Yum Yum!: What Fun!

ALA Booklist

"Visually inviting with well-balanced rhythm and rhyme, Yum, Yum! will be a read-aloud favorite."

ALA Booklist

“Visually inviting with well-balanced rhythm and rhyme, Yum, Yum! will be a read-aloud favorite.”

Kristi Jemtegaard

Maland's informal lines, highly patterned interiors and delicate palette are the perfect accompaniment for this boisterous romp.
—The Washington Post

Publishers Weekly

Bergman and Maland (previously paired for Snip Snap!What's That?) serve up another deliciously scary encounter between children and wildlife. The recipe: take two kids and a dog making bread in their cozy London flat, combine four big visitors from the zoo who sneak in through the window, add a huge bear with a mouthful of big teeth and sprinkle with plenty of nervous giggles. Enticing rhymes and onomatopoeia make each animal intruder's entrance the read-aloud equivalent of a star turn: "Clump, Stump./ Did anyone see/ who slumped through the window/ with wobbly lips/ and wiggly hips/ and a lumpety bump/ of a hump?" Maland drops lots of visual hints to assure even the smallest children that there's no danger. The flat is decorated with inviting furniture, the animals look friendly, and the bear has a fatal weakness for bread and cake. Treats usually disappear quickly, but this one will last through repeated readings. Ages 3-7. (Jan.)

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Children's Literature - Carlee Hallman

Katie and James are mixing something in their kitchen as a crocodile, a camel, a snake, and a horse sneak in through the window and hide in their house. The repeated question "Did any one see…?" is answered by the refrain, "Not Katie or James or their little dog Harry." As they mix and stir, Katie and James begin to push and bash each other. Then, a large bear climbs in. Everyone sees him and is scared! What does he want? He says that he wants bread. All of the animals and children sit down at the table and eat the newly baked bread with jam, eggs, bananas, and ham. The other animals leave, but the bear searches until he finds a cake in the refrigerator. Many sounds in large letters such as "CREAK, CRACK," and "CLUMP, STUMP," and "CRASH! BASH!" accompany the action of this farcical book. The partial rhymes, alliterative noises, silly story, and humorous pictures will be fun for children learning to read. Reviewer: Carlee Hallman

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2

Katie and James and their dog, Harry, live next to the zoo. When they decide to do some baking, the delicious smells attract unexpected visitors. Various animals clomp, stomp, hiss, and thump into the room through the open window. The children are too busy to notice until the last intruder, a giant bear, crashes onto the living room floor. The children and the other creatures are afraid that they will be its next meal, but the bear is only interested in the baked goods. Relieved, the youngsters serve up an impromptu tea party. This story is a delight to read aloud. As in Snip Snap! What's That? (HarperCollins, 2005), the author uses sound-effect words and a repeated refrain to draw in readers and build suspense. The engaging text is coupled with imaginative watercolor illustrations. The characters are simply drawn, but they are set against interestingly patterned backgrounds. Maland uses a variety of perspectives and creative typesetting to portray the action. He also adds an amusing unwritten story line that shows why the children do not, at first, notice the animal visitors. Teachers, parents, and librarians will want to share this with children over and over again.-Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT

Kirkus Reviews

Katie, James and their little dog Harry are aspiring chefs, but there's one (or more) too many cooks in this kitchen in this humorous offering. As they bake, the smells waft from the children's window, and the zoo inhabitants take note. Booming sounds fill the spread as each unusual creature enters the family home unannounced, hiding behind coat racks and lamps. Dual action is hilariously depicted as the cooks begin to fight, oblivious to the unwelcome guests' antics. The bouncy text repetitively builds to a robust refrain until the zoo's leading resident enters the room: "EVERYONE saw / who stormed through the window, / rough and ready, / big and heavy, / hairy and just / a little bit scary- / even Katie and James / and their little dog Harry!" Maland's illustrations innovatively combine watercolors and photocopied drawings, exuding energy through thin, flowing lines; bold perspectives add punch as darker colors pervade the soft backgrounds. The growling giant's slanted eyes are sheer delight. Sweet with a pinch of spice, this rhyming read-aloud serves up one flavorful treat. (Picture book. 3-6)