Tuesday, November 21, 2006

The Peanut-Free Cafe

Koster, Gloria. The Peanut-Free Cafe. Illustrated by Maryann Coccoa-Leffler. A. Whitman,2006. ISBN 0807563862.

What seems to be a book about a child and his favorite foods ends up transforming into something much more detailed and exhilarating. This brief picture book describes the changes that elementary aged students make when a new student that is different from them in a unique way moves into town. Before the first page of text, we see a young boy’s hand trying to grab a jar of peanut butter. After the story begins, a world full of children with different cultures, ethics and backgrounds is brought to life. The text is age appropriate and sometimes very predictable to what may happen next. The illustrations are appealing to the eye because of their bright paintings and realistic features to the characters in the story. Children will enjoy this book not only because it is easy to understand, but more so because they can relate to what is happening throughout the entire story.

Sarah Kersey, BGSU student

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