What's Your Favorite Food?

April 29, 2019
In the fourth book of the What’s Your Favorite series, Carle and 13 other creators introduce their chosen foods in vignettes ranging from exuberant odes to factual descriptions. Dan Santat’s favorite meal is an inviting bowl of ramen, and he presents the quintessential bottles of soy and chili sauces alongside the dish. Laurie Keller selects French fries as her favorite, with a smiling potato reminiscent of her spud from Potato Pants! (She also fibs a little: “Do you know how French fries are made? Well, the sun is
a giant potato and when its potato rays turn golden and crispy they fall to Earth!”) Karen Katz selects matzo ball soup, enjoyed by a child in pink, Felicita Sala chooses paella, and Shannon Wright highlights chicken alfredo. Another fun collaboration that will have readers thinking about their own favorite foods. Ages 4–8.

July 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-In this title, Carle and 13 of his children's book world friends write about their favorite foods. For Dan Santat, ramen is the best ever and for Laurie Keller, it is French fries. Each artist is given a spread that includes large illustrations. Text reflects the individual author's style. For example, Greg Pizzoli says his favorite food is salad: "I like the carrots, the cukes, and currants, /but what I like most of all, is that nothing in my bowl/ had parents." This title has an attractive layout and design. Text of the favorite foods ranges from one line to a couple of paragraphs. Illustrations clearly embrace the style of those featured and will be recognizable to devoted readers. Back matter includes a baby picture of each contributor as well as a mention of some of their titles. There is also a spread with pictures and a description of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. This book would work well in a group or one-on-one setting. VERDICT Highly recommended for public and school libraries to be used in programs and for circulation. This vibrant and fresh title is a winner.-Robin Sofge, Prince William Public Library System, VA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2019
Fourteen renowned author/illustrators share musings about their favorite foods. In this follow-up to What's Your Favorite Color (2017), a variety of children's-book creators present one double-page spread each about their favorite meal, snack, or dessert. Each is done in the artist's characteristic style, from Dan Santat's close attention to detail to Isabelle Arsenault's painterly presentation. The text varies significantly as well. Some entries are brief, like Misa Saburi's entry on strawberry daifuku: "Mochi stuffed with / sweet azuki paste / and a fresh strawberry / is quite magical!" Others are more informative, like Eric Carle's opening description of tannen honig, or pine honey, and some are funny, like Laurie Keller's assertion that French fries come from the sun. Greg Pizzoli inserts a sly admonition to vegetarianism, saying that "what I like most of all / is that nothing in my bowl / had parents." The final two pages show photographs of the authors (majority white and also majority women) as children with their biographies. While this collection is enjoyable enough, it remains to be seen whether children will be curious enough about the topic (especially given children's general lack of name recognition) to warrant rereading. Good for young audiences and their grown-ups looking for something quick, enjoyable, but not too filling. (Picture book/poetry. 5-8)

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July 1, 2019
In this fundraiser for the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, fourteen illustrators answer the titular question in words and pictures, from Carle's love of pine honey to Aki's declaration that "in autumn, winter, spring, or summer, ice cream is always a good idea." The book is a panoply of styles and media (notes on the art not included) with generally mouth-watering results.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2019
In this fundraiser for the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, fourteen illustrators answer the titular question in words and pictures, from Carle's love for pine honey to Aki's declaration that in autumn, winter, spring, or summer, ice cream is always a good idea. Some notes on the art would have been appreciated, but the book is nonetheless a panoply of styles and media with generally mouth-watering results. roger Sutton ?

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)