by Christel Dhom & photographed by Christel Dhom & Ramona Lamb-Klinkenberg ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2012
This compendium of old-fashioned craft projects, recipes and stories was written by a Waldorf kindergarten teacher in Germany and translated for English-speaking countries, though the focus remains European and is not well-suited to the U.S. market.
The text is written for adults to use with children and includes explanations of German holiday traditions, such as setting boots outside the door for St. Nicholas to fill on December 6. Recipes for holiday cookies and candies are included, with measurements given in both grams and ounces. Craft projects include traditional advent wreaths, beeswax candles and Nativity figures made from unspun sheep’s wool. Other selections include holiday legends and the Nativity story from the Books of Luke and Matthew. Poems and lyrics to holiday carols are woven throughout, including selections from Shakespeare, Browning and Longfellow. High-quality photographic illustrations of children and craft projects add to the volume’s appeal. There are no safety warnings about cooking or using knives with adult supervision, and there are two photographs of little girls lighting candles with no adult present, which don’t illustrate proper safety protocol. Though there aren’t many family holiday books of this sort available, this version is suitable only for large library collections with heavy demand for Christmas activity books. (Nonfiction. 5-9, adults)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8631-5912-1
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Floris
Review Posted Online: Aug. 14, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2012
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by Judi Barrett ; illustrated by Ron Barrett ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 27, 2013
Keep handy for that gloomy day when a “Spaghetti Twister with a Tomato Tornado” might blow in or as an amusing how-to title...
Old and new fans of the classic tale of food delivered three times a day by the weather can tie on an apron, sharpen their culinary skills and dig in to 25 recipes inspired by the beloved book.
The Barretts team up once again to serve kid-friendly fare—to make and eat. A letter from Grandpa to Henry and Kate opens the book, and their reply brings the spiral-bound title to a close. Within, budding chefs will find some standard kids’-cookbook fare after a helpful list of “Grandpa’s Rules and Tools.” Pancakes, fried eggs, open-faced grilled-cheese sandwiches and mashed potatoes are often given clever names but are essentially basic items on the average American menu (“Noodlehead Noodles” = mac ’n’ cheese, for instance). Each spread features a cartoonish illustration of Grandpa engaged in a silly antic related to the recipe on the facing page. Each recipe clearly states the ingredients and directions—no matter how simple—so every dish seems possible to make, especially with an adult assisting. A photo of the end result is also provided to whet the appetite. “Milky Maple Soda” looks refreshing to sip while tackling the “Toasty Bread Houses,” square meatballs, “Foggy Pea Soup” or “Strawberry Tallcake.” Other than one odd warning not to “cremate” English-muffin pizzas under the broiler, the recipes are good and easy, and kids should find many sweet and savory options to tickle their taste buds.
Keep handy for that gloomy day when a “Spaghetti Twister with a Tomato Tornado” might blow in or as an amusing how-to title to help children discover the possible satisfying results that can come when following directions. (Cookbook. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4424-4475-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: June 11, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2013
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by Judi Barrett ; illustrated by Ron Barrett
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by Judi Barrett ; illustrated by Ron Barrett
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by Judi Barrett ; illustrated by Ron Barrett
retold by Phuoc Thi Minh Tran ; illustrated by Nguyen Thi Hop ; Nguyen Dong ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2015
A welcome addition to any collection of folk tales.
While publishers in recent years have paid some attention to Asian folk tales, there has been a paucity of stories from Vietnam. This collection of 15 tales will fill the gap.
This Vietnamese-American storyteller’s tales are a mix of variations on familiar tales and tropes, cultural pourquoi stories and legends. Familiar folk-tale elements can be seen in many, such as “The Legend of the Mosquito,” “Why Ducks Sleep on One Leg,” “Why the Sea is Salty” and a "Cinderella" variant, “The Story of Tam and Cam.” Others are rooted in Vietnam. “Da Trang and the Magic Pearl” offers an explanation for the scuttling of crabs on the beach; “The Legend of Banh Chung and Banh Day” reveals the origins of the traditional foods of Tet; “Why One Shouldn’t Sweep the House on Tet Nguyen Dan” explains another Tet tradition. An introduction explains the significance of several key elements in Vietnamese tales. A publisher’s note at the beginning describes its mission: to provide books that connect East and West. Attractive watercolor illustrations by two Vietnamese artists are scattered throughout, and the appealing cover should invite readers.
A welcome addition to any collection of folk tales. (Folk tales. 6-9)Pub Date: April 14, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8048-4429-1
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Tuttle
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015
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