Books written with rhyming patterns can be so hit and miss. This book had cute rhymes and almost never felt like I needed to force the rhythm - it flowed smoothly and would be really fun for reading aloud to younger elementary students. The message is important and done in a. cute way. The illustrations were fun too, in a fun, colorful style. This is a book I would happily add to my elementary school library. Thank you Gnome Road Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Emily Snook: The World's Smallest Cook is an adorable fully illustrated all ages book by Laura Bower. Released 8th Oct 2024 by Gnome Road Publishing, it's 32 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

Written in easy to read rhyming verse, it's engaging and fun with a generous dash of drama. Emily is (by far) the smallest chef in the cooking competition and nothing seems to be going to plan. Her grandpa believes in her and helps her believe in herself.

The art by Rekha Salin is dynamic, colorful, and full of small details which invite readers to linger and look. It supports and enhances the story very well.

Five stars. It's cute and would make a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, for classroom reading circle, home use, or gift giving. The author and publisher have included a QR code with links to additional materials for classroom or home use.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I loved this adorable picture book! Emily Snook wants to be a great cook but nobody takes her seriously because she's little. That doesn't keep her from working hard and overcoming problems to show everyone her talents! And I loved how people admitted it when she proved how good she was. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Thank you, Gnome Road Publishing and NetGalley, for this ARC of Emily Snook, The World's Smallest Cook, written by Laura Bower and illustrated by Rekha Salin!

This story takes us on a journey with Emily Snook, a young girl passionate about cooking. Emily's Grandfather taught her to cook and encouraged her to compete in a cooking contest. She had doubts about herself but persevered throughout the competition. When Emily was ready to give up, she remembered the saying, "Believe in Yourself!" and quickly returned to work. Emily's hard work pays off in the end, and with some help from her Grandfather, she has hope again.

This book sends a positive message to everyone that it is essential to believe in yourself, never give up, always try again, and that you are worth more than your own doubts and fears. Beautiful message! I also really enjoyed the relationship she shared with her Grandfather in this story since we don't often get that dynamic in stories. Thank you again for this ARC!

#EmilySnook #NetGalley

I think this children's picture book is incredibly sweet and can encourage kids to believe in their abilities no matter what their peers say. The illustrations are adorable too! The only issue I have is that it places quite a bit of emphasis on winning as the result of believing in yourself, which is not entirely the message I was hoping for from this book.

Emily Snook is a bright and happy little girl who loves being in the kitchen and loves creating and cooking inspired by dishes everywhere. With her Grandpa by her side, he encourages her to enter a kid’s cooking competition. Upon entering she learns that while it is a kids’ competition and her peers are kids–it is an advanced competition and there are no kids her age!

Undeterred, she is determined to do her best and stay in, despite the other kids looking down on her or laughing at her mistakes. Just when all hope looks dashed, a special reminder appears from the audience that perks her back up and gives her the gust in her sails to continue and surprise everyone!

Laura Bower’s poetic prose makes reading along so fun! With lines like “ The buzzer dinged loudly. She lined up her bowls. Her stomach felt knotty like garlicly rolls”, it is easy to follow along and see the love of food penned in by the author. I also love the language around our titular character Emily: “...She couldn't quit now. She was tall with ambition” helps readers visualize that her smallness in statute is not a weakness or limitation for her–at this age.

Rehka Salin’s artwork is ridiculously cute starting with the interior book doodles to the moments of tiny little Emily struggling to lift and carry tools and puts way bigger than her. The pages don’t feel so cluttered and easy to piece together information like the menu, the areas for ingredients and the special surprise that boosts her spirits later in the book..

Emily Snook The World's Smallest Cook is for foodies, kiddos who believe in themselves and the grownups who are their biggest fans. I especially loved the caring and cheering grandpa in the book as kidlit with positive, loving grandparents continue to shine. This is a really great book about a little girl with a passion, a support system and a determination to be brave and follow through with her dreams!

Emily Snook is a cook and she won't let anyone tell her she is too small to do the job. When Emily accidentally gets signed up to a cooking contest for "Advanced" cooks she feels out of her depth. With a little encouragement and some creative solutions Emily shows everyone she is more than the way she looks.

This book is full of diverse characters and teaches the lesson that it is important not to give up at your first failure. Use any failure as a learning experience and continue to do your best. Love the cute artwork, the simple but powerful text, and the heart of a character who refuses to give up. Highly recommend for budding chefs and children working on their growth mindset.

We really enjoyed this story and the illustrations brought the story to life!

I loved the way that the story was written, it was perfect for the age range and my daughter found it easy to follow.

The plot itself was well developed and I loved the ending and the support that Emily received from her grandpa.

It has some great messages including following your heart and dreams and determination.

It is 5 stars from me for this one - very highly recommended!

Thank you, Netgalley, for allowing me to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

This is the first rhyming book I have read in a while and I enjoyed it a lot. The fact that our young Masterchef had a setback before adapting to make use of her skills and talents.

Great book

I absolutely adored this book! Emily Snook is such a loveable character! I love that she cooks with her grandpa and that he’s her biggest supporter. Emily is delightful throughout the story, and I love how expressive the characters’ faces were – their faces really told the story! The illustrations were vibrant and included fun details. I think the rhyming will keep younger readers engaged, and the story is great for encouraging discussions with children about how they can overcome obstacles with perseverance and a good attitude.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gnome Road Publishing for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It has a fun title and wonderful illustrations. The rhyming is so much fun to work on kids and their phonics. It also shows children not to give up when you are down. Keep working hard and you can achieve anything. Emily did not have any disabilities, but she was small and young compared to the other contestants in the competition. I am not going to tell you the results of the competition, but she persevered. Children can also learn to use their resources. Observe things around you and that may benefit or help you learn what you can change.

Emily Snook: The World's Smallest Cook
by: Laura Bower
Ill: Rekha Salin
Gnome Road Publishing, Louisville, KY

A delightfully sweet book, with adorable illustrations (love the faces and hair, esp.) and a great message.

Emily grew up watching her Grandfather cook. She eventually began helping him, and soon decided she wanted to become an acomplished cook, and enters a competition for children's cooking competition.

The upbeat tone helps convey how belief in yourself and perserverence could help you achieve your dreams. The feeling of accomplishment Emily feels, fighting her fears and insecurities, and, finally capturing her dreams.
I will be recommending this.

Thanks to netgalley for sending this e-book ARC for review.
#EmilySnook #NetGalley

Emily Snook: A Tiny Chef with a Giant Heart
Laura Bower's delightful children's book, "Emily Snook," introduces us to a pint-sized protagonist with a passion for cooking. Emily, the world's smallest cook, faces challenges due to her size but never lets it dampen her spirits. Her love for food and determination to prove herself shine through in every page.
The story is a heartwarming tale of perseverance, friendship, and believing in oneself. Emily's journey to enter a cooking competition is filled with both triumphs and setbacks. Her grandfather's unwavering support and encouragement play a vital role in her growth. The author's use of rhyming text adds a playful and engaging element to the narrative.
The illustrations, by Rekha Salin, perfectly complement the story. They are bright, colorful, and capture the essence of Emily's small stature and big personality. The illustrations help to visualize Emily's world and make the story even more enjoyable for young readers.
Overall, "Emily Snook" is a charming and inspiring story that will resonate with children of all ages. It celebrates the importance of following your dreams, overcoming obstacles, and believing in yourself. It's a perfect read-aloud book that will spark conversations about cooking, friendship, and perseverance.

This was an excellent book! I enjoyed it a lot! It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a picture book so much . The rhyme in the book was perfectly done to move the story forward and make it fun to read. And it had an engaging plot/story to boot. Absolutely terrific on all accounts, including the simple, yet expressive illustrations. Highly recommended.

Emily Snook has always loved cooking with her grandfather. She enters a competition but realises she is the youngest and the smallest of all the contestants. The other contestants thought because she was small she was unable to do everything they could.

With some self confidence and encouragement from her grandfather, Emily soon realises she is capable of anything.

Brilliant illustrations, colourful and vibrant. A really positive and powerful message.

Emily Snook is a whiz in the kitchen. Her grandfather is her biggest cheerleader. So, when she enters an international cooking contest, she thinks she can win. Until she meets her older and taller competition and sees the rules that require her to use unfamiliar tools. Her hopes for winning begin to fade as she faces one challenge after the other. Can she use resilience, determination and ingenuity to overcome the obstances she faces or will she let her challenges win?
The illustrations in this book are fantastic! I love the pretty colors and the diversity portrayed.
And the written words follow a pleasing rhythm that's fun to read.
The story is also encouraging, especially for underdogs. Readers see the value of pesevering in the face of challenges, taking risks and believing in yourself. But I didn't like the message that winning is always the outcome. No matter who we are or how hard we work, we might not win, and that's okay.

Great rhyming picture book about a small child who enters a cookery competition. Through failure & resilience Emily finally wins the competition. Would recommend for use in Nurture Groups & in classroom circle times.

This is a wonderful rhyming book about a little girl who loves to cook. She enters a cooking contest and when she gets there, she is the smallest of the cooks. The others snicker and sneer at her as she begins to lose confidence in her abilities. The quiet presence of her grandpa is endearing and helps Emily tackle her confidence in a more positive way. I love the rhymes and the flow of the story. The pictures are beautifully done and I appreciate that there is cultural diversity in the story. I would be happy to share this with my students and base an entire lesson plan around it

Emily Snook is a delightful children's picture book about a young girl who learns to cook with her grandfather. Emily enters a cooking competition with kids much older than her! I loved the illustrations. This book had so much heart & the culinary creations were illustrated in really fun ways. The text was fantastic. It was quick moving & I loved the rhyming pattern. I think this one will be a hit with the kiddos!

Thanks to NetGalley, Laura Bower, and Gnome Road Publishing for the chance to read and review!

I loved this book so much. A perfect book for younger budding chefs! Emily Snook, encouraged by her grandfather, enters a cooking competition to find she is the smallest one there.

The text is fantastic. The cadence and rhyme are masterfully done. This book would be a fantastic resource in a classroom to teach acceptance, resilience and perseverance.

The pictures are bold and colorful. They work well with the texts I especially love that diversity is reflected in the pictures.

This book would be an asset in any home, library or classroom.