Barrett, J. (1978). Cloudy with a chance of meatballs. New York, NY: Antheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0-689-30647-4
Interest Level: Ages 4 to 8
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Weather, Food, Bedtime Stories, Granparents, Imagination
Plot: Inspired by a pancake landing on one of the children's head, a grandfather tells his two grandchildren a bedtime story about the town of Chewandswallow. The town of Chewandswallow was like most other towns except that instead that they didn't grow or buy food. Instead they got their food three times a day from the sky. Instead of normal weather, it would rain hamburgers or soup, it would snow mashed potatoes, or the wind would blow in hot dogs. Everything was fine until the weather started getting out of control blowing in more food then the people could eat. The town was slowly getting destroyed by all the food so the people decided to leave by constructing boats out of stale bread and peanut butter. The finally sailed far enough to a place where food didn't fall from the sky and instead people grew and stored it. There they stayed, never returning the Chewandswallow.
Personal Thoughts: A cute story that just makes you want to look out your window and use your imagination. The idea of food falling from the sky is one that children can use to help pass the days of bad weather when they can't go outside. There are some sweet scenes between the children and their grandpa during the story. A great addition to a preschool storytime with a food or imagination theme. The movie adaptation only takes a few concepts from the book such as the food being part of the weather and making bread boats. In the movie, a scientist creates a machine to control the weather and cause food to fall. The machine eventually goes out of control and starts destroying the town.
Awards/Recognition:
Delaware Diamonds: Primary (Grades K-2) (1991)
Georgia Children's Book Award: Picture Storybook Award (1984)
Golden Sower Awards (Nebraska): Grades K-3 (1983)
Other Books by Author: Animals should definitely not act like people (1980); Animals should definitely not wear clothing (1970); I Know Two Who Said Moo: A Counting and Rhyming Book(2000); Which Witch Is Which? (2001); Never Take a Shark to the Dentist and Other Things Not To Do (2008); The Marshmallow Incident (2009);
Showing posts with label Veggie/Fruit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Veggie/Fruit. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Book)
Child, L. (2000). I will never not ever eat a tomato. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN: 0-7636-1188-3
Interest Level: Ages 3 to 7
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Brothers and Sisters, Picky Eaters, Imagination, Humor,
Plot: Lola is a 4 (almost 5) year old little girl. Charlie is 7 years old and is Lola's older brother. It often becomes Charlie's job to take care of Lola. This sometimes mean convincing Lola to do something that she would rather not do but that is good for her. In this book, Charlie must convince Lola to eat her all her dinner. The problem is that Lola is a very picky eater and does not like any of the food. Charlie tricks Lola telling her that carrots are actually orange twiglets from Jupiter, peas are green drops from Greenland, and mash potatoes are actually cloud fluff. But Charlie knows that Lola absolutely hates tomatoes and is surprised when Lola asks for one. The jokes on Charlie as Lola explains that they are not tomatoes but actually moonsquirters.
Personal Thoughts: I love to read the Charlie and Lola books at preschool storytimes. They are always humorous and teach or talk about something that preschoolers (and preschooler parents) can relate to. The text is always very funny and easy to read. If your reading this book for an extra special storytime, try having one person read Lola's lines and another read Charlie's lines. The illustrations are a mixture of child-like drawings and photos of real life objects (in this case of food). An especially good book for those picky eaters out there. The concept of imagining your food to be something else is something that can easily be used at any dinner table. Children will have fun making up their own funny names for everyday foods. A Must Read!
Author's Website: Charlie and Lola Website
Other Books by the Author: Beware of the storybook wolves (2002); Charlie and Lola series; Clarice Bean series; The princess and the pea in minature (2006); Who wants to be a poodle I don't (2009);
Interest Level: Ages 3 to 7
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Brothers and Sisters, Picky Eaters, Imagination, Humor,
Plot: Lola is a 4 (almost 5) year old little girl. Charlie is 7 years old and is Lola's older brother. It often becomes Charlie's job to take care of Lola. This sometimes mean convincing Lola to do something that she would rather not do but that is good for her. In this book, Charlie must convince Lola to eat her all her dinner. The problem is that Lola is a very picky eater and does not like any of the food. Charlie tricks Lola telling her that carrots are actually orange twiglets from Jupiter, peas are green drops from Greenland, and mash potatoes are actually cloud fluff. But Charlie knows that Lola absolutely hates tomatoes and is surprised when Lola asks for one. The jokes on Charlie as Lola explains that they are not tomatoes but actually moonsquirters.
Personal Thoughts: I love to read the Charlie and Lola books at preschool storytimes. They are always humorous and teach or talk about something that preschoolers (and preschooler parents) can relate to. The text is always very funny and easy to read. If your reading this book for an extra special storytime, try having one person read Lola's lines and another read Charlie's lines. The illustrations are a mixture of child-like drawings and photos of real life objects (in this case of food). An especially good book for those picky eaters out there. The concept of imagining your food to be something else is something that can easily be used at any dinner table. Children will have fun making up their own funny names for everyday foods. A Must Read!
Author's Website: Charlie and Lola Website
Other Books by the Author: Beware of the storybook wolves (2002); Charlie and Lola series; Clarice Bean series; The princess and the pea in minature (2006); Who wants to be a poodle I don't (2009);
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Scranimals (Book)
Prelutsky, J. (2002). Scranimals. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.
Interest Level: Ages 12 & under
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Poems, Animals, Humor, Imagination, Picture Books for Older Readers
Plot: A collection of poems about strange and wonderful creatures on Scranimal Island. Each creature is a mix of two different things you might be familiar with such as the SPINACHICKENS which are half chicken and half spinach. Each animal has its own poem and illustration that tells the reader more about it.
Personal Thoughts: A humorous tongue twisting picture book. Each creature has a short two or three paragraph poem that accompanies an illustration. The illustrations remind me of those found in Where the Wild Things Are by Sendak. Each illustration is a mix of detailed gray and colored pencil drawings. Filled with such creatures as the Pandaffodil and the Broccolions, young children will smile as they identify what each creature is created from. Though not a suggested book for young children to read on their own as the vocabulary is a little advanced for a four year old. Practice before using this book for story time as some of the creature names are a challenge to read aloud.
A great poem book to introduce to tweens. Don't overlook the value of picture books for older readers. The vocabulary and humor is appropriate for young tweens. Use it in a writing assignment and have tweens write a poem on their own imaginary creature created from two everyday items. I'm going to remember this book next time I serve baked potatoads!
Awards:
Other Books by the Author: Awful Ogre Running Wild (2008); Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant (2006); It's Raining Pigs and Noodles (2000)
Interest Level: Ages 12 & under
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: Poems, Animals, Humor, Imagination, Picture Books for Older Readers
Plot: A collection of poems about strange and wonderful creatures on Scranimal Island. Each creature is a mix of two different things you might be familiar with such as the SPINACHICKENS which are half chicken and half spinach. Each animal has its own poem and illustration that tells the reader more about it.
Personal Thoughts: A humorous tongue twisting picture book. Each creature has a short two or three paragraph poem that accompanies an illustration. The illustrations remind me of those found in Where the Wild Things Are by Sendak. Each illustration is a mix of detailed gray and colored pencil drawings. Filled with such creatures as the Pandaffodil and the Broccolions, young children will smile as they identify what each creature is created from. Though not a suggested book for young children to read on their own as the vocabulary is a little advanced for a four year old. Practice before using this book for story time as some of the creature names are a challenge to read aloud.
A great poem book to introduce to tweens. Don't overlook the value of picture books for older readers. The vocabulary and humor is appropriate for young tweens. Use it in a writing assignment and have tweens write a poem on their own imaginary creature created from two everyday items. I'm going to remember this book next time I serve baked potatoads!
Awards:
- Black-Eyed Susan Book Awards (Maryland): Picture Book (2004)
- Kentucky Bluegrass Award: Grades 3-5 (2004)
- Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Awards: Grades 3-6 (2006)
- School Library Journal Best Books (2002)
Other Books by the Author: Awful Ogre Running Wild (2008); Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant (2006); It's Raining Pigs and Noodles (2000)
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
LMNO Peas (Book)
Baker, K. (2010). LMNO Peas. New York, NY: Beach Lane Books
Interest Level: Ages 3 to 7
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: ABCs, Peas, Occupations, Rhyming
Plot: From A to Z little green peas described their many favorite occupations.
Personal Thoughts: A must have ABC book. Each “alphabet pea” is a small smiling green circle with little arms and legs. The rhyming text smoothly names the different occupations of peas, from “acrobats” to “zoologists.” Occupations named range from the familiar “teachers” to the possibly less so “electricians.” Depicted in large block font with brightly texturized colors, each letter is surrounded by the different peas. A great addition to an ABC or occupation storytime theme, the last “Who are you?” line provides an opening into a “what do you want to be when you grow up?" talk.
Other Books by Baker: Quack and Count; Hickory Dickory Dock.
Author Website: http://www.keithbakerbooks.com/ (Retrieved September 14, 2010)
Interest Level: Ages 3 to 7
Genre: Picture Book
Subjects/Themes: ABCs, Peas, Occupations, Rhyming
Plot: From A to Z little green peas described their many favorite occupations.
Personal Thoughts: A must have ABC book. Each “alphabet pea” is a small smiling green circle with little arms and legs. The rhyming text smoothly names the different occupations of peas, from “acrobats” to “zoologists.” Occupations named range from the familiar “teachers” to the possibly less so “electricians.” Depicted in large block font with brightly texturized colors, each letter is surrounded by the different peas. A great addition to an ABC or occupation storytime theme, the last “Who are you?” line provides an opening into a “what do you want to be when you grow up?" talk.
Other Books by Baker: Quack and Count; Hickory Dickory Dock.
Author Website: http://www.keithbakerbooks.com/ (Retrieved September 14, 2010)
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