This is real: I received a press release Monday about a new title out from Weldon Owen Publishing. It’s called the “Chuck E. Cheese and Friends Party Cookbook,” and pre-orders are being accepted at Walmart, Amazon, Target and the Chuck E. Shop.

The release states, “Chefs, mini chefs and party planners should get ready to eat and dance the day away! … (t)he gang has fun and tasty parties they want to share with everyone!”

This doesn’t really surprise me. Who doesn’t love the playful Chuck E. Cheese kid-friendly restaurants, with an animatronic rock band of friendly creatures, a Fun Zone with trampolines, an arcade and a dance floor where the titular chef, a giant rat, comes out from the kitchen and dances with the kiddos?

What home cooking enthusiast WOULDN’T want to explore the CEC menu in their own kitchen?

“Honey, you know how I’ve been trying to replicate the quail breast with poached apples and braised celery from the French Laundry?”

“Yeah, how’s that coming?”

“Blowing it off. Not that hard, really. Besides, there’s a new Chuck E. Cheese cookbook and I’m gonna tackle their cheesy bread instead.”

The “Chuck E. Cheese and Friends Party Cookbook” is already being mentioned alongside such classics as Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking,” Gabriela Camara’s “My Mexico City Kitchen,” “The Joy of Cooking” by Irma S. Rombauer, “American Seafood” by Barton Seaver and “James Beard’s American Cookery.”

From a Publishers’ Weekly’s starred review: “If Don Dellilo and Margaret Atwood had a baby giant rat that grew up to cook delicious candy-colored churros, this is the sort of book it would write.”

Bon Appetit’s review read: “If Michelin covered cookbooks, this Chuck E. Cheese instructional would earn four stars.”

Personally, I’ve heard from Emeril Lagasse about the book. “Have you read it, Koster?! Fantastic! Plus. I’ve always sorta liked the idea of a recipes authored by a really big rat.”

The Barefoot Contessa chimed in: “I thought of you, Rick, because the first time I saw the Chuck E. Cheese house band was at the East Hampton franchise. I was munching a pepperoni pie and staring transfixed as the combo absolutely nailed the Swiss triplets in Tool’s ‘The Grudge.’ Hell, I was 47 before I realized those weren’t real animals up there playing! After all, if the chef/owner of the place is a giant rat ...”

And Bobby Flay confided to me that his most embarrassing moment as host of the “Beat Bobby Flay” cooking show was when Chuck E. Cheese was a competitor on a celebrity edition of the program. Now, loyal followers know Flay picks a specific ingredient both contestants have to use as the “star” of their dish.

“Koster,” Flay said, “I choose those ingredients in advance so they’ll be on hand during the taping. And I’d gone over the program notes, so I knew one of the guests was Chuck E. Cheese. I’d never met Chuck in person and didn’t realize he’s a giant rat — and when he bounded out onto the set I was horrified because my secret ingredient that day was tenderloin of rat!”

It’s all good, though. Cheese and Flay were able to laugh about it, and Flay even wrote the introduction to “Chuck E. Cheese and Friends Party Cookbook.”

OK, gotta run. Headed off to Target to pick up my copy. I ordered the deluxe edition, which comes with Cheese’s paw print on the title page.