Feast for 10

From the Publisher

"Impressive collages . . . A joyful celebration of family and food." Booklist, ALA

"Falwell has captured the warmth and love of an African-American family. . . . The brightly colored collage illustrations depict the bouncing energy of the children and their attentive mother in a creative counting book that will delight young readers." Horn Book

"The successful rhyme scheme builds a natural rhythm that helps the simple text read smoothly. Collage illustrations combine colored paper, patterned fabrics, and felt in a clear, uncluttered design. . . . The figures are animated and expressive . . . an appealing glance at a typical extended family." School Library Journal

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

A family's dinner preparations, from supermarket to table, are the foundation of what PW dubbed a ``cozy counting book.'' Ages 4-8. (Feb.)

Children's Literature - Beverly Kobrin

Cathryn Falwell's Feast for Ten takes young readers on a trip to the grocery store and back home again through a family shopping experience every child can relate to. Author/artist Falwell's illustrations are clear and counting the objects on each page is but one aspect of the book's fun.

Children's Literature

Falwell's Feast for Ten takes young readers on a trip to the grocery store and back home again through a family shopping experience every child can relate to. What makes this little board book different is that it goes through the counting sequence twice—once while shopping and again on the arrival home where the big dinner is prepared. On the closing pages kids see the extended family gathered at the table enjoying the feast that all of had a hand in preparing. Author/artist Falwell's collage illustrations are clear and counting the objects on each page is but one aspect of the book's fun. It is a warm family story, which has been reissued as a board book, that features African-Americans. 2003 (orig. 1993), Clarion/Houghton Mifflin, Ages 2 up.
— Dr. Beverly Kobrin and Marilyn Courtot

School Library Journal

PreS-K-- In this rhyming counting book, an African-American mother and her children shop for and prepare a festive family dinner. At the supermarket, the count begins with one grocery cart and ends with ten hands helping to load the car. Back at home, the father joins in the preparations and the numbers build a second time to ``ten hungry folks'' seated around a table ready to share a tasty meal of fried chicken and greens. The successful rhyme scheme builds a natural rhythm that helps the simple text read smoothly. Collage illustrations combine colored paper, patterned fabrics, and felt in a clear, uncluttered design. Muted colors and simple shapes are set off by a stark white background. Most of the figures, especially the baby girl with her rounded limbs and bouncing braids, are animated and expressive. At times, however, facial features seem slightly stilted and relentlessly cheerful. Still, this is an appealing glance at a typical extended family. --Joy Fleishhacker, New York Public Library