British teen Sam Stern has been cooking since he was three years old. After publishing his first cookbook at fourteen, Sam is back with his second, a bright, bold cookbook for busy teenagers. Color-coded tabs divide the book into sections featuring foods that can be prepared in 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes. Like his idol, Jamie Oliver, Sam Stern is a celebrity chef. He speaks to young cooks with a fresh attitude and authority. “Cooking’s a bit like filling your iPod. You want a lot of tunes in there. Hip-hop. Soul. Bit of jazz….” Advising his peers on shopping for quality ingredients and the benefits of using leftovers, the author notes that “Fast food doesn’t have to be junk food.” Recipe pages feature crisp photos of ingredients and preparation techniques as well as shots of Sam and his friends (“mates”) dining on his dishes. The busy page spreads feature ingredient lists, cooking directions, suggested variations, and other bits of advice to communicate the joys of cooking. Recipes include variations on toast, spicy hummus, speedy baked trout, brilliant beefburger, and tostadas. Many ethnic dishes are included, as well as some vegetarian and vegan options. Beyond providing a collection of quick recipes, Stern suggests how teens can take responsibility in creating the fuel needed for their active lives—and have fun doing it. (Age 12 and older)

Teen celebrity cooking sensation Sam Stern reinvents the term "fast food" — thanks to these quick-and-tasty recipes that entice kids to cook for themselves.

British teen Sam Stern is a great cook, and he’s on a mission to get everyone else doing it. Now that his COOKING UP A STORM has stirred up a storm of attention, he’s offering REAL FOOD, REAL FAST to lure all those time-pressured teens away from their fast-food fixes. Once again, with his engaging conversational tone — and the help of his friends — Sam breezily runs through dozens of recipes, using real ingredients and simple techniques. But what makes these dishes a cinch for even cooking-resistant kids are the cool tabs that indicate preparation times of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 minutes. Brilliant!