Nancy Wolff

Mmmmm…pancakes! Topped with sprinkles, whipped cream, and…gumdrops? Tallulah loves to experiment with recipes for her absolute favorite food in the whole, wide world: pancakes. From coconut and jelly-bean to chocolate chip flip with mini marshmallows, this creative cat treats her fellow animal friends to an assortment of delicacies, some of which they’d rather do without! The formal text ranges from simple three-word sentences to modest paragraphs providing detailed accounts of the action illustrated in the bold, abstract images brightly displayed across each page. An array of additional text arrangements dons the pages, including witty call-outs, instructive lists, and comical side notes and hints. The saturated primary palette is augmented with multivariate patterns ranging from lines and circles to color-washed newspaper print. A series of imaginative and chaotic scenes unfold as the narrator describes Tallulah’s kitchen routine and notes her friends’ reactions along the way. With the seemingly ceaseless barrage of shapes, colors, and images coupled with humorously sarcastic undertones, the story will appeal to everyone from toddlers to adults. One caveat: owing to the rather unconventional format and magnitude of diverse elements, inexperienced readers would likely benefit from engaging in a read-aloud of the book with an adult.… (plus d'informations)

Tallulah loves to cook and in this crazy-quilt-color story, she and her friends make delicious pancakes. The instructions are given step by step, with plenty of warnings about safety and cooking tips. There's not really a plot, as the point of the story is walking a child through the pancake cooking process, but the colors are bright and attractive and there are plenty of little accidents to provide humor along the way. I found the actual recipe difficult to read since it was cluttered in with the colorful art, but I see this is a popular picture book so probably that's just my poor eyesight.

Verdict: This book is best suited for caregiver-child interaction, unless you happen to have a stove in your storyroom!

ISBN: 0805074635; Published May 2005 by Henry Holt; Borrowed from the library… (plus d'informations)

Tallulah is a talented cat. She cooks often and is something of a pancake academic. The book cleverly guides the audience through a recipe for pancakes. Young readers are introduced to some kitchen terminology and rules, and older readers can appreciate some more mature humor in between the lines. The illustrations featured an odd imposition of obscured recipe texts over floor tiles and equipment. Tallulah is even a shrewd businesswoman, recognizing that "cutting a profit" isn't all that bad. Should we believe that cooking is valuable as a form of art, or as a means to profit, or as both?… (plus d'informations)