Publishers Weekly Review
| Downing's fans may recognize this cumulative text as the lyrics to a longtime Louisiana favorite song she adapted for her 1998 kids' album, From the Gumbo Pot. Even without the music, the words still have plenty of lip-smacking appeal as they match signature Creole and Cajun dishes to the days of the week. "Today is Monday/ Monday red beans," begins the text, adding the verses' refrain: "All you lucky children, come and/ eat it up. Come and eat it up!" By the time the end of the week rolls around, readers also will have been urged to try everything from po' boys (Tuesday) to beignets (Sunday), always followed by the refrain. Kadair's (Grandma's Gumbo) cut-paper and photo collages alternate close-ups of the dishes with scenes of a dining room that welcomes an ever-growing number of guests. Her homespun collages may be made from cloth and paper (and even rice), but they prove to be a tasty medium for conveying the mouthwatering flavors. Youngsters may well be inspired to put together their own art projects celebrating their favorite dishes. In keeping with the spirit of the culture it celebrates, the book also includes a lagniappe: a description of each dish cited, and a recipe for red beans and rice. Ages 5-8. (Nov.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved |
School Library Journal Review
| PreS-Gr 3-A variation of a Louisiana song with a twist-each day a new food is served as a faceless assortment of children come one by one to the table. Eventually, there are seven, with seven different dishes in front of them, a cat and dog underneath the table waiting for scraps, and a grandmotherly figure overseeing everything. Back matter includes a description of each dish and a recipe for Monday's red beans and rice. The simplicity of Kadair's bold, bright collages fits the text perfectly. The oblong format of this offering, with the words on the left-hand page and the illustration opposite, works well as the table gets pretty crowded at the end. A pleasing addition to Louisiana lore and a fun, light note for a unit on the state.-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Horn Book Review
| This cheerful volume based on a song introduces readers to a different Louisiana specialty (gumbo, beignets) each day of the week. The refrain ""All you lucky children, come and eat it up. Come and eat it up!"" gets tiresome without the musical context. Kadair's clever mixed-media collages (primarily cut-paper) use simple shapes to display the meals. A recipe for red beans and rice is included. Glos. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved. |
Kirkus Review
| In this adaptation of a popular song, internationally-acclaimed children's musician Downing introduces a signature Louisiana food for each day of the week, from red beans on Monday to beignets on Sunday. After presenting each new dish, the book repeats preceding days' dishes, providing children the perfect opportunity to participate in the story as they are prompted to recall information from previous pages. A catchy refrain follows each day's meal: "All you lucky children come and eat it up. Come and eat it up!" Kadair's trademark collages illustrate close-ups of each new food while a table full of children with plates in front of them occupies the pages opposite the chorus. Downing's rhythmic, repetitive text will appeal to children, as will Kadair's addition of anew child to the tablefor each new food. Unfortunately, the collage technique often results in unappetizing pictures of the foods introduced here--the catfish, for example, appears to be covered in hair, and the beignets are literally squares of cardboard--and thus, the book is not likely to inspire children to expand their culinary, or cultural, horizons. (glossary, recipe) (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |
