FAMILY, FOOD & FEELINGS by KATE BERRY This is a book I really enjoyed and found to be full of interesting, honest and practical information. Kate Berry is a sole parent and has two young daughters, who feature prominently right through the book. One is a young teenager, the other still in primary school.
There are four principal chapters which are presented as the four terms of a school year, with appropriate activities, recipes and comments for the different times of year. I had hoped to interview Kate but decided that at this difficult time it would be a great book to have on hand, hence this review now.
It has a stiff, wipe-able cover and is lavishly illustrated both with photos and drawings. There are sections which offer a wide range of ideas for simple everyday ‘adventures’, many of them home-based, which makes them workable at this time.
Recipe ideas offer family meals, fun food and treats…which Mum or the children can make without too much effort. An example of her recipes is one titled “Stuff From the Frige…plus Rice”. Very practical and could be very useful at this time of limited supplies!
Kate shares her own feelings, experiences and relationship with her girls … we almost become part of the family! She uses very ‘down to earth’ language and is disarmingly frank about the negatives as well as the positives of parenting. For example, I’ll include a brief quote from Kate’s introduction “Our kids test the crap out of us, but we come out the other side stronger and, in time, end up with small people who can pass us the remote control, cook us a meal and love us like no one else”.
This is a book for buying, rather than borrowing, so I suggest you make it a permanent addition to your bookshelf .. at least until the kids leave home!
This is a practical book, very readable and without the tinge of self-righteousness books on parenting can often have!
FAMILY, FOOD AND FEELINGS – KATE BERRY
PUBLISHER: PLUM (Pan McMillan Australia)
Ann Creber (The Good Life on 3MDR 97.1 FM)
a good book, a good life 
Leave a Reply