Kiss Me First
Lottie Moggach
PW writes: This disturbing, engrossing psychological thriller will keep you up nights as the founder of a website that discusses philosophy lures a lonely young woman into a twisted scenario involving identity takeover via social media. A wild and wicked debut novel.

The Good Life Lab: Radical Experiments in Hands-On Living
Wendy Jehanara Tremayne
PW writes: Summer is a perfect time to ponder—and try—living with less. Tremayne’s whimsically illustrated back-to-the-land memoir and DIY manual, which PW called a “rollicking, inspiring tale,” convincingly advocates for a “decommodified life.” Readers will be moved to consider everything from the concept of the gift economy to recipes for homemade toothpaste and kombucha.

Flora
Gail Godwin
PW writes: Charismatic Helen Anstruther, the wry adolescent narrator of Godwin’s new novel, is left in the care of the “hopelessly effusive” Flora, a young family friend. The isolated and rambling house they share once served people recovering from tuberculosis or alcoholism. It’s 1945, Helen’s father is away on business and her mother is long dead, and the summer she spends with Flora—full of boredom, desire, and ultimately heartbreak—profoundly transforms them both. Godwin knows how to deliver rich, textured tales.

The Silver Star
Jeannette Walls
O writes:  Twelve-year-old “Bean” Holladay and her older sister, Liz, aren’t immediately concerned when their mother abandons them to “make some time and space for myself…to find the magic again”; she’s done this before—to chase a man, or her dream of being a singer. But when she doesn’t return after two weeks, the girls, who’ve been subsisting on a diet of chicken potpies, revert to plan B—buying bus tickets from California to their mother’s hometown in Virginia—to avoid being taken away by social services.

And the Mountains Echoed
Khaled Hoseinni
O writes: And the Mountains Echoed opens like a thunderclap, with a fable of sacrifice told by a destitute Afghan villager to his son and daughter. What makes his sad tale even more searing is that the children are unaware their father is about to sell one of them. From this dramatic opening spins a constellation of star-crossed characters.

Sisterland
Curtis Sittenfeld
NYT writes: The high-concept gimmick at the heart of Ms. Sittenfeld’s new novel, “Sisterland,” is the premise of twin sisters who have strange psychic powers that enable them to foresee the future. One twin tries to suppress her ESP; like Samantha, the nose-twitching witch in “Bewitched,” she just wants to live life as an ordinary suburban housewife. The other sister cultivates her unusual gifts and becomes a professional psychic; she gains national fame when she warns that a terrible earthquake is going to hit the St. Louis area and is interviewed on the Today show. In both books Ms. Sittenfeld’s gifts for portraying the inner lives of her heroines manage to transcend the silliness and contrivance of her plots.

Bad Monkey
Carl Hiassen
NYT writes: A washed-up monkey, sex in a morgue, a severed arm at the end of a fishhook and other Carl Hiaasen capers make Bad Monkey his funniest novel in almost a decade.

Below, they answered some important questions that parents need to know about our kids’ food. Keep reading to find out what yeast extract really is! I had no idea.

KK: What’s wrong with the way U.S. food producers list ingredients on food labels?
SB and SR: One problem is that manufacturers will use different names for ingredients as a way to hide what they really are. If you’re reading a label that lists, “evaporated cane juice, yeast extract and natural flavors,” you may not know that those ingredients are “sugar, msg and ???.” “Evaporated Cane Juice” is processed sugar.  “Yeast extract” is a flavor enhancer that contains processed free glutamic acid, the compound that triggers reactions in people sensitive to MSG. “Natural flavors” is a label used for any number of ingredients that manufacturers don’t have to disclose.  In fact, “natural flavors” could refer to a combination of fifty chemicals blended to simulate a flavor, or it could also just be a form of monosodium glutamate. Here’s a list of what one artificial strawberry flavor contains.

It’s not enough anymore for a consumer to read the labels because they are often intentionally misleading or difficult to understand. Foodfacts.com exists to help people understand what the ingredients are, so that if you look up a product with “yeast extract,” you can click on the word in the ingredient list and find out exactly what it is. On top of that, if as product has MSG, flavors, added sugars or other controversial ingredients, that information is on the page, too.

KK: Is the U.S. different from other countries in terms of how food producers label foods?
SB and SR: In Australia, labels have to show what percentage an ingredient is of the entire product so you can see how much of it is sugar, salt, starches, etc. Europe is also much more stringent about GMO products – in the UK, just being processed with a GMO ingredient requires disclosure on the label, even if that ingredient isn’t in the final product.

KK: Isn’t it a law that nutrition labels provide a full disclosure in terms of ingredients?
SB and SR: Manufacturers have to state what is in their products, but they have very wide parameters in terms of how to disclose. As I discussed above, manufacturers love to put more appealing names on less appealing ingredients. For example, if a manufacturer wants to use the chemical secreted by a female lac insect to give their jelly beans that appealing glaze, they are going to call it “confectioners glaze” instead of “bug juice,” because it sounds much better! And they certainly aren’t going to admit that the pleasant raspberry taste that they attribute to “natural flavors” could actually be the secretions from a beaver anal gland, also known as castoreum!

KK: Is it true that certain controversial ingredients commonly used in U.S. processed foods are banned in Europe or disclosure through warning label required?
SB and SR: Yes! One example is Carrageenan. In the US, this seaweed-derived additive is GRAS, or Generally Recognized as Safe, which is an FDA designation. However, a joint FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN) / WHO (World Health Organization) study recommended that it not be used as thickener in infant formula, because infants might absorb too much of it, leading to gastrointestinal problems such as bleeding.  The UK listened to this study, recognized that the possibility of danger is enough, and restricted the use of Carrageenan in infant formula. I think this is a big difference between the two – European countries want something to be proven as safe before allowing it in food. The US seems content to allow in anything that hasn’t been proven dangerous. This leaves a grey area of ingredients that may or may not be safe, which is why people rely on our website – we highlight the ingredients in that grey area and let you know why you might prefer to avoid them.

Another example is artificial dyes, like Red 40 and Yellow 5. Studies have shown links between these chemicals and hyperactivity in children, and there are hundreds of anecdotal examples of parents who chose to reduce artificial ingredients and sugars in their children’s diets rather than jump straight to medication for ADHD and saw very positive results. In the UK, any product sold with those dyes carries a warning label that says, “may have an adverse effect on attention and activity in children.” Parents in the UK can then decide for themselves if that product is okay for their family. In the US, parents aren’t given that information.

By the way, most manufacturers didn’t want to put that label on their products, so they started choosing more natural colorings, like vegetable juice or turmeric extract, proving that you don’t need chemicals and dyes to make food appealing.

KK: Why are some ingredients classified as controversial and what are their side effects?
SB and SR: Foodfacts.com is an unbiased site – we aren’t here to promote a particular diet or lifestyle. We believe that the best consumer is an educated consumer, which is why when there are conflicting reports about an ingredient, we classify it as controversial. There are two ways an ingredient becomes controversial. One is if another government bans the ingredient on a scientific or medical basis, such as the UK banning Carrageenan from infant formula. The other reason we mark something as controversial is if three or more reputable, reliable sources like universities or established non-profits think that the ingredient should be avoided or needs more research. Sometimes on our site, controversial means “we don’t know,” but we think that’s preferable to marking everything as safe by default! The FDA seems to consider ingredients “safe until proven dangerous,” but we work the other way around – “controversial until proven safe!” The side effects depend on the ingredient and can also vary person to person.

This all reminds me of the movie The Notebook. The main character, Allie (Rachel McAdams), realizes that she has stopped painting since she’s been with her new rich boyfriend. She used to paint all of the time before she broke up with her first love. Who does she choose to be with at then end? (Duke, Ryan Gosling’s character, of course!) She winds up painting in the nude on her front porch!

Allie knew what her passions and talents were, but what if you don’t? Sir Robinson says it’s imperative that you find out what they are not to start living a happier and more fulfilling life. It doesn’t matter how busy you are–there’s always time for what you love to do. I sent Sir Ken Robinson some questions via email. He gives tips for finding your Element–and helping to foster your child’s passion and creativity, too.

KK: You say our traditional schools can stifle creativity. How can parents with young children encourage it at home?
KR: If parents reading this have two or more children, I’ll make a bet that their children are completely different from each other. All children are unique. As a result, there are two main ways in which schools can stifle creativity. If there’s a narrow curriculum it limits opportunities for children to explore their individual talents and interests. If there’s too much emphasis on standardized testing, it can inhibit imagination, play and original thinking, all of which are at the heart of creativity. Parents can help by providing a range of activities outside school that stimulate and engage their children’s imagination and creative energies. They can help too by watching for and encouraging the different sorts of activities that absorb them as individuals.

KK: In Finding Your Element, you suggest practical exercises for figuring out what makes you tick. One of these is very simple—just defining “what you are good at” and making a diagram of circles around your name. How important is it for moms to find their elements while they’re busy working and raising young children?
KR: I think it’s vital for you to do this. Among the sleepless nights, frantic activity and constant multi-tasking of being a parent, raising children can be wonderfully rewarding. At the same time, it can be easy for parents to lose sight of other things that may fulfill them and that are essential to a balanced life of their own. It’s important in all stages of our lives to develop our own talents and passions, and to take care of ourselves as well as our children. Part of the safety announcement on airplanes says, “Before helping others, put your own oxygen mask on first.” There’s a basic truth in that for our lives in general.

KK: Do you think making the diagram of circles with your children’s interests could eventually determine what their calling in life might be?
KR: Yes, I do. My original book, The Element, explains that the Element is where your natural talents meet your personal passions. When you’re in your Element, you feel that you’re really “in your skin:” that you’re doing something you were just made to do. I wrote the sequel, Finding Your Element because of the various questions people asked when they read that first book. One was whether it’s possible to have more than one Element. Of course it is, and your Element can change over time too, as you discover new talents or your interests and enthusiasms evolve. The same is true for your children. Encouraging your children to go back from time to time to review their talents and passions is a good way of not only finding their Element but of staying in it as they grow.

KK: Parents can be micro-managers of their children’s lives. How do you suggest we step back and learn to let children find their own element while also offering encouragement?
KR: There’s a definite temptation for parents to over-program their children and have them dashing from one activity and social gathering to another. For the reasons I’ve given, it’s important to give your children a range of opportunities to explore their talents and interests. It’s also important not to overdo it. We all need time to be ourselves, away from the pressures to conform or perform. So do your children. They need time to rest and to play, to read, doodle, experiment, make things and to go wherever their imaginations may take them. If you keep a watch on them, you’ll begin to see what sorts of activities they’re most drawn to and that’s often the time to look at other opportunities you can provide to enhance and extend those interests.

KK: If your child excels at several things, how do you help them hone in on one area? What do you do if your child is better at something they don’t love than something they do love?
KR: As children grow up, their interests naturally evolve. Some may take the place of others and new ones form too. Often some interests do naturally come to dominate the others. It’s not necessary to force this process. It’s better, to guide and advise. I’m often asked what to do if someone is passionate about something they may not be very good at. In my experience, passion is the driving force. A moderate talent combined with powerful enthusiasm will normally take you or your children further than a strong talent with little passion. You should remember too, that ability grows with practice. The more you love something, the more you do it and the better you’re likely to become. That’s all part of being in your Element.

Author Joel Schwartzberg, a popular essay writer and author of The 40-Year-Old Version: Humoirs of a Divorced Dad, explains the significance and steadfastness of the simple inquisitive words of his father: “What’s new?”

“Back when I competed in middle school debate, my dad would rouse me early on Saturday tournament mornings. With night sky still hovering, I’d pull on my only blue suit, grab the thin attaché case that was once his, and he’d drive me to the waiting school bus. If time allowed, we’d pick up a box of glazed donuts for the team.

Roughly 12 hours later, the bus would pull back into the school parking lot. The sky would be dark, as if the day had never arrived. I’d spot my dad’s car, its dome light illuminated so he could grade papers while he waited. He graded a lot of papers those nights.

“So…what’s new?” he’d ask while I climbed inside. At the time, I thought the question had everything to do with my trophies.

“What’s new?” is how my dad greets me to this day, albeit slower and with slightly more vocal gravel thirty years later. I understand now the meaning with which these words are imbued. My dad expresses affection in sacrifice, devotion, and time–not in simple words so overplayed in greeting cards and the closing scenes of romantic comedies.

It was my dad who cut his thumb open making a birdhouse for my third grade cub scout project. As he hammered away, he continued bleeding into the house even though we begged him to stop. I’m not sure we were concerned for his safety so much as utterly grossed out by the splattering of bright blood onto the light wood. The only thing driving him was a determination to do right by us. That he was creating a Dexter-themed birdhouse wouldn’t stand in the way.

It was my dad who drove to the mall where I worked to hand-deliver my SAT scores, hot off the mailman’s truck.

It was my dad who supported my paper-thin rationalizations to start law school, and he supported me just as much when I left six months later, the first Schwartzberg to quit an educational endeavor since I dropped AP biology.

It was my dad who visited me at the tiny video store where, at 24, I competed for the title of Assistant Manager against a teenager who wore sports-themed ties. It was my dad who told me it was okay to quit three weeks in, with no other prospects.

It was my dad who opened his home and every possession to me following my divorce. He treated it like a routine event, even though it was the first divorce in our family. He insisted I wear his work shirts and pants–as if sensing holes the separation had left in me and trying to cover them with pieces of himself.

Throughout a childhood spotted with quits and failures, I’ve never felt like a quitter or a failure. That’s a parenting trick bordering on magic.

Sometimes on Friday nights, while I wait in my ex-wife’s driveway for the children to emerge, I think about the kind of father I am, about the pieces of myself I try to give to my own kids. I try to assess the cumulative effect of my fathering, and how it might be remembered years into their future.

The kids knock the ridiculous thought out of my head as they pile in.

“So… what’s new?” I ask instinctively.

They smile, and start spilling their stories.”

Joel Schwartzberg is a nationally-published essayist whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Newsweek, The New York Daily News, The New York Post, Babble.com, AOL ParentDish, the Good Men Project, The Huffington Post and elsewhere. Author of the award-winning collection The 40-Year-old Version, Joel lives in New Jersey and is currently at work on his next personal anthology “Yes, I Want a Medal!”

Find the right read for that special guy below.

Dude toDad: The First 9 Months
by Hugh Weber
If you know a father-to-be, this is a straightforward and witty book written just for him. Blogger Hugh Weber breaks down everything the stages of pregnancy, childbirth and new infant in a way that guys will understand. About that baby, he writes: “Picture the worst possible imaginable disturbing (borderline criminal!) thing that could be done to you by a child, increase it by several orders of magnitude, and expect it to occur weekly.”

Dad or Alive: Confessions of an Unexpected Stay-at-Home Dad
by Adrian Kulp
Based on his popular blog, Adrian tells his story of going from TV executive (he booked comedians for Chelsea Handler and The Late Late Show) to SAHD. He went to baby showers, farmers markets and learned how to accessorize his little daughter. He makes lots of mistakes, writes about them candidly and invites his readers to laugh at them.

Big Daddy’s Rules: Raising Daughters is Tougher than I Look
by Steve Schirripa
Most recently, he starred in The Secret Life of the American Teenager, but you may also recognize Steve from his role as Bobby ‘Bacala’ Baccalieri on The Sopranos. Now he’s come out with a hilarious book about being dad, AKA Big Daddy. He’s known to be overprotective, highly opinionated and painfully old-fashioned. He’s not into being a cool parent or praising every little thing a kid does. Instead, he’s devoted and completely involved. His motto: “Suck it up. Be there. Because you only get one shot at this.” His stories about his girls are totally relatable and irresistibly funny.

Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First-Century Parenting
by Drew Magary
If you’ve ever gotten drunk while trick-or-treating (or even thought about it), this book is for you. The author, a writer and blogger for GQ and Gawker, knows how to tell a story. He talks about head lice, retrieving his toddler from a treehouse, saying dirty words in the bathtub and more. Profane and passionate, his book is a touching read about parenting.

Tell My Sons
by Lt. Col. Mark M. Weber
Two years ago, at the age of 38, Mark learned that he had Stage IV intestinal cancer and was given four months to live. A former aide to Gen. David Petraeus in Iraq, Mark resolved to fight—to soldier on—but his doctors soon helped him to understand that there was no winning this battle. Faced with this, Mark decided to write a letter to his sons so they would know the advice he would have given, the conversations they would have had, if he were still around. As Mark earned unexpected months, that letter became this book. Check out his video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2vVZ4_EHBs

In honor of Father’s Day on Sunday, book publishers released a slew of great books written by dads. This week, I’m going to focus on a few of my favorites. Like Glad to be Dad: A Call to Fatherhood by Tim J. Meyers. He’s spent years in the trenches raising two sons and a daughter. A longtime, successful writer, he is the primary caretaker while his wife works outside of the home. He’s full of hard-won wisdom–on everything from cleaning products to kids’ snacks–and conveys practical advice in his characteristically warm and witty style. At the heart of Myers’ book, he advocates for father involvement. When dads play central roles in child-rearing, the wives and children are happier and less stressed. When I read Glad to be Dad, I thought of Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In. She writes about the importance of choosing a helpful partner–someone just like Myers.

Find out more about fatherhood from Myers himself. Below, he answers questions that range from household chores to Father’s Day presents. (Hint: Get this man some peanut butter cups ASAP.)

KK: Why is it so important for dads to be involved in childcare and house chores?
TM: I think family is one of the most beautiful realities in the world, but to reach its full potential, family members have to work together. Right now, though many men are superb husbands and fathers, a lot of women are doing more than their share. Which is not only unfair, but works against that life-giving unity of the family. Children also benefit profoundly from the loving attention of their fathers–of course.  And the kicker is that men grow happier and wiser too!

KK: If a dad works a lot, and he doesn’t watch the kids often, what are three ways to entice him to help more?
TM: To me it’s not a matter of “enticing,” but of growing in our understanding. One way to do that is to recognize that most men face their own pressures, especially at work. Men shouldn’t get a pass on domestic commitment because of this, but we all should respect the hard work they do (and the worry that sometimes goes with it). A second way is for husband and wife to keep talking about these issues. This is especially crucial because a lot of men don’t have good models of committed fatherhood, so it’s all new to them. Third, I think families in general should value themselves more, celebrate themselves more, which will lead everyone to appreciate being with each other.  The beautiful thing is to gradually make that potential a reality!

KK: What are some household chores that males might be more likely to do?
TM: I can’t speak for all men, of course, but I don’t think it’s wise to even think this way.  My wife and I agreed years ago that we would value all work that goes into the family, whether it brings in money or not, whether it’s lowly or repetitive, whatever. All the work counts–picking up far-flung socks or cleaning a toilet are as worthy as bringing home a paycheck or helping kids with homework. So everyone does everything. (Though I must admit that, out of my own ignorance, I was banned from helping our kids with math).

KK: Some husbands are very involved in the daily domestic routine. What are some nice things their wives can do to tell them thank you?
TM: Let’s see…”You are one studly love-muffin, baby!” I’m always happy to hear things along those lines. And though I’m joking, I’m partly serious too, since a guy can sometimes feel less masculine under domestic circumstances. I don’t think a man should feel that way; I can’t think of anything more masculine, for example, than a full-grown man bending to a child. But there’s a tendency to associate homelife with femininity, and I know some guys won’t mind being reminded–in whatever ways–that they’re still 100 percent male.

KK: What is/was your favorite stay-at-home dad responsibility?
TM: Being able to share the astonishing miracle of life with my children hour by hour, day by day–and giving my heart to complete partnership with the woman I love.

KK: What do you want for Father’s Day?
TM: Buy me a power tool, and I’ll send it on to Tim Allen. But I wouldn’t mind a gift card to buy music–I’ve been eyeballing some Ben Folds CDs lately. And my family knows my desperate weakness for that quintessence of edibles, glory of all deliciousness, the peanut-butter cup. A bunch of those. A whole bunch. So yep, I’m pretty easy to please.

Let’s Go Hugo
by Angela Dominguez
Hugo is an affable little bird guy who lives in Paris and loves to play in the park. One day he meets a cute yellow feathered friend named Lulu. She happily hangs out with him all day and then wants to go to the Eiffel Tower. The only problem–which Hugo tries to hide at first–is that he’s afraid to fly. If you have a child who’s apprehensive about anything right now, this little picture book just might make him feel better. My kids rooted for Hugo and especially loved his little French mustache.

The Eagles are Back
by Jean Craighead George
This book covers a lot of ground. It opens with a pair of eagles who lost their baby eaglet eggs before they hatched. A little boy watches them in the field every day, and he’s very worried about the endangered American bald eagles. The story kept my kids interested even though it delivers a heady message about our nation’s great bird and protecting its environment. What reeled my readers in was the sweet story about the boy, the park ranger and the dad. The paintings–rich, emotional and timeless–expertly wrap children into this story written by the talented Jean Craighead George, a Newberry Award and Honor winner, who sadly passed away recently.

A new book called Let Them Be Eaten by Bears: A Fearless Guide to Taking Our Kids into the Great Outdoors is perfect for today. I wish Montclair Public Schools would’ve consulted outdoor expert and author Peter Hoffmeister about the bear.

Hoffmeister works hard to inspire nature lovers and indoor folks alike to get more sunshine. He grew weary of hearing parents say, “With kids, we don’t get out much. It’s too hard.” So he offers well-researched reasons why families need fresh air and easy tips to get started. He says to just open the door and play in the backyard for 15 minutes, then 30 and work up to half a day. Be sure everyone—including you—takes off the shoes. “Let your kids get filthy, and get filthy yourself.” (He makes it sound so fun!) Once you’re on a regular schedule, camp out in the back yard. Or do what Hoffmeister does and take your young kids on weeks-long camping excursions in beautiful settings. His relatable writing style and first person stories—he’s also the founder of an outdoors program for high schoolers—will make you want to hop in puddles, gaze at clouds and share the wonder of nature with your children ASAP.

Thanks to his book, my kids and I have already expanded our horizons and taken local hikes. Hoffmeister is absolutely right: Children instinctively love nature. They ponder the plants and insects. And now, of course, they’re dying to spot a black bear.

I caught up with Kelle and asked her how publishing Bloom has impacted her life. She’s touched many readers through her memoir and blog. Check out what she has to say:

KK: Tell me, in three sentences, what your book is about.
KH: Bloom is the story of the first year with our daughter Nella who was born with Down syndrome. Really it’s a story about perspective–how we survive, grow and become stronger when we allow unexpected circumstances to change us.  And Bloom is a reminder that sometimes it takes the most challenging events in our life to truly appreciate our families, our friendships, our own strengths and to understand how our love for our children is the most unshakeable, grounding and motivating force.

KK: You’ve received some amazing feedback from your fans.  How have your readers’ reactions impacted you?
KH: I think more than anything, I’ve been really moved by the sense of community that I’ve more deeply understood through hearing from readers. Whether it’s a mom who has, like me, welcomed a child with special needs; a woman who’s faced the unexpected with other challenges such as a divorce or losing a loved one; or simply a reader who’s stepped out to say “I read your story. I cried. I know what it’s like to love your child so much it hurts,” I am constantly inspired by the way women learn from each other and support each other. There are so many ways to connect these days. Challenges can feel far less lonely than they did back in our parents’ and grandparents’ era.  We’re in this together.

KK: Since the publication of Bloom you’ve had a third child.  How have the lessons you’ve learned from raising Nella changed your perspective on parenting?
KH: I’ve learned to let go of ideal expectations and redefine perfection, that’s for sure. I think as parents, we don’t even realize how much we expect of our kids and often those expectations are based on our own hopes and dreams. We want our little guys to be great football players, and we imagine Mini Me’s for daughters. You can’t help but begin imagining who your child will be the moment you find out you’re pregnant. But I am continually learning to let go, to let my children show me who they are and what they love. What makes each of my children unique is what makes them perfect.

KK: Have you read any parts of Bloom to your children? What do you hope that someday they will take out of your poignant memoir?
KH: The girls have looked through the book and pointed at pictures. I’ve told them it’s a love story and that I will read it to them someday.  Lainey knows the book is dedicated to her because of how beautifully she welcomed her sister, and that’s about it for now. I dream of the day I will read it to them though. I hope through the story, they will know how much I love them and how strong and capable they are as women to face challenges. And for Nella?  That will be an incredibly cathartic experience–reading Bloom to her when she’s ready. But I know that she will understand just how much of a gift her life is–how she changed me.

Benno and Leo Batali have grown up eating their dad, Mario’s, fine food. It’s no surprise that these two kids know their way around a kitchen and have already co-written their first food tome, The Batali Brothers Cookbook. I’m sharing it with my first grade twins who love to eat and to help. They can easily make the boys’ recipes such as Cinnamon Swirl French Toast (see the whole thing below), Sloppy Sloppy Joe’s and Blue Cheese Pocket Burgers. Mario steps in for the second half of the book to add signature family dishes like Lamb Shanks with Leeks and Grapes and Apple Fritters.

Yum.

See what Benno and Leo had to say about having Mario Batali for a dad below. Scroll down a litter further for a recipe you can do with your kids tomorrow morning.

KK: How old were you when your parents let you start cooking in the kitchen? What was/were the very first dish you prepared?
BB: We’ve always cooked withour dad.

KK: A lot of moms (like me!) are hesitant to let their kids start cooking. Why is it important to stop worrying and get our children started? I know mine really want to.
BB: Once you allow kids in the kitchen, then it’s always part of the game. Our living room is our kitchen and our kitchen is our living room. It’s only natural that we help out with the cooking. Keep the knives out of reach, but otherwise, it’s goot to get them involved.

KK: If you had to choose, what’s your absolute favorite recipe in your new book?
BB: Pocket Burgers. Hands down. It’s a simple adaptation of a classic recipe. We change what’s in the pocket depending on what we find at the farmer’s market.

KK: So tell us, what’s it like having a famous chef for a father?
BB: It’s cook that Jimmy Fallon’s been to our house for Super Bowl Sunday.