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Poetry - Assorted Topics, Children - Poetry
Hot Potato: Mealtime Rhymes by Neil Philip — book cover

Hot Potato: Mealtime Rhymes

by Neil Philip, Claire Henley (Illustrator), Claire Henley
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Overview

This feast of poetry will satisfy even the pickiest of readers. Neil Philip’s joyous celebration of the table includes classic and contemporary selections from around the world, featuring poets like Lewis Carroll, Douglas Florian, Mary Ann Hoberman, Christina Rossetti, and A. A. Milne. Claire Henley’s mouth-watering illustrations make this delicious book perfect for sharing at mealtime, or anytime.

An anthology of short poems inspired by food, from soup to dessert, and written by such poets as Lewis Carroll, Douglas Florian, A.A. Milne, and Edward Lear.

Synopsis

This feast of poetry will satisfy even the pickiest of readers. Neil Philip’s joyous celebration of the table includes classic and contemporary selections from around the world, featuring poets like Lewis Carroll, Douglas Florian, Mary Ann Hoberman, Christina Rossetti, and A. A. Milne. Claire Henley’s mouth-watering illustrations make this delicious book perfect for sharing at mealtime, or anytime.

Valerie O. Patterson - Children's Literature

The author has selected 18 humorous poems for this tasty collection celebrating food and mealtimes. The poets whose works are represented include traditional favorites like Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, A. A. Milne, and Christina Rossetti. Other poets include Arnold Adoff, Russell Hoban, and Elizabeth Fleming. The poems range from food that's too hot to waffles made by Daddy that resemble manhole covers and "bituminous and anthracite" when Mommy sleeps in late. In "The Friendly Cinnamon Bun," the cinnamon bun does not stand a chance; it's eaten "one, two three," and the poet walks out with the cinnamon bun's "friendliness inside." In "Send My Spinach," the poet wants the offending vegetable dispatched "off to Spain" in any manner possible. Everyday would be the poet's birthday in "If I Were King of Sweden," and once a month, there would be an Easter "with enormous eggs." The illustrations complement the text without overwhelming it. The author-illustrator team collaborated previously on the well-received The Fish is Me: Bathtime Rhymes. 2004, Clarion Books, Ages 4 to 8.

About the Author, Neil Philip

Neil Philip is a noted folklorist and anthologist who has written several books on Native American and multicultural themes for Clarion, including IN A SACRED MANNER I LIVE, which was named both a YALSA Best Book for Young Adults and a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. He lives in England.

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Editorials

Children's Literature

The author has selected 18 humorous poems for this tasty collection celebrating food and mealtimes. The poets whose works are represented include traditional favorites like Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, A. A. Milne, and Christina Rossetti. Other poets include Arnold Adoff, Russell Hoban, and Elizabeth Fleming. The poems range from food that's too hot to waffles made by Daddy that resemble manhole covers and "bituminous and anthracite" when Mommy sleeps in late. In "The Friendly Cinnamon Bun," the cinnamon bun does not stand a chance; it's eaten "one, two three," and the poet walks out with the cinnamon bun's "friendliness inside." In "Send My Spinach," the poet wants the offending vegetable dispatched "off to Spain" in any manner possible. Everyday would be the poet's birthday in "If I Were King of Sweden," and once a month, there would be an Easter "with enormous eggs." The illustrations complement the text without overwhelming it. The author-illustrator team collaborated previously on the well-received The Fish is Me: Bathtime Rhymes. 2004, Clarion Books, Ages 4 to 8.
—Valerie O. Patterson

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-These 18 lighthearted poems and limericks address the subject of food and eating. The poets include Edward Lear, Arnold Adoff, John Ciardi, Douglas Florian, Christina Rossetti, and A. A. Milne. All of the entries have been previously published. Done in acrylics, the humorous single- and double-page paintings perfectly capture the playful spirit of the selections. The colorful spreads show children of different ethnic backgrounds enjoying their food, often interacting with their parents. This tempting collection would be fun to share with youngsters at mealtime or anytime. Serve it up with Lee Bennett Hopkins's Munching: Poems about Eating (Little, Brown, 1985; o.p.) and Nadine Bernard Westcott's Never Take a Pig to Lunch (Orchard, 1994).-Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A rich, if skimpy, portion of reprinted verse, this pairs generally cheery scenes of children and grownups chowing down around tables, on a picnic blanket, in a tub, and sundry other venues, with the likes of Russell Hoban's encomium to a "Friendly Cinnamon Bun," and Lewis Carroll's to "Beautiful Soup." Dads come off as clueless in Michael Rosen's title poem and John Ciardi's "Mommy Slept Late and Daddy Fixed Breakfast." Best is Douglas Florian's plea to "Send my spinach / Off to Spain. / Parcel post it / On a train. / Mail it, / Sail it / On a ship. / Just don't let it / Touch my lip." The contents are available elsewhere, and the theme's a popular one, but this is still worth dishing up to readers whose appetites aren't sated by the likes of Lee Bennett Hopkins's Yummy! Eating Through a Day (2000) or William Cole's classic Poem Stew (1981). (Poetry. 7-10)

Book Details

Published
April 1, 2004
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages
32
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780618315543

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