Mary Ann Hoberman (1930–2023)

Mrs. Peters has seven children, each one a pickier eater than the last. As her family grows, Mrs. Peters is more and more worn out from meeting her family's demands. For her birthday, the children want to cook for her but can't agree on what to make. The result is both a mess and a success.

Independent Reading Level: Grade 1- 4
Awards/Honors: Junior Library Guild Selection, Scholastic Book Club Selection, Nominated for the 2017 Illinois Monarch Reader’s Choice Award

Mary Ann Doberman wrote this book to allow children to read amongst peers and adults. This poem book is fun for children of all ages. It incorporates pair and share lesson activities. I also like the added benefit that these could possibly used as plays. Students could greatly benefit from this general and very diverse poem book.

Many of these poems are so fun to read aloud. I was reminded of Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss, not by the content per se but by the fun of the rhythms and rhymes. The content is all about double meanings and different ways to say the same thing and the peculiarities of the English language.

I love the poems, but I'm subtracting a star for the illustrations, which paled in comparison. Some of them are fine, but on the whole they were kinda blah for me.