“CONSIDERATE means, I waited until you got home so we could lick the bowl together.”
‘Tis the season of cookies!
Put on your aprons so we can mix up some butter, sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla and baking soda in our blue striped bowl. See, I waited for you to get here so we could lick the bowl together and sample some of the heartwarming cookie-centric definitions in Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s brand new book, Sugar Cookies: Sweet Little Lessons on Love (HarperCollins, 2009)!
Just released in October, Sugar Cookies is the third installment in Rosenthal’s New York Times bestselling series, following Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons (2006) and Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lessons (2008).
I love all of them (I like to keep my cookie jar well stocked). In Sugar Cookies, Rosenthal defines 22 words that are associated with love — all its little nuances, and some of the different ways people show it.
Here, nibble on a few spreads and definitions for yourself:
SUGAR COOKIE SAMPLER:
“HEARTFELT means, I made these sprinkly cookies for you because I know they’re your absolute favorite kind.”
“CONSTRUCTIVE means that if the cookie tastes funny, I’m going to be honest and tell you.”
“COMPASSIONATE means that when you burn the cookies to a crisp, I’ll be there to give you a hug.”
“SUPPORTIVE means that when your cookies are a huge hit at the bake sale, no one is happier for you than I am.”
“UNREQUITED means, He sure loves her cookies, but I don’t think she feels the same way about his cookies . . . or maybe she just hasn’t noticed them yet.”
“TRUE LOVE means, I like a lot of cookies, but this cookie here, this cookie is extra-special . . . My love for it is pure and rich and endless.”
Jane Dyer has been in my top ten list of favorite illustrators for a long time, and she collaborated with her daughter, Brooke, to produce the charming, irresistibly endearing animals and children in this book. There’s something about checks, stripes, and polka dots that transports me to a safe, bucolic world, one that I eagerly enter with every page turn.
Each gentle emotion is palpable via the facial expressions and posturing. Freckles! Curly hair! Duckies in tiny scarves and sailor hats! Mice in clean, white aprons mixing batter and rolling eggs! I especially like how humans and animals coexist, no questions asked. For me, Christmas is synonymous with cookies, and this series is snynomous with unabashed childlike joy. No matter how you like to express love, there’s a cookie here just right for you.
Amy has made a delicious trailer for Sugar Cookies, which I especially love because it’s set in a restaurant! See if this little love story doesn’t make your heart pitter patter:
Sugar Cookies is the perfect gift book for adults as well as kids. What, you’re hungry now? Okay, here’s the recipe that’s included in the book:
SUGAR COOKIES
photo by Pillsbury.com.
1/2 stick butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
frosting
sugar for sprinkling
Combine sugar and butter, and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, flour, vanilla and baking soda. Mix into the butter mixture and chill dough for one hour.
Roll out dough into small balls and place onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350° F.
Let the cookies cool completely, and then frost.
Sprinkle with sugar.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
My post about Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons (where I list a few lessons for writers) is here, and my review of Christmas Cookies: Bite-Size Holiday Lessons is here.
If you’d like to see all the scrumptious cookie recipes posted on alphabet soup, click here. Most are from other children’s authors!
Happy baking and reading!!
SUGAR COOKIES: Sweet Little Lessons on Love
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
illustrated by Jane Dyer & Brooke Dyer
(HarperCollins, 2009), ages 5-10, 40 pp.
Source of book: Library copy.
**Images displayed in this post copyright © 2009 Jane Dyer & Brooke Dyer, courtesy of R. Michelson Galleries, Northampton, Massachusetts. Original watercolors of all these illustrations are available for sale at the website, along with other works by both artists.
Copyright © 2009 Jama Rattigan of jama rattigan’s alphabet soup. All rights reserved
Jama's Alphabet Soup 
Just PLAIN SIMPLE SUGAR cookies….
Why is it JUST PLAIN SIMPLE is so often the BEST?
another yummy post!
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Just PLAIN SIMPLE SUGAR cookies….
Why is it JUST PLAIN SIMPLE is so often the BEST?
another yummy post!
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MUST get for the girls! Thanks for this beautiful post.
Jules
7-Imp
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MUST get for the girls! Thanks for this beautiful post.
Jules
7-Imp
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“UNREQUITED means, He sure loves her cookies, but I don’t think she feels the same way about his cookies . . . or maybe she just hasn’t noticed them yet.” —–> * dies laughing *
Book trailer —–> * dies laughing *
Both so funny and cute!
LOVE is Tarie’s brother helping her clean up – and not telling Mommy – when she almost burned the house down baking. Tarie was 11.
And now I need to go get myself some cookies.
Tarie
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“UNREQUITED means, He sure loves her cookies, but I don’t think she feels the same way about his cookies . . . or maybe she just hasn’t noticed them yet.” —–> * dies laughing *
Book trailer —–> * dies laughing *
Both so funny and cute!
LOVE is Tarie’s brother helping her clean up – and not telling Mommy – when she almost burned the house down baking. Tarie was 11.
And now I need to go get myself some cookies.
Tarie
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Re: Just PLAIN SIMPLE SUGAR cookies….
“Just plain simple” never goes out of style. I imagine Santa gets sugar and chocolate chip cookies most often with his milk. I’m pretty sure his reindeer like sugar cookies too :).
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Re: Just PLAIN SIMPLE SUGAR cookies….
“Just plain simple” never goes out of style. I imagine Santa gets sugar and chocolate chip cookies most often with his milk. I’m pretty sure his reindeer like sugar cookies too :).
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Definitely a yummy book! :9
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Definitely a yummy book! :9
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Wow, that’s big brotherly love, alright! Hope your baking habits have improved since then :D!
And hope someone special notices your cookies this holiday season ;). . .
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Wow, that’s big brotherly love, alright! Hope your baking habits have improved since then :D!
And hope someone special notices your cookies this holiday season ;). . .
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I’m pretty sure his reindeer like sugar cookies too :)….
Yes, but my oldest son insisted that cookies were probably not very good for reindeer. So, he’d put out a carrot stick every year.
Good thing dad likes to nibble on carrots, too!
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I’m pretty sure his reindeer like sugar cookies too :)….
Yes, but my oldest son insisted that cookies were probably not very good for reindeer. So, he’d put out a carrot stick every year.
Good thing dad likes to nibble on carrots, too!
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Mmmm. I can smell the cookies…and I got a taste of my childhood reading this.
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Mmmm. I can smell the cookies…and I got a taste of my childhood reading this.
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I’m glad, Laurie. Did you know cookies inspire good writing :)?
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I’m glad, Laurie. Did you know cookies inspire good writing :)?
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I need to go get out my cookie sheets. Thanks, Jama!
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I need to go get out my cookie sheets. Thanks, Jama!
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Happy baking, Amy!
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Happy baking, Amy!
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Oh, I love the first two books in this series, and I was wondering if they’d be able to keep the magic up for the third. I’m glad to see they have!
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Oh, I love the first two books in this series, and I was wondering if they’d be able to keep the magic up for the third. I’m glad to see they have!
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