Book Review: The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins

This book used to be one of my favorites when I was growing up! It's a fun book about sharing and teaches the math concept of division. It's true what Ma says, "Nobody makes cookies like Grandma!" 

Photo Credit

The Mother in the story, Ma, makes cookies and gives them to her two children. She emphasizes to them that they need to share them with each other. Her children comment on how they look and smell just like their grandma's cookies. However, "No one makes cookies like Grandma," as the doorbell rings. 

Their friends from next door decided to come over and Ma invited them in and told them that they all can share the cookies. The doorbell kept ringing throughout the book and more and more friends and family came over. While everyone was learning how to share, they were also learning how to divide up the cookies so that everyone had the same amount. As they each divided up the cookies, finally everyone had one cookie and there were no more. Again, the doorbell rang! Find out what happened at the end by reading this fun, cute book!

After reading this book to your children, talk to them about the importance of sharing. How does sharing make you feel? 

As an activity, have children help you make chocolate chip cookies! After the cookies are done, invite neighborhood friends over to share them and divide them up among each other! 

Best {Chewy} Chocolate Chip Cookies from Little Miss Momma

                                        Photo Credit                                                      Photo Credit

Ingredients

• 2 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, spoon & leveled 

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk*

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

1. Toss together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.

2. In a medium size bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the egg, then the egg yolk. Finally, whisk in the vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula. The dough will be very soft. Fold in the chocolate chips. They may not stick to the dough because of the melted butter, but do your best to have them evenly dispersed among the dough. Cover the dough and chill for 2 hours, or up to 3 days. Chilling is mandatory.

3. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow to slightly soften at room temperature for 10 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

5. Roll the dough into balls, about 3 Tablespoons of dough each. The dough will be crumbly, but the warmth of your hands will allow the balls to stay intact. Roll the cookie dough balls to be taller rather than wide, to ensure the cookies will bake up to be thick.  Put 8 balls of dough onto each cookie sheet. Press a few more chocolate chips/chunks on top of the dough balls for looks, if desired. Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes. The cookies will look very soft and under-baked  Do not bake longer than 12 minutes. They will continue to bake on the cookie sheet. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Don't forget to check out Provo City Library's Book-list  for your children!