A mouthwatering menu, but not much else.
With help from her silent porcine buddy, a young cook concocts picnic treats—some of which are more yummy than feasible.
The six recipes (plus a craft project) may appear at the end, but they’re really the centerpiece of the tale. The lack of apples for Florentine’s Apple and Carrot Muffins with Sunshine Lemon Icing provides a temporary setback, but Pig overcomes it, charging up a tree on a “crunchy apple mission.” That's pretty much it as far as the story goes. A subsequent one-spread whirl of kitchen activity produces a bountiful basketful of snacks, from Cheddar Cheese and Pumpkin Seed Bites and Sticky Red Onion Hummus with Cucumber Dunkers to Homemade Lemonade with Fresh Berry Ice Cubes. The plot is strictly perfunctory, and Mikhail’s mixed-media cartoon scenes of a pop-eyed, frizzy-haired lass and her sweater-clad sidekick add more light than motion to the enterprise. Even more problematically, though most of the directions are clear enough for young novices to follow (with adult help suggested for some steps), the cheese-and–pumpkin-seed mixture is supposed to be cooked in “paper cups” for half an hour (cupcake liners are depicted, but young cooks who don't know better may encounter disaster). Also, the Rainbow Sprinkle Cookie recipe pairs an entire cup of butter to only 11/4 cups of flour, which would yield some very flat, fatty cookies.
A mouthwatering menu, but not much else. (foreword to parents) (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: May 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59990-847-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: April 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2012
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further.
A young Latine boy finally gets to rescue the dog of his dreams, but training can be a challenge in two languages.
Like many children, José has been dreaming of having a pet of his own, specifically un perro, a dog. Like any good owner, José promptly begins training his new canine companion but soon realizes his rescue mutt, Feliz, knows only words in English. This is a problem because in José’s home everyone speaks both Spanish and English. José and Feliz must rise to the challenge; fortunately, treats and snuggles are great motivators. The narrative uses Spanish words and phrases throughout (“perros blancos,” “¡Yo quiero este!” “¡Sientate!”), usually with English context clues for understanding. This is complex vocabulary for an early reader, and the shifting in phonics from English to Spanish will be challenging for true beginners; the book is best suited for intermediate to advanced readers in dual-language classrooms or homes. Much like Feliz, however, it is sure to find a loving (and bilingual) home. Cheerful illustrations complement the text, helping readers make sense of the narrative. While José and his mother are darker-skinned, his father and sister are lighter-skinned. (This review has been updated for accuracy.)
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further. (glossary of Spanish-English words) (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-52116-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
An effective early chapter book conveyed in a slightly overdone gag.
Epistolary dispatches from the eternal canine/feline feud.
Simon the cat is angry. He had done a good job taking care of his boy, Andy, but now that Andy’s parents are divorced, a dog named Baxter has moved into Andy’s dad’s house. Simon believes that there isn’t enough room in Andy’s life for two furry friends, so he uses the power of the pen to get Baxter to move out. Inventively for the early-chapter-book format, the story is told in letters written back and forth; Simon’s are impeccably spelled on personalized stationery while Baxter’s spelling slowly improves through the letters he scrawls on scraps of paper. A few other animals make appearances—a puffy-lipped goldfish who for some reason punctuates her letter with “Blub…blub…” seems to be the only female character (cued through stereotypical use of eyelashes and red lipstick), and a mustachioed snail ferries the mail to and fro. White-appearing Andy is seen playing with both animals as a visual background to the text, as is his friend Noah (a dark-skinned child who perhaps should not be nicknamed “N Man”). Cat lovers will appreciate Simon’s prickliness while dog aficionados will likely enjoy Baxter’s obtuse enthusiasm, and all readers will learn about the time and patience it takes to overcome conflict and jealousy with someone you dislike.
An effective early chapter book conveyed in a slightly overdone gag. (Fiction. 6-8)Pub Date: May 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4492-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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