My Pop Pop and Me
by Irene Smalls
Illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson
This story for very young children shows a young preschooler making a cake with his Pop
Pop. The rhyming text is filled with sounds - clink clink, sizzle sizzle, twisk twisk -
and action. The lovely watercolor illustrations do a wonderful job of fleshing out the
simple text - showing an active happy child and his loving grandfather. And Johnson's
use of occasional fantastic illustrations (such as the grandfather and child carrying
a huge cake as they walk across the top of the kitchen timer) really helps add
a whimsical, imaginative touch. In all, I was much more delighted in the illustrations
than the text, which really strains sometimes for a sound effect and frequently deviates
from the set meter, making it somewhat challenging to read aloud. Still, the book is a
warm hug of affection and a perfect gift for any child with a special Pop Pop. And the
book comes with a tasty sounding lemon cake recipe (though I wonder if the illustrator
should have tried making the cake before drawing it - but just for the record, it's yum.) |
The Book |
Little, Brown and Company |
May 2005 |
Hardcover |
0316734225 |
Picture book [Age Level: Ages 4 - 8] |
More at Amazon.com |
Excerpt |
NOTE: |
The Reviewer |
Jan Fields |
Reviewed 2006 |
NOTE: Reviewer Jan
Fields is the editor of Kid Magazine Writers emagazine and has written dozens of
stories and articles for the children's magazine market. |
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