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Good thread! I need to do some research cuz I sadly only have 1 picture book of kyaraben, but no actual bento style cookbooks stressed I'd love to hear what others have to say about their favorites!

I really like the Manga Cookbook for the basic recipes! I've seen Bento: Japanese meals on the go at the library. It's got a lot of wonderful pictures, but since a lot of the ingredients for some dishes just aren't available to me locally I can't say I use it.

I got a book called "501 Bento Box Lunches." Its a really fun book to use for bento cooking, they also have lots of pictures. =D

I just got this book recently from the store and I have to say I'm pretty disappointed with it stare Its true, there are 501 pictures of packed box lunches, but they are not recipes. It basically just details whats in the picture but as to how to make them? Nothing. And there are more than a few that I wanted to know the cooking details to emo hmph! I was disappointed b/c I was expecting this to be a functional cook book, but I was mistaken.

On the other hand, these are a few books I wanted to check out... anyone know anything about em?

arrow Hawaii's Bento Cookbook

arrow Face Food Recipes

arrow Small Bites

arrow Food Presentation Secrets: Styling Techniques of Professionals

arrow The Decorative Art of Japanese Food Carving: Elegant Garnishes for All Occasion

arrow Gift Wrapping with Textiles: Stylish Ideas from Japan

arrow Kawaii Bento Boxes: Cute and Convenient Japanese Meals on the Go (I believe this one was mentioned above?)

arrow Cute Yummy Time: 70 Recipes for the Cutest Food You'll Ever Eat (uugh its by that weird pig bread girl in the video tutorials thread)

arrow Bite Size: Elegant Recipes for Entertaining

@ JinxKat: As far as I know, the "Cute Yummy Time" book isn't that great. Some of the recipes are reliant on the equipment used (e.g. ice-cream sandwich molds) and others don't look appetizing at all. Pikko (who runs Adventures in Bento Making) reviewed it and from the sounds, she was disappointed too.

(Luckily I only flicked through it when I saw it in a book shop a month ago, I never would've bought it from what I saw in it)

The one I have is called, Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes. Has simple and complex, and a how- to assemble in the back.

I have no cook books in my house D: I use the internet for all of my recipes. I wish I did though >3<