From School Library Journal Grade 3-5-These two straightforward and invitingly informative books take a look at cooking and home life in pioneer times and in the early 1900s respectively. Each one opens with a three-page description of kitchens and attitudes of the times， and contains between 17-19 recipes and a slight story line about the featured girl. Included are a typical breakfast and dinner， and a number of favorite foods-Swedish-American dishes in Kirsten and party foods in Samantha. The recipes are simply and clearly written， listing ingredients， equipment， and directions. Although there are a few yeast breads in Kirsten， most of the dishes are simple enough to be made successfully by beginning cooks. Readers are reminded that during these times people were not worried about too much fat-accordingly， recipes for dairy products and pork outnumber those for fruits and vegetables. The texts are enriched by labeled photographs and drawings from publications of the times. Each title ends with suggestions for entertaining that could give readers a feeling for the historical periods. Lila Perl's Hunter's Stew and Hangtown Fry (Clarion， 1979) covers the entire 19th century and the whole country; it is for slightly older readers. Barbara Walker's The Little House Cookbook (HarperCollins， 1979) covers 1867-1885.Carolyn Jenks， First Parish Unitarian Church， Portland， MECopyright 1994 Reed Business Information， Inc.