Children's Books discussion
The Picture-Book Club
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June 2010: Discuss Our "Culinary Delights" Club Reads HERE
Thanks. I've read only 2 of these too. Off to check the library, hoping they have all of them.
Kathryn, I've read those other two versions of Stone Soup.Hmm. Wondering if instead of having an alternate we should just have 6 books??? Just an idea.
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I'd be totally up for increasing the number of our official reads next month if other members want to. It would certainly give more variety of titles and more chances for members to participate in the reads since I know most strike out on at least one or two titles. I will put it to a poll! :-)
I guess it's that I always feel compelled to read the alternate just as much as the "official" five selections. ;-) Perhaps others don't feel that way. I also don't want to read more than 5 or 6 a month. I figure whether it's 5 or 6 members will get as many as they can up to how many they want to read. They might prefer the alternate title over one of the "regular" ones, for instance.
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I think that my local library actually has all of the titles available this time (that's a first), and has both versions of "Stone Soup" so I think I will try to read both of them.
I agree with Chandra. Great list! I like most of you have 2 of these already. I am very pleased to see one of my favorites make the list, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. I also feel 5 plus an alternative is a manageable number of books for me. Can't wait to get started!
I agree with others that 5 is manageable and one extra option is a good idea in case some on the list are not obtainable (is there such a word?).Bring me some apples and Fannie in the kitchen are on their way and the other titles are in the library - so no problems this month - except for holidays.
Sorry about the confusion with Stone Soup - didn't realize that the Heather Forest version was the one being read. I have always just preferred Marcia Brown's, but am now curious to hear what others think. Too set in my ways probably.
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Thanks for the feedback on the number of books for the club reads, too. I think that the general consensus is things are going well the way they are so I'm glad to know it's working for all of you :-)
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Bring me some apples and Fannie in the kitchen are ..."
As my library system surprisingly has both the Marcia Brown and the Heather Forest versions of "Stone Soup" I am going to try to read both. I picked up some of the titles from the library yesterday, and put in requests for the others, hopefully this won't take too long (but, I am actually still waiting for one of the Latino themed books from last month, so who knows). Looking forward to the discussion!!
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Kathryn wrote: "I'm very curious to read "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" again. I remember liking it when I was a kid, and then I just watched the movie last week so I'm eager to compare because really the onl..."Your memory serves you right. The movie and book were two entirely different stories. My sister and I were just having this conversation yesterday.
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Oooh! Sounds like a discussion I'd love to carry on here once I've read the book :-)
Sounds good to me! Looking forward to it.
Yea! Just found the time to put requests in for all 6 of the selected books, including the Heather Forest version of Stone Soup. Looking forward to reading and discussing all of them!
Yay! All available! Have read 2 (own 1 of them), have 3 at home, waiting for 1 but it will arrive.
Wow, Chandra! I love what you've brought up, especially "some interesting insights into the human relationship with food - do we control it or does it control us?" So, see, yes!!! you could definitely write a fantastic reivew! ;-)So far I've read all of this month's books except the specific edition of Stone Soup, which I have on reserve at the library and will hopefully be able to read next week. I enjoyed them all, some are really outstanding. More later...
Since I own a copy of If You Give a Mouse a CookieI have read that one first (again). It is a delightful story about a young boy imagining the consequences of giving a mouse a cookie. If he generously shares what will happen? The mouse might ask for many more things. The book uses the future tense and the words "might" and "probably" come up a lot. It doesn't matter that most of the scenarios probably won't happen at all - it is fun to imagine. The expressions on the mouse's face are hilarious. When he has finished his milk he looks absolutely sated. When he sees that his whiskers need trimming he looks so surprised. He looks exhausted slumped over the can of cleaning powder.
Actually, I have previously commented on authors who don't finish the sentence on one page, but here the author has used it as a device to build suspense and encourage the reader to guess what "might" happen next. It is good to read aloud because the reader can stretch out his/her voice while turning the page. It isn't difficult to hold children's attention with this story.
It is also interesting to consider whether it is worth giving a mouse a cookie at all if he then makes so many other requests. Most children will still say that YES they would give the mouse a cookie. Food is the easiest thing to share and helps to bring people (and mice)haha together
Such a fun book. Starts off with food and finishes with food, but that's life.
Love the thoughts, Gaynor and Chandra. I own both those books but haven't re-read for discussion yet. The first available book from the library I could get was Dim Sum for Everyone!. I enjoyed this one. I thought I knew what Dim Sum was, but I was wrong. I love when I learn something new and expand my horizons. First of all, the illustrations in this book are bright, bold, and beautiful! I like that the moment you look at the cover you know you are going on a culinary adventure. The details from beginning to end were wonderful. The story is about a little girl who goes to a Dim Sum restaurant with her family. The book details their eating experience. At the end of the book, there is some history of Dim Sum and its customs. I enjoyed this part more than the actual story itself. I know one thing now; I want to go to a Dim Sum restaurant! It sounds so fun and yummy! I thought of my sister when I read it and how much she would enjoy going to a restaurant like this. I had to share it with her. She also liked it and said she learned something new.
I got the Heather Forest edition of Stone Soup today and just read it, so I have now read all 6 books. I won't even try to repeat all that I said in my reviews, and will make more comments as others' comments make me think more but:Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis:
I'd read this a while ago and really enjoyed it. The cadence and story were a bit hard to get used to, but I ended up enjoying it, and liked learning something about this woman and her background; I'd never heard of her. I liked the recipes in the back but would have preferred her actual recipes.
Fannie in the Kitchen : The Whole Story From Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes with Precise Measurements:
I thought this was absolutely charming. Loved the vintage look of the illustrations, loved that the story is told through the eyes of a child, making it more interesting to children, and loved learning some history and about Fannie Farmer's life, including the extra information in the notes section.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs:
This was a wonderful surprise. Just brilliant. Funny! Imaginative! I've heard the sequel isn't nearly as good, but I've reserved it at the library anyway. (I love that the illustrator is a vegetarian. ;) ) Amazing illustrations and creativity. So much fun. So glad this group inspired me to finally read it! Love the comments above about this book.
Stone Soup*:
I liked this version. Actually, it's the fourth version I've read of this tale (that I remember) and I gave them all 4 stars. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. This one is a tad too didactic for me, but I love the illustrations, especially the two page spread of all the vegetables going into the pot and the animals at the end.
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie:
I like If You Give a Moose a Muffin the best. But I love all these If You... stories, and this one is cute.
Optional/Alternate Title:
Dim Sum for Everyone!:
I wasn't that fond of the illustrations, except of all the tiny foods, and the story wasn't that amazing either, but somehow I enjoyed this anyway. I did like the illustration that had multiple people filled tables all with many small dishes of food in front of them.
I was happy to read all 6, except I didn't reread the Edna Lewis book. I own the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie book so I did reread that one. And the other 4 were brand new to me.
Another great month of selections. We haven't had any other kind of month yet!
I've read two of the books so far, and wasn't "Wowed". But they were both better than OK.Dim Sum for Everyone! is beautifully illustrated and I think would be interesting to a small child. It did make me want to go to a Dim Sum restaurant! Overall, it was an appealing book.
Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis wasn't quite as appealing to me. Surprising, since I spent many hours on my grandparents' farm enjoying the same kinds of activities and sayings as this book contained. Somehow, the presentation just didn't strike a chord with me. Still, I thought it did a good job exploring "fresh is best" and some of the traditions that go hand in hand with rural life.
I just read Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and I WAS wowed by this one! My son told me it was his favorite picture book (something I never new, as he read it at school).I was surprised at how different it was from the movie - aside from the concept of food falling from the sky the story lines were absolutely different.
The author really has to be someone who asks a lot of "what if" kinds of questions and lets her imagination run wild. The illustrations were quite well done, giving the book a dream-like quality that was quite appropriate.
Really liked this one a lot!
This book is based on a very interesting premise - what if the weather was food? More or less. Then what happens if the weather turns bad and there are storms? It is almost like global warming - is this what will happen to some people as the weather gets worse and worse? They will have to abandon their homes?The detailed sketches have a lot of interesting details, and the author seems to have thought of most scenarios. Don't you love the people wearing pegs on their noses when gorgonzola is raining down? What about the romantic dinner? Overcooked broccoli?- how disappointing. The roofless restaurant was another good idea.
I know of teachers who seek this book out because of the "weather" language, such as "a chance of meatballs", etc. It is easy to see how this book is so popular.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is one of my favorite books. I read it again tonight and realized it is now 32 years old. It could have been written yesterday. It has stood the test of time. I believe years from now I will still have the same thoughts. This book holds a special place in my heart because it is a book I shared with my 2 sisters and 2 brothers. I think most little boys and girls love stories in the larger-than-life category and of course it helps that it has to do with food. Who doesn't love food? The title of this book is just perfect to explain what the book is about. Food and the weather. I get lost in the illustrations everytime I read the book. I have to pause and look at all the fun little details. I think it was a great idea to start and end the book in black and white and to make grandpa's story section color. It adds extra charm to the book. I didn't know this husband and wife team also did two other books besides the sequelPickles To Pittsburgh until tonight. I am excited to read them. I will add them here for others who might not know and maybe interested Animals Should Definitely Not Act Like People Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing
Crystal, Thanks for that info! Those "Animals Should Definitely Not" books sound really good.
I often wonder how much our expectations influence how much we like or dislike a book. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is famous and beloved so I can see that you might have really expected to enjoy it, Abigail. And, I didn't expect to appreciate it, and I ended up loving it because it so exceeded my expectations.And, If You Give a Moose a Muffin wins hands down as the best books of the If You... series. But I suppose the artwork was no better than in If You Give a Mouse a Cookie so you might not like it that much either, Abigail. The alliteration in the title and the moose really work for me though, better than the mouse. It just seems more amusing to me, though I've liked all the If You... books I've read.
You're welcome Kay! Abigail, thank you for the recommendation! Like Chandra, I am bummed that Cloudy didn't impress you, but that is the great part of these discussions. If we all liked the same books all the same way, we wouldn't need these discussions. It makes fun and interesting reading.
Thank you Chandra, I added these to my to-read shelf. I am excited to get my hands on these. I may wait until winter time for some of them. I agree with you on cooking with children and family. Izzy is lucky to have a mom who takes the extra time to read and cook with her. I want to do the same with Kaylee when she is older. Picturing it makes me smile! =)
I've read the Marcia Brown version of Stone Soup, but the story didn't really hold my interest much, even though I loved the illustrations. But I also wanted to read the other versions of Stone Soup too!! What are the other versions of Stone Soup?
Ronyell, In addition to Jon Muth's, Marcia Brown's, and Heather Forest's, I've also read Ann McGovern's: Stone Soup. Those are the four I've now read. I'm sure there are many more. I liked all 4; they each had their strengths and weaknesses.
Thanks Chandra and Lisa! I'll check out those versions right away!
Well I have not had as much success as some of you in locating all the selections this month (3 out of 6) but will update if they come back to the library. I wanted to get my reviews in. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie I really like this book. It seems creative to me how it all wraps back around and is easy for young children to guess what the mouse may want next. Our school actually adapted this as a part of their story writing and each child added a page to the class book on if you take an alligator to the...Dim Sum for Everyone! I have to admit my son was more interested in the illustrations then in the actual story itself. I felt the explanation of the tradition and definition for Dim sum at the end of the story were the best part of the whole book and really were very interesting to read.
Fannie in the Kitchen: The Whole Story From Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes with Precise Measurements I was really surprised to see that this book has a copyright of 2001. From illustrations to story line this was my favorite of the three books I read. I found that even I use some of the hints and tips framed on the walls and discussed in the story. It reminded me a lot of cooking with my grandma especially when they were making pancakes. My grandma always used to tell me to look for the bubbles.
I certainly hope I can find the other books so far I liked all the selections for this theme.
I hadn't thought of this before in relation to food, but The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher is beautifully painted and revolves around the desire for fruit.
Well I have just re-read Marcia Brown's version of Stone Soup, but can't really say which is my favorite version since the only other one I've seen is Ann McGovern's. Actually I discovered MB's book in my bookcase and am ashamed to say that I had forgotten that I owned a copy.Marcia Brown was awarded the Caldecott Honor medal for this book which was first published in 1947. She has used shades of orange, black and gray only, but it still works. The story is an old French folktale and the illustrations have a European feel. The villagers are wearing clogs and the roads are lined with trees - such scenes are common in France. In this version the villagers have warning that soldiers are approaching and they hurriedly hide all their food and then deny they have any.
The peasants in this tale have to be portrayed as slow-witted or they would realize that they had been tricked. The soldiers continued to give the impression they believed the villagers had no food, by sighing..."No use asking for what you don't have." The soldiers were finally given the best beds in the village, and thanked for their "recipe". Perhaps they were still worried that one of the villagers would realize what had happened, because on the last page the tiny drawing shows them running away from the village.
The lesson: that it is good to share, was not so obvious in this story. It isn't particularly didactic and gives children something to think about. Perhaps children think that it is not good to lie and they are happy as the food is brought out.
I enjoyed the story, and have always found it fascinating how the soldiers can be so persuasive.
There are opportunities to use an expressive voice when reading this aloud because there is quite a lot of dialogue. The story's linear structure makes it quite good to use when thinking about sequencing, although for young children over-analysis kills the fun.
Now I'm waiting for Fannie and Edna to arrive.
I loved it and so have all the kids I've "read" (there are no words) it to. Friends who only tried it as adults didn't seem so enthused.
Just helping out with stocktaking in another library and guess what I found? Jon Muth's Stone Soup.Stone Soup. I loved this version of the story. It is set in the East and has a Zen Buddhism influence. Instead of soldiers, there are 3 monks in search of understanding about happiness. The villagers don't come across as being greedy, as in the Brown version, but are genuine victims of hard times.As in the other version it takes just one person to agree to help just a little, and the other villagers become curious.
Muth draws several pictures (including the cover picture) as though we are looking up at the people from the point of view of the soup. It works.
The idea that "the monks were spreading enlightenment rather than hoping for personal gain" is what sets this story apart from the other version. Muth calls this a type of trickster tale and I guess it is.
If I wanted to do a cooking activity following the reading of this story, and many teachers like to do that, Muth's version would produce a more delicious soup which would suit the local tastes more than Brown's version. I kept waiting for Brown's soldiers to ask for an onion, but perhaps onions weren't common in Europe at that time???? The timing of the story is difficult to establish, although the soldiers are only armed with swords.
Anyway, still haven't been able to find the Forest version.
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perhaps onions weren't common in Europe at that time??Onions have been eaten in Europe since the Bronze Age and have been cultivated for thousands of years. Maybe the author just doesn't like them!
Onions have been eaten in Europe since the Bronze Age and have been cultivated for thousands of years. Maybe the author just doesn't like them!"That is interesting.
Miriam wrote: "perhaps onions weren't common in Europe at that time??Onions have been eaten in Europe since the Bronze Age and have been cultivated for thousands of years. Maybe the author just doesn't like them!"
Thanks Miriam. I have had a limited education in history, concentrated too much on physics and chemistry (not by choice)so appreciate the info. Can't imagine "stone" soup without onions, but everyone to their own tastes.
I agree that the illustrations in
The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcherare wonderful and after looking at it, what a good excuse to go and get some strawberries to share. Planning to go to the market tomorrow to get persimmons and I know I'll be offered strawberries. Wonder if there is a book about persimmons.
My daughter and I read three of the selections yesterday and enjoyed them all. The dim sum illustrations caused quite a bit of interest for us and she has expressed interest in trying some of the dishes the next time we go. Anything that encourages trying new foods is a success as far as I'm concerned.I liked the old fashioned illustrations in the Fannie Farmer book and my daughter was fascinated with the dresses that Marcia wore. I think it also appealed to her because it was told from a young girls point of view.
My favourite was the Edna Lewis book. After reading that one I was craving sun warmed peaches and ended up raiding the fridge at 2am to fill my grumbling tummy. I loved reading about the family harvesting all the fruits and veggies together in season. It also made me curious about the healing powers of Sassafras root tea.
We read the give a mouse a cookie book last year and I remember it being cute, fun read but not outstanding.
Welcome back, Kathryn!Lee, You're making me hungry again. This was a dangerous month.
;-)
Lisa wrote: "Welcome back, Kathryn!Lee, You're making me hungry again. This was a dangerous month.
;-)"
LOL - I so agree!
I've just had the opportunity to read the three books from this month's 5 + 1. It is interesting bringing picture books home from the library with a tween boy in the house. He's too cool to read picture books - but he couldn't hold back his excitement over "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs", and I caught him reading "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie", too.I really loved If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. "Ahh, that was so cute", I thought. I found the illustrations and the story witty and fun loving. And I also thought that perhaps I would like to give a mouse a cookie, for all the cleaning around the house that got done!
I found the Heather Forest version of Stone Soup and thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned from the author's note at the beginning that I had heard the Swedish version of this story growing up, with an old nail as the soup starter. (Fascinating - I grew up in northern Michigan where many Swedes settled). But back to the Heather Fast version of the tale! I thought the story was told in such a way that it showed how the village was able to overcome their fear of outsiders in the community, and to share with them as well as each other. The community became a little more glued together, and a bit more inclusive. I liked, too, how the illustrations showed people from all walks of life, and of all ages. A very nice story about sharing.
And then there's Fannie in the Kitchen: The Whole Story From Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes with Precise Measurements. Brenda, I agree with you - this one turned out to be my favorite of the bunch (much to my surprise). I liked the "courses", and I even learned something new (how to tell if an egg is fresh).
Kay you are making me curious now, when you said "I liked the "courses", and I even learned something new (how to tell if an egg is fresh)." I would really like to know a fool-proof way of telling whether an egg is fresh. Can't wait for "Fannie" to arrive. Our eggs come from the market and are sold by weight, but I have always broken eggs into a saucer before adding them to my baking. There is nothing worse than that "surprise"!! I grew up with free range chickens that laid eggs with such beautiful yellow yolks and sometimes the eggs were even fertilized. So much better for you.
Fannie and Edna are both eagerly awaited around here!!
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Most people, who have had their own chickens or who have bought eggs straight from an organic farm, know about those surprises. I love free range eggs, but the one time I broke an egg and got that surprise (when I was a kid) really turned me off eggs for a while.
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Children's Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse (other topics)Stone Soup (other topics)
Stone Soup (other topics)
Cora Cooks Pancit (other topics)
Cora Cooks Pancit (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Marcia Brown (other topics)Heather Forest (other topics)
Marcia Brown (other topics)
Marcia Brown (other topics)
Heather Forest (other topics)
More...
Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis
Fannie in the Kitchen : The Whole Story From Soup to Nuts of How Fannie Farmer Invented Recipes with Precise Measurements
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
Stone Soup*
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Optional/Alternate Title:
Dim Sum for Everyone!
We'll begin discussion around the 1st of June--if you need to hop on board a little sooner or later please feel welcome. I know it's a busy time of year for many of us with school out, holiday weekend, and the start of summer travel and family visits. (I know I will be online only intermittently for the first part of June.) Thanks to all who voted and I'm looking forward to a yummy discussion! :-)
If your favorite title(s) didn't win, please feel free to discuss them back over in the "General Discussion" thread. I am really excited about the titles chosen as a few I have not read and some I have and really liked, but there are also many others from the awesome suggestions that I was hoping to read so I'll be posting over there throughout the month:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/3...
*Regarding "Stone Soup" I believe the one that was initially suggested was the Heather Forest version. I know we had one vote for the Marcia Brown version. I think it would be great if we can all find the Heather Forest version since that is what was on the master list and then we are all discussing the same text and illustrations, but I'll be honest--my library doesn't have a copy of this version so I'm not sure if I'll be able to get one in in time. I would also LOVE for some ambitious folk to read other versions, too and then we can have some nifty compare/contrast discussions, too. So, really, whatever version you can find to discuss will be great. I myself will be on the look out for the Marcia Brown version and there is a version by John Muth and I want to find that, too, as I'm a fan of his work.