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Chicken Soup, Boots
The author of Max Makes a Million takes young readers into a mysterious world peopled by a composer, a firewoman, a doorman, a short-order cook, an astronomer, and individuals with other fascinating careers.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1993
About the author
Maira Kalman
73 books711 followersMaira Kalman was born in Tel Aviv and moved to New York with her family at the age of four. She has worked as a designer, author, illustrator and artist for more than thirty years without formal training. Her work is a narrative journal of her life and all its absurdities. She has written and illustrated twelve children's books including Ooh-la-la- Max in Love, What Pete Ate, and Swami on Rye. She often illustrates for The New Yorker magazine, and is well known for her collaboration with Rick Meyerowitz on the NewYorkistan cover in 2001. Recent projects include The Elements of Style (illustrated), and a monthly on-line column entitled Principles of Uncertainty for The New York Times.
She lives in New York and walks a lot.
(http://www.saulgallery.com)
She lives in New York and walks a lot.
(http://www.saulgallery.com)
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 13, 2018
I really can't say why I love this one so much: it's one of those kid's books that are way too wordy for actual children, and so always seem to end up on the shelves of adults.
Kalman's artwork speaks to me:
And, I like the interconnected theme of people engaged in different jobs, being themselves, and making the world a more pleasant place.
Kalman's artwork speaks to me:
And, I like the interconnected theme of people engaged in different jobs, being themselves, and making the world a more pleasant place.
August 10, 2016
Maira Kalman is that rare writer for children whose books are clever enough for adults to enjoy, even after the repeated readings this book is sure to elicit. This title is my Kalman favorite, but it shares with her others a tilted humor, totally strange and yet completely recognizable characters, and a passion for life's pleasures, namely meaningful work.
"Chicken Soup, Boots" features some great diner talk, beginning with its title which means a chicken soup to go. But Barney March, "an eight-armed octopus called the short order cook" is not the only character whose job is featured here. The book is about people who have found what they love to do, and describes a bit about how they do it. There are doctors and doormen, astronomers and architects, piano teachers and performance artists. This is a long book crammed with vignettes and memories, joyous accounts of satisfying work, which Kalman calls, "Your job. Your work. Your it. Your you."
Each reading of "Chicken Soup, Boots" to a child accomplishes the double task of empowering the listener to become anything he or she wants, while reassuring the reader that it's not too late for adults, either. Kalman's paintings, as visual as her writing is musical, depict people who are who they are, flaws and all.
For those seeking diversity represented in children's books, you will find here a pianist who composes pop songs at the keyboard from his wheelchair, and characters of varied race and language backgrounds, all working hard and enjoying life in New York City since, like many of Kalman's books, it is set there.
For all its tilt, angle and color, "Chicken Soup, Boots" is a comforting, reassuring picture book for this confusing world, in which work both defines and undoes us. It will be a much appreciated book for artistic and philosophical children and their parents. Kalman is a true original in the world of children's book publishing.
"Chicken Soup, Boots" features some great diner talk, beginning with its title which means a chicken soup to go. But Barney March, "an eight-armed octopus called the short order cook" is not the only character whose job is featured here. The book is about people who have found what they love to do, and describes a bit about how they do it. There are doctors and doormen, astronomers and architects, piano teachers and performance artists. This is a long book crammed with vignettes and memories, joyous accounts of satisfying work, which Kalman calls, "Your job. Your work. Your it. Your you."
Each reading of "Chicken Soup, Boots" to a child accomplishes the double task of empowering the listener to become anything he or she wants, while reassuring the reader that it's not too late for adults, either. Kalman's paintings, as visual as her writing is musical, depict people who are who they are, flaws and all.
For those seeking diversity represented in children's books, you will find here a pianist who composes pop songs at the keyboard from his wheelchair, and characters of varied race and language backgrounds, all working hard and enjoying life in New York City since, like many of Kalman's books, it is set there.
For all its tilt, angle and color, "Chicken Soup, Boots" is a comforting, reassuring picture book for this confusing world, in which work both defines and undoes us. It will be a much appreciated book for artistic and philosophical children and their parents. Kalman is a true original in the world of children's book publishing.
February 8, 2019
So clever and filled with wonderful illustrations. A picture book about life and careers.
November 13, 2019
I don't really get this book, but I kind of love it? I checked it out for my kids but I didn't think I could handle reading the whole thing to them - maybe I should leave it around for them to look at the pictures...
October 19, 2020
This funny, heartwarming book by Maira Kalman flowed together so smoothly and made me flip the pages eagerly. Everything about it made me want to laugh and cry and read it all over again. Such an amazing insight into her life...and mine.
February 11, 2015
A wonderful fanciful sort-of picture book for adults and children which is going in the stack in our guest room ( this is indeed an honor :) ) the reason I say it's sort-of a picture book is that there are paragraphs of text beside each brilliant, in all senses, painted page.
So, what do you want to be when you grow up? Do you want to be an artist like Mr. Pool who performs at the museum of junk and sleeps in a marshmallow suit? Or perhaps you'd like to design buildings like The Lucky Lemon Candy Shop, perched on top of Gizelka the architect's head in one of the drawings. Even if you think the stories are too long to hold a young reader's attention, the drawing are beautiful, colorful works of art sure to spark their own stories.
So, what do you want to be when you grow up? Do you want to be an artist like Mr. Pool who performs at the museum of junk and sleeps in a marshmallow suit? Or perhaps you'd like to design buildings like The Lucky Lemon Candy Shop, perched on top of Gizelka the architect's head in one of the drawings. Even if you think the stories are too long to hold a young reader's attention, the drawing are beautiful, colorful works of art sure to spark their own stories.
August 19, 2009
I LOVE THIS BOOK! This is one of the first books I remember reading. Needless to say, it's not a complex writing style. But it's so original and the illustrations... oh, the illustrations! I have no words to describe them. You have to see it yourself. They're so free and brimming with life and they capture the essence of whatever the subject may be magnificently. And the words (some of which are interestingly colored, by the way) are strung together simply but beautifully, and the characters are fabulous, and- and just read this book! It's a feast of color and light and words and New York City.
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January 25, 2012Although this was not one of my favorite books, it was definitely an interesting book to say the least. Chicken Soup, Boots is a really random book talking about different jobs. The take away message is good; it talks about how you will discover yourself, and you will find a job that you love as you grow older. This book gives children the feeling that they can do any thing that they want, and it is full of colorful illustrations, humor, and satisfying job accounts. This book contains A LOT of text though, so I would not recommend it for younger elementary school students. It took me almost the whole fifteen minutes to finish!
November 13, 2014
This time Kalman looks at the work people do and thinking about the work we want to do. (Make sure to check of cover flaps and publication information for little gems.) Her whimsey that translates well through her strong and evocative illustrations, expressive palette, exaggerated facial features and bodies, made-up names, text and even playfulness with typeface makes this an experience. From the publication page:
Do you have a reservation?the common thread in Kalman's books are her affectionate captures of the people, places and animals around her.
I'm sorry. All rights are reserved.
Why don't you call Maurice, in let's say, ten years.
April 25, 2008
I loved this book when I was a kid.
May 1, 2009
This book makes me cry every time I read it.
June 20, 2009
excellent book!
June 19, 2013
discovered and instantly became a Maira Kalman fan through this book a long, long time ago.
April 10, 2014
I'm afraid I just didn't understand this.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews