The 75 recipes in Love in Spoonfuls, by the editors of Parenting, are arranged by age, from 6 months to 2 years, so a new parent will be referring to this from first bites through toddlerhood. Each chapter starts with the age-relevant lowdown of how to approach feeding. The beautiful food photography is used not only to accompany the recipes (raspberry puree, Asian-style pork meatballs, baked fish with mango) but also to illustrate early eating concepts—for instance, the
minimum safe sizes for various finger foods.

Topics such as picky eating, global flavors, and family meals are presented as mini-features. Preparation tricks include making bento boxes, and using cookie cutters to keep food fun, with an eye on creating habitual and healthy meals for your infant that compliment the family meals. This has worked at our house: Mackie’s pea and mint puree is so tasty I’ve been known to slip it onto dad’s plate. —Stephanie H., Beacon

Love in Spoonfuls, published by Chronicle Books, 159 pages. $19.95. chroniclebooks.com