WHAT ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR?

If you’re hungry for a good story, skip this saccharine and potentially confusing paean to the joys of satisfying our inner selves with love from family, friends and pets. The brief text contrasts times when a certain food fulfills a longing to other moments when a laugh, a cuddle or a goodnight kiss is just what the child narrator needs. Confusion may arise from the fact that the two “sometimes” mentioned by the narrator generally appear to be separated by only minutes. Another potential source of confusion is the fact that preschoolers, who tend to be concrete thinkers, may not make the connection between being satisfied by a hot dog and entertained by a big sister’s antics. Simply drawn, round-headed, snub-nosed kids of indeterminate age populate the illustrations. In some cases, the red-headed narrator appears to be a preschooler, in others an elementary school–aged child. Adult characters are awkwardly drawn, though the pets (particularly the dog) have a genuine appeal. While the author’s intentions are obvious and laudable, the end result is barely palatable. (Picture book. 4-8)