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32nd out of 86 books
—
28 voters
Minette's Feast: The Delicious Story of Julia Child and Her Cat
by
Susanna Reich (Goodreads Author),
Amy Bates
Minette’s Feast introduces the iconic American chef Julia Child to a new audience of young readers through the story of her spirited cat, Minette, whom Julia adopted when living in Paris. While Julia is in the kitchen learning to master delicious French dishes, the only feast Minette is truly interested in is that of fresh mouse! This lively story is complete with an autho...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
May 1st 2012
by Harry N. Abrams
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Nov 16, 2012
Lisa Vegan
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
those who like love stories, stories about cats, cooking; when one reader remembers Julia Child
I think I would have enjoyed this book better back long, long ago when I was an omnivore.
If kids might be interested in the real woman, Julia Child, I suggest the 5 pages at the end be read first, or at least read. There is a photo of Child but otherwise the pages are mostly text based and contain an afterword, notes (the quotes in the book are from actual sources), sources, a glossary and pronunciation guide, and an author’s note.
I remember watching The French Chef cooking show with my parents...more
If kids might be interested in the real woman, Julia Child, I suggest the 5 pages at the end be read first, or at least read. There is a photo of Child but otherwise the pages are mostly text based and contain an afterword, notes (the quotes in the book are from actual sources), sources, a glossary and pronunciation guide, and an author’s note.
I remember watching The French Chef cooking show with my parents...more
7 likes · like · see review
view all 14 comments
When one thinks of Julia Child's relationship to animals, it's almost always of her cooking them. Yet Child apparently loved many cats throughout her lifetime, illustrating perfectly how schizoid our relationship is with other beings: we can coo and fuss over one animal while paying for the torture and death of thousands of others. A feature of Child's decadent cuisine was foie gras -- a bizarre delicacy created by shoving a pipe down a duck's throat and rapidly engorging him with corn until his...more
1 like · like · see review
Minette Mimosa McWilliams Child is a very lucky cat. She loves to lounge around, take naps and smell the tasty treats being cooked by her owner, Julia Child. Minette was adopted by Julia and her husband Paul. Although Julia liked to cook, Minette liked to catch her own dinner. Julia tried to feed Minette from her table, but Minette preferred to catch her favorite meal, either a mouse or bird. Once Julia learned to cook from Le Cordon Bleu, a famous cooking school, Minette enjoyed many tasty trea...more
Age: K - 2
Animal: Cat
A charming introduction to the wonderful Miss Julia Child through a picky eater: her cat! A perfectly relatable situation for kids and their own cats, Minette is surrounded by the delicious cookings of Julia yet nothing beats a nice, fresh mouse. Given leftovers, "Minette might even take a nibble. But, of course, mouse and bird were much preferred." "Besides the cat's antics, the text also describes the markets, cooking smells, and ambience of Paris so well that it is easy t...more
Animal: Cat
A charming introduction to the wonderful Miss Julia Child through a picky eater: her cat! A perfectly relatable situation for kids and their own cats, Minette is surrounded by the delicious cookings of Julia yet nothing beats a nice, fresh mouse. Given leftovers, "Minette might even take a nibble. But, of course, mouse and bird were much preferred." "Besides the cat's antics, the text also describes the markets, cooking smells, and ambience of Paris so well that it is easy t...more
Picture book story of Julia Child and, specifically, her cat, Minette. Charming story includes many details about Julia Child, includes an afterward with more specific details as well as notes, sources and a glossary/pronunciation guide of French words used in text. Golden-toned watercolor illustrations are lovely, they vary from full-color, double-page spreads to half page spreads to smaller vignettes -- and they all correspond very well to the text and provide great visual aid to those unfamil...more
What a yummy way to introduce young readers to the famous chef, Julia Child! By focusing on her cat, Minette, who had the chance to smell and taste all the dishes Julia tried out when she lived in France, the story immediately draws in children who will laugh at Minette's antics and her preference for mice over many of Julia's creations. The author's use of Julia's actual words, including some French, adds to the story's flavor. As will be the case for many readers, my favorite two pages show Mi...more
Minette’s Feast by Susanna Reich, illustrated by Amy Bates, is a lovely picture book with a Parisian setting and a charming story. A woman living in Paris and studying French cuisine adopts a cat, Minette, that far prefers the results of her own food prep—hunting for birds and mice—to the cassoulets, soufflés, and pates her owner makes. She is finally won over, at least temporarily, by the leftovers from a dish that had taken three days to marinate.
The descriptions and illustrations of home, coo...more
The descriptions and illustrations of home, coo...more
Minette is indeed a lucky little tabby cat. Living in Paris, charmed her way into the hearts of Julia and Paul Child. As Julia exclaimed,
"Une maison sans chat, c'est la vie sans soleil!"
"A house without a cat is like life without sunshine!"
- Julia Child, from My Life in France
And so Minette joins Julia and Paul, taking long naps, enjoying soft laps and especially finding special treats to eat. "How delightful the crunch of fresh-caught mouse, devoured on the living room rug!" As Julia takes coo...more
"Une maison sans chat, c'est la vie sans soleil!"
"A house without a cat is like life without sunshine!"
- Julia Child, from My Life in France
And so Minette joins Julia and Paul, taking long naps, enjoying soft laps and especially finding special treats to eat. "How delightful the crunch of fresh-caught mouse, devoured on the living room rug!" As Julia takes coo...more
This is the sweet story of Julia Child's and beloved cat, Minette. This story reveals Julia and her husband strong love for each other and contentment with what they have, and then they decide they are missing one thing...a cat. This cat is the luckiest cat in all of Paris too, and is loved deeply by Julia and her husband Paul. All the while, it tells the story of how Julia got into cooking, and how she became magnificent at it! The cat only likes fish and mice, until it takes a bite of Julia's...more
I wanted to like this book; I really did. I generally like books about cats and the people they own. While the illustrations are gorgeous—broad swaths of color over penciled lines—and the story whimsical and engaging, somehow the tale of Julia Child’s love for food and her attempts to win over her bourgeois cat Minette never quite meshed for me.
Julia’s love of food and preparing food shine through in the latter part of the book. Minette’s abilities to catch prey and her preference for mice and...more
Julia’s love of food and preparing food shine through in the latter part of the book. Minette’s abilities to catch prey and her preference for mice and...more
I picked Minette's feast to win the Caldecott Award for 2013. This book tied the pictures directly along with the story line and would help keep children's attention. It looks more realistic then most childrens' stories which is why I chose it to win. The colors are muted but it went well with the story of being set in Paris. Although the faces aren't perfectly clear with detail there are more important details found along the artwork of the setting on other pages throughout the book. The story...more
Oct 05, 2012
Melissa
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Shelves:
biography,
non-fiction,
food,
pets,
accomplishment,
caldecott-13,
pencil,
watercolor,
fave-2012,
nfpb2012
I've been getting frustrated with picture book non-fiction because I wanted them to do a better job citing their quotes, and all along sitting on my desk under my nose was Minette's Feast, which does exactly that. The illustrations are lovely; a touch of sepia hints at an earlier time period, and there's a wonderful sense of motion and energy on every page. I'm not sure the progression of the narrative is as fluid as I'd like but the sentences themselves are supple and fun to read aloud. There's...more
gr. 1-4
This is a charming story in picture-book format. The lovely watercolor and pencil illustrations fit perfectly for a story mostly set in Paris in mid-twentieth century. The author came-up with a clever way to introduce kids to Julia Child - through her cat. I think it works. The cat was an actual cat owned by Julia and Paul Child and the quotes used in the book are attributable. It's not clear if the author was able to travel to the Harvard collection or not. However, the sources used are...more
This is a charming story in picture-book format. The lovely watercolor and pencil illustrations fit perfectly for a story mostly set in Paris in mid-twentieth century. The author came-up with a clever way to introduce kids to Julia Child - through her cat. I think it works. The cat was an actual cat owned by Julia and Paul Child and the quotes used in the book are attributable. It's not clear if the author was able to travel to the Harvard collection or not. However, the sources used are...more
Sep 06, 2012
Pamela
added it
MINETTE'S FEAST has gorgeous artwork. Amy Bates uses warm luscious colors to make this book kid-and-adult friendly. And I particularly love the expressions on Julia's face. They truly show her delight in finding her true calling.
The writing is nice as well. Susanna Reich captures 'catness' to a 'T'. Julia makes delicious concoctions and yet Minette is finicky and would sometimes rather just have a mouse.
I don't know many young children who would interested in haute cuisine before reading this bo...more
The writing is nice as well. Susanna Reich captures 'catness' to a 'T'. Julia makes delicious concoctions and yet Minette is finicky and would sometimes rather just have a mouse.
I don't know many young children who would interested in haute cuisine before reading this bo...more
It is primarily a children book, so it is a quick read for a cat or adult human. It is full of beautiful drawings of Minette, Julia Child‘s Parisian cat.
It tells the story of how Julia Child, then studying cooking in Paris, came to adopt Minette and what Minette’s life was like living in Paris with Julia Child.
Both my human and I liked it lots. Me because it’s mostly about a Parisian cat and my human because it’s about a cook and beautiful drawings of her cat. Also, this makes a great book to in...more
It tells the story of how Julia Child, then studying cooking in Paris, came to adopt Minette and what Minette’s life was like living in Paris with Julia Child.
Both my human and I liked it lots. Me because it’s mostly about a Parisian cat and my human because it’s about a cook and beautiful drawings of her cat. Also, this makes a great book to in...more
This was a nice little picture book about Julia Child's cat, Minette Mimosa McWilliams Child. It's a little misleading, because it's more about Julia Child than Minette, though you could argue that it's Julia Child seen through the eyes of her cat. This strikes me as the kind of book that adults get for their kids because it fits in with their own interests, like those Pride and Prejudice board books. Nevertheless, I do really like the art style and the fact that actual Julia Child quotes are us...more
Julia Child's life in Paris told through the eyes of her pet cat Minette. I love Julia Child something fierce (although I have no desire to cook from her cookbook, go figure). This is a clever story that will make Julia Child relatable to children in a fun and friendly way, the same way Julia was on her show. Granted it doesn't talk about her difficulties but there is more information in the afterward about her entire life and there are footnotes for the quotes the author used and a pronunciatio...more
Julia Child was an inspirational television personality and cookbook author that is admired by many for her lively spirit and ever present class. She has inspired books, movies, and blogs and now has inspired this children’s picture book, Minette’s Feast. Minette’s Feast: The Delicious Story of Julia Child and Her Cat was written by author Susanna Reich and illustrated by Amy Bates. The author and illustrator collaborated to bring together a beautiful and sweet introduction to the life of Julia...more
Julia Child's life in Paris, especially the early years in which she discovered and developed her skills in the kitchen, are revealed through the lens of Minette, a speckle-coated cat who loved her life, loved tasting Julia's concoctions, and especially loved the taste of mice. The illustrations extend the story, evoke a time, place, and mood, and also reveal significant information related to the processes and equipment used in cooking.
Back matter shares the extensive research, including specif...more
Back matter shares the extensive research, including specif...more
Full review at Cracking the Cover
“Minette’s Feast” is a lovely book that’s more about Julia Child than her cat, but that’s OK. Children will laugh at Minette’s antics while learning a little about France and the American chef who made the country’s cuisine popular. The afterward containing a brief biography of Julia, notes and a glossary/pronunciation guide is a nice touch. Beautiful watercolors are warm and inviting compliments to simple, yet engaging, text.
“Minette’s Feast” is a lovely book that’s more about Julia Child than her cat, but that’s OK. Children will laugh at Minette’s antics while learning a little about France and the American chef who made the country’s cuisine popular. The afterward containing a brief biography of Julia, notes and a glossary/pronunciation guide is a nice touch. Beautiful watercolors are warm and inviting compliments to simple, yet engaging, text.
A delightful story celebrating adorable felines, fine cuisine, and the City of Lights. This is a biography of Julia Child, or more appropriately, of her cat Minette. The artwork is lovely, charming and full of a sense of place that really makes the era and Paris itself come alive. The joy Julia feels for cooking, her husband, and her cat (her three passions in life) shimmers from the page. Minette is absolutely adorable and her various feline emotions are deftly and charmingly conveyed. I really...more
This was a delightful book full of information about Julia Child's life, but made into a fun picture book focusing on Minette, Julia's cat. The illustrations are fantastic and there is a 2 page spread on Julia Child at the end complete with a black and white photo. I grew up watching Julia Child and I think this is one of the better books written about her. I would have given it 5 stars, however, the very end of the book fell a little flat for me.
A+ on the book overall!
A+ on the book overall!
Loved the vocabulary in this book
use of French phrases, incorporated with artistry
author used phrases from Child's letters, so this as close to nonfiction, from the point of view of a cat! as it can be
illustrations capture feeling of Paris; love the view of the Child's apartment, the cat playing with the bone, Julia cooking (4 Julia's across a 2 page spread)
see Pinterest board - great illustrator blog, interviews with her from 7 Impossible Things before breakfast
use of French phrases, incorporated with artistry
author used phrases from Child's letters, so this as close to nonfiction, from the point of view of a cat! as it can be
illustrations capture feeling of Paris; love the view of the Child's apartment, the cat playing with the bone, Julia cooking (4 Julia's across a 2 page spread)
see Pinterest board - great illustrator blog, interviews with her from 7 Impossible Things before breakfast
This is the story of how famous cook Julia Child acquired her cat Minette and what Minette observed as the newly married Julia learned how to cook in their home in France. I love the picture of Minette on the dedication page--she looks like a Steinlein cat! I also love the picture of her in the first 2-page spread of the story, where she's walking on the counter--so cute! The illustrations are colorful, and I like the endpapers, which look like a red-and-white checked tablecloth.
Julia and Paul...more
Julia and Paul...more
Pictures are amazing. Subject --okay for the sophisticated child or true foodist but hard for younger kids to truly appreciate, despite the cat. And chances are she would have been giving her cat 'mou de chat'which is offal not usually eaten by human beings but sold at the butchershop. And poussiquiette isn't French.
Not only have I fallen in love with two baseball books among this year's Cybils nonfiction picture book nominees, but I am enamored of two books about Julia Child. This one tells the story of Julia's journey to become the premier American chef, from the point of view of a little stray French cat. Author Reich and illustrator Bates push all my happy buttons, with Julia Child and amazing food and Paris and cats. Wonderful.
This is a fun book about Julia Child's cat. Through her cat's eyes the reader gets to experience what it must have been like to live with Paul and Julia Child in Paris. I especially liked the information about Julia Child at the end of the book and that all of the quotes in the book were actually spoken or written by the Childs. A fun read, especially for a cat-lover and/or food lover. The illustrations are gorgeous too.
Beautiful picture book biography of Julia Child, focusing on her (real-life) cat Minette. The pictures are so utterly charming, I want to move to France and learn how to cook; an afterward, notes, and sources detail the origin of all the dialogue and give a little more background on Julia Child. This could be used in classrooms, for one-on-one reading with a child, or even for story time for older children.
oh my goodness! I loved this book from the first page. The storyline is simple enough for young children to learn that cooking in the French style was a huge challenge for Julia and her cat, Minette was all about the mice!
Anyone who has a cat at home will appreciate the humor in Amy Bates illustrations and she has Julia down pat! I really hope this one is a contender for the Caldecott this year-
Anyone who has a cat at home will appreciate the humor in Amy Bates illustrations and she has Julia down pat! I really hope this one is a contender for the Caldecott this year-
My son and I really found this book interesting. It had beautiful rhythmic language, repeated patterns, and developed the life of Julia Child in a friendly manner through the perspective of her cat's interest in her cooking. I loved this book. Perfect book to accompany a discussion on the brilliance of Julia Child. I would partner with Bon Appetit! The Delicious Life of Julia Child by Jessie Hartland.
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