Empty Fridge

by Gaëtan Dorémus

It seems everyone in Andrew’s block has been so busy during the day, they’ve forgotten to buy anything for dinner. Their fridges are empty … almost.

With only three carrots to eat, Andrew decides to go upstairs to ask his neighbour Nabil if he’s got anything in his fridge. Nabil’s not doing much better: he only has two eggs and small piece of cheese. Together, they decide to try the family on the second floor.

As they ascend each floor of their block of flats, they gather more ingredients from more neighbours until they reach the top floor and everyone finally has enough for a meal. But what to cook?

Empty Fridge is a picture book that taps into strong themes in children’s lives: the love of food and cooking, sharing, and the importance of good friends and neighbours.

Winner of a prominent kids’ choice award in France, Empty Fridge is an inspiring and thought-provoking entertainment for the Junior Masterchef generation.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Food, France

40 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2012

Reviews

[Kaethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

In an updated version of the Stone Soup tale, the various inhabitants of the apartment building have only an item or two in the fridges, but together, they have enough to make supper. And, because they are French, they make something delicious.



I enjoyed the diverse inhabitants and the warmth of their interaction. I never found city life to be particularly alienating, but this does make for a good story. The odd format of the book plays up the height of the building, and the detailed line drawings are amusing and unpretentious.

Library copy

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There is general enthusiasm!"

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely view of neighbours and community, of course, around food.

[Matt Sheffield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this children's book for opening the heart and imagination to community, friendship and generosity.

[Kat Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Empty Fridge" immediately stands out because of its more rectangular-than-most stature. Doremus' story tells the tale of an apartment building full of people who only have knick-knack ingredients for dinner (and let me tell you, three carrots does not a dinner make!). The text has real life and depth to it, and readers of all ages will even learn what a capsicum is! After finishing, I found myself wanting to read it again...but this time, with a slice of quiche to nosh on.

[mairead · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED. Interests (apartment living, community/generosity, food) and delightful (“there is general enthusiasm”). Note to self: make a to-buy goodreads list and add this to it.

[Laurence-Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Belle histoire montrant la collaboration et l’acceptation des autres, des différences.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully done

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

People living in a 5 story apartment building have spent a busy day enjoying themselves. So much so, that they have forgotten to buy any food for dinner. As we move up the building, floor by floor, new food is found until the neighbors realize that together they can make a quiche. In the end, they notice many other apartment buildings are doing the same thing so that a big quiche party is started out in the streets and green areas.

While this is not a traditional tale, it pares will with Stone Soup. Little things put together add up to a big meal; working together we can accomplish big things; sharing makes hard times more fun, etc.

The story takes place in Paris, so some things will need to be explained before: what we call the 1st floor, they call the ground floor so when the neighbor goes up to the 1st floor, to us it is the 2nd floor; a capsicum is another word for green pepper, chives, and quiche. Each floor and character is colored the same as their food, which can be used as a prediction game with the students - how is color used in this book?

Students really enjoyed this story.

[Christine Turner]

A quirky picture book that taps into strong themes in children's lives: the love of food and cooking, sharing, and the importance of good friends and neighbors. It seems everyone in Andrew's building has been so busy during the day, they've forgotten to buy anything for dinner. Their fridges are all empty--well almost. With only three carrots to eat, Andrew decides to go upstairs to ask his neighbor Nabil if he's got anything in his fridge. Nabil's not doing much better: he only has two eggs and small piece of cheese. Together, they decide to try the family on the second floor. As they ascend each floor of their apartment building, they gather more ingredients from more neighbors until they reach the top floor and everyone finally has enough for a meal. But now the question is what to cook?

Subject: Neighborliness -- Juvenile fiction.
Sharing -- Juvenile fiction
Communities -- Juvenile fiction.

[Jim Erekson · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this was Stone Soup, reimagined for a European apartment building. Instead of the always-interesting deception with the stone, the vagrant actually has carrots... :-(
But the chain of ingredients builds one link at a time as people each borrow an ingredient from their next door neighbor. It's pretty transparent what will happen, but a few details are still surprising. There's an overall tone of individuality until the whole thing comes together in a communal recipe. And then the entire world sprouts into Utopia! What?

[Jeremy West · Rating 4 out of 5]

French author, Gaetan Doremus, tells a brief yet beautifully illustrated encounter about coming together in light of a disaster...there's no food. Everyone has pieces but no true meal. As they knock on each person's door, they slowly gather ingredients and decide to make a delicious quiche. This splendid story shows what can be accomplished when strangers work together with a goal in mind. I loved it!

[Heydi Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful, inspiring book!

This book shows us what everyone needs to do. We need socialization. I really think that is one of today's societies scariest problems is that we don't know how to live together and interact. This book shows us the way.

While I find it implausible that all the people in all the surrounding buildings would have also forgotten to go shopping I think the sentiments are definitely worth sharing with everyone.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how quirky and charming this book is! It is a lot like stone soup, but with quiche and set in France. Wouldn't work as well for young children because the language is pretty advanced (I'm still not sure what "capsicum" is). I do love the themes of sharing and community building and the use of color really adds to those.

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empty Fridge is the story of people coming together as strangers and becoming friends. The residents of an apartment building combine all their food for a feast. And it turns out everyone else is doing the same thing. It is a reminder to turn away from the technology that isolates us and find others around us. Beautifully written and illustrated with a great message for today's kids.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good story of city apartment dwellers coming together as strangers and becoming friends, all because as individuals they have little to eat. Pooling their meager resources they come up with a wonderful dinner for all to share. Good line drawings on all pages in an over heightened book simulates a multilevel apartment and the people living in it.

[Liz Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

More urban-modern version of Stone Soup. Simple, but some really sweet moments and just the right amount of "voice" that made me love this one. Example: "Claire offers to make a big mixed salad, but no-one is too hot on the idea because it's a bit cold today," or another sweet spot: "There is general enthusiasm! The whole team heads to the kitchen." :)

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone in the building forgets to buy groceries so the community pulls together to figure out what to have for dinner tonight. Adaptation of "Stone Soup." Sophisticated language, charming humor. Classically British.

[Eva Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boy, you know, I really really loved the colors in this one! And I also liked that it wasn't about animals or babies or little kids or families, but it was about grownups in the city who were just friends and neighbors. There were hard words but it's ok. I'll learn to read them.

[The Styling Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Empty Fridge by Gaetan Doremus – Interesting book that celebrates an apartment community and also presents a Stone Soup alternate as well.

[Miguel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter asked to read it again, probably because the line drawn pictures have such detail.

[Sara Grochowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story about community and the joy of food bringing people together in collaboration and friendship.

[Becket · Rating 2 out of 5]

Suffered a bit in translation I think, though I enjoyed the communal-eating theme and the playful, sketchy art.

[stillme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of like a French Stone Soup.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to live in this apartment building! What a lovely little dream.

[Maddypictures · Rating 4 out of 5]

An urban re-telling of Stone Soup. Very nice. The neighborhood comes together to make quiche with their spare ingredients.

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a lovely fantasy!

[Stephani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with this modern day Stone Soup style book. Love the illustrations also.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

the illustrations are quite creative :)

[Diane Kress Hower · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED it!