Overview
With all the energy of a suddenly opened, well-shaken can of soda, the poet Carol Diggory Shields imaginatively creates a universe of food with a mind of its own. The claymation food by Doreen Gay-Kassel looks almost too fabulous to eat!Late one night, the salad greens declare "Lettuce have a party!" and food emerges from cabinets and cupboards to join in, until the tuna fish band tells garlic it stinks and things start to go bad.
Synopsis
With all the energy of a suddenly opened, well-shaken can of soda, the poet Carol Diggory Shields imaginatively creates a universe of food with a mind of its own. The claymation food by Doreen Gay-Kassel looks almost too fabulous to eat!
Publishers Weekly
Young readers will find Shields's (The Bugliest Bug, reviewed March 11) tongue-in-cheek food jokes irresistible in this outlandish story about the nighttime activities of the denizens of a refrigerator. When the salad greens say, Lettuce have a party! the ensuing chaos leads to a colossal kitchen food fight. The almonds acted nutty, the pretzels did a twist, the Swiss cheese yodeled when the chocolates kissed. When the macaroni elbow[s] in and the rice get[s] steamed, the ice cubes yell, Chill out, you guys! until the policemen-like spuds emerge from the potato drawer to enforce order. Only the tawny house cat witnesses the whole show, and laps up the last of the spilled milk. Gay-Kassel's (Princess Bella and the Red Velvet Hat) molded clay characters, appearing against bright two-tone backgrounds that simulate spills, wear dramatic expressions and strike comical poses that make the most of their attributes (e.g., an angry soup container's handles contribute to a hands-on-hips stance). The design and typeface grows cluttered as the chaos escalates; the text loops around, spotlighted or shadowed in various colors, and the dialogue appears in red and yellow speech bubbles. Readers' appetite for Shields's delicious puns will keep them glued to the food frenzy, and laughing at the image of the battalion of spuds keeping the groceries in line. Ages 3-7. (June) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.