DSs (8 & 10yo) sometimes browse through our BBC Goodfood book to see which pictures they like best and we cook them...

As for knives they've been using normal knives since they started cooking (5-6yo ish). All our knives are sharp - safer that way. I bought a smaller one for them - a Kitchen Devil one with about 4 inch blade - just so they can hold it steadily. I watched them like a hawk (so stressful!) in the beginning but now leave them to do it themselves.

I didn't find these things problematic. The problem comes with oven gloves ... Everything is too big ...

Thanks up - I thought of just looking at grownup books too and we will definitely do that but he's not a very confident reader yet so I think Nigel Slater prose might be a bit much for him

Might start with the knife I linked to to get the technique right on softer things before we graduate to the big sharp scary knives don't think I'm brave enough to go there yet

Hi we have the knife you linked to for my daughter bought when she was 3 - great size for kids and cuts well, definitely recommend. No book ideas I'm afraid.

Amazon have knives and cookbooks for children. I've always encouraged my children to cook and let them use a small sharp knife. I've shown them how do use a knife safely and I keep a eye on them (I'm sure you do to I'm not having a pop). I'd been taught that a blunt knife was more dangerous when chopping, not sure if that's true. I didn't even know children's kitchen knives existed!

I bought this book ready to get my DGS into cooking ( a little early but... :)) its so good my daughter snaffled it and I had to buy another one!
www.amazon.co.uk/Cookbook-Children-Cookbooks-Fiona-Patchett/dp/0746088043

We have a child safe knife from pampered chef which my kids love, but the one you have linked to looks better. We have a few children's cookbooks but I agree that the good food website is better.

We have a lovely cookbook called Kids Cook The World by Sean Mendes, published by New Internationalist. It has international recipes and facts about the countries the dishes come from and proceeds go to Solidarity Sports. www.amazon.co.uk/Kids-Cook-World-Ferran-Adria/dp/1780260385/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417557926&sr=1-1&keywords=kids+cook+the+world

My dd loves going through good food mag( or any food mag) and picking- it's all pictures and changes monthly. They're vaguely seasonal. And good food offer subscription at. 5 for £5 - which I always get and cancel on fifth month. I then switch to easy cook for 5 months at £5 and on goes the cycle.

Oh and children really but into the excitement of waiting for the mag in the post and their name being on it, opening it etc

The recipe cards you get in supermarkets are fairly child friendly. You could also get a blank recipe book for him to fill in.

Knives that are sharp are safer than blunt ones and he needs to learn to use it properly ie when chopping onion have his other hand with the finger tips in so that the flat blade of the knife is against his knuckles at the most.

River cottage has a children cookbook which I have heard great
Things about.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0340826363

I have just ordered that knife myself. I agree blunt knife is safer but my DD1 is just 3. I feel safer even watching her with a blunter knife. We have been using a table knife so far! But she chops banana type of stuff only.

Just noticed the book is out of stock and the second hand prices are quite ridiculous.

I still have my first cooking book. It's dorling kindersley with loads of pictures. 25 years later my DP is teaching himself to cook with it

Can't link on my phone but have found it on amazon for £9. By Angela Wilkes

Mine loved the CBeebies 'I can cook' books - really well designed and not all cakes (although about a third is cakes).

I find a mezzaluna is really good for kids (even younger than yours). It's so sharp that they don't need much strength to use it, and it's really clear where your hands go and where they mustn't go. Not suitable for chopping e.g. carrots, obviously, but great for anything that needs to be chopped finely and isn't too tough (cabbage, herbs, nuts, olives).

My DD loved this book when she was young. She also had some of the others in the range, all equally good. I would have posted them to you but they went to the charity shop last week

On the knife question, I think the safest approach is to have a well sharpened knife, small enough to be easily handled by a child, and then show them safe ways to use it. For example, when slicing something angle the knife away from the fingers of the other hand instead of towards. Avoid recipes that involve cutting up very hard root vegetables or very slippery foods initially. They're the most accident prone.