Books & further information

Mud Itself:

• Mudlarks in Out and About by Shirley Hughes (Walker Books, 2005) ISBN 1-84428-473-5
• Mud Pie Annie by Sue Buchanan and Dana Shafer (Zonder Kids, 2001) ISBN 10-0-310-70816-8
• Mud by Mary Lyn Ray & Lauren Stringer (Voyager Books, 1996) ISBN 978-0-15-202461-1
• Mud Puddle by Robert Munsch & Sami Suomalainen(Annick, 2008) ISBN 1-55037-468-0
• Princess Pigsty by Cornelia Funke & Kerten Meyer (Chicken House, 2007) ISBN 978-1-905294-32-9
• Joe’s Café by Rose Impey & Sue Porter (Orchard Books, 1993) ISBN 1-85213-563-8
• The Mud Family by Betsy James & Paul Morin (Oxford University Press, 1994) ISBN 0-19-512479-0

Potions and Spells:

• The Slimy Book by Babette Cole (Red Fox, 2003) ISBN 978-0-099-43426-9
• Spells by Emily Gravett (Macmillan Children’s Books, 2008) ISBN 978-0-230-01492-3
• Professor Puffendorf’s Secret Potions by Robin Tzannes & Korky Paul (Oxford University Press, 1992) ISBN 978-0-19-272712-1
• Memory Bottles by Beth Shosan & Katie Pamment (Meadowside Children’s Books, 2004) ISBN 1-904511-62-7

Cooking with Mud:

• Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Nicola Baxter & Liz Pichon (Ladybird Books) ISBN 0-7214-9733-0
• Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper (Picture Corgi Books, 1999) ISBN 0-552-54510-4
• Delicious by Helen Cooper (Doubleday, 2006) ISBN 0-385-60498-X
• Stone Soup by Jess Stockham (Child’s Play, 2006) ISBN 978-1-84643-021-3
• The Essential Soup Cookbook (The Australian Women’s Weekly) ISBN 186396192-5
• Mud Pies and Other Recipes by Marjorie Winslow (The New York Review of Books, 1998 – originally 1961) ISBN 978-1-59017-368-8
• The Australian Women’s Weekly range of small, full colour illustrated recipe books: Café Cakes; Cheesecakes, Pavlovas & Trifles; Jams & Jellies; Casseroles
• Ice Cream Machine Book: frozen delights ice creams, sorbets, sauces and desserts by Rosemary Moon (Apple Press 2006) ISBN 978-1845430993
• Fantastic Cocktails & Mixed Drinks, Family Circle (Murdock Books) ISBN 0-86411-383-8
• Pancakes, Pancakes by Eric Carle(Aladdin Paperbacks, 1991) ISBN 978-0-689-82246-9
• Mama Panya’s Pancake: a village tale from Kenya by Mary & Rich Chamberlin & Julia Cairns (Barefoot Books, 2006) ISBN 1-905236-63-8
• Pie in the Sky by Lois Ehlert (Harcourt Inc, 2004) ISBN 0-15-216584-3

Other books:

• Playing and Learning Outdoors by Jan White, has list of good resources for ‘pies, potions and perfumes’ p60.

Further information

• The Mud Centre - A great article on recapturing childhood through authentic mud play
• Parents Put Mud Pie Making Top for Toddler Development - BBC News report, 10 January 2012. Survey of 1000 parents by Cow and Gate on activities children should do before they are three (the ‘Potty List’)
• Let the children play facebook page has many posts on mud kitchens in Jennifer Kable’s own practice and from blogs around the world, all vibrantly homemade, and her Pinterest board has lots of great images of mud kitchens
• Why Dirt is Good: 5 ways to make germs your friends by Mary Ruebush, PhD (an immunologist who trains doctors). Explains how the immune system and allergies are built, and the need for bacteria in healthy outcomes of these processes, 31 January 2009
• Depressed? Go Play in the Dirt - article, 11 April 2007 - research that has identified bacteria in soil that encourages the mammalian body to make serotonin, which effects the brain and lifts mood - making us happy
• The Dirt on Dirt: How Getting Dirty Outdoors Benefits Kids – report by The National Wildlife Federation. While many times getting our hands dirty is frowned upon, Be Out There has some new facts and figures that may have you throwing your kids into the nearest mud puddle. In their latest report, they reveal how getting down and dirty in the great outdoors - far from being a bad thing - helps children lead happier, healthier lives.
• Jan White blog page.

There are plenty more articles, research and more on our mud page.