Happy Belly, Happy Smile

In Caldecott Honor author Isadora's (Ben's Trumpet) celebration of a treasured ritual, Louie narrates his weekly visit to his grandfather's Chinese restaurant. The spare, straightforward prose is bolstered by collage and oil art featuring an imaginative array of textures (including snippets from takeout menus), patterns, colors and shapes. Especially strong visuals include a tank filled with tropical fish, a large paper dragon suspended from the ceiling and festive Chinese lanterns. The bustle of the kitchen, where staffers shape egg rolls and peel shrimp, while the chef chops vegetables is conveyed with similar energy. After contentedly sharing a meal with his grandfather (Louie eagerly devours steamed dumplings and shrimp chow mein, but passes on a whole fish and wide-eyed crabs), the boy moves on to dessert. Eagle-eyed kids will notice that one image is at odds with the text: Grandpa reads the fortune from Louie's cookie, which allegedly says "Happy food, happy belly, happy smile," yet the fortune seen in Grandpa's hand reads otherwise. Nonetheless, despite a lack of narrative momentum, this is a happy story starring one undeniably happy child. Ages 3â7.

September 1, 2009
PreS-Gr 1-This slight vignette follows Louie's weekly Friday visit to his grandfather's restaurant in Chinatown. He watches the chefs, waiters, delivery boy, and other workers go through their routines. He eats dinner with Grandpa Sam and runs into a friend. The story has essentially no plot and lacks transitions, making the reading choppy. The collage and oil illustrations are brightly colored and utilize some interesting materials, including actual fortune cookies and paper scraps. However, they are static, and the depictions of some of the Chinese characters verge on stereotypical. Isadora is at her best with the vivid fish tank and decorations; the photos of actual food and pieces of take-out menus are also effective. While the child/grandfather angle brings immediacy to the story, at heart it is just a laundry list of things that happen in a Chinese restaurant. And without cohesiveness or a strong story line, it is unlikely to warrant repeated readings. Pick up a copy of Ted Lewin's "Big Jimmy's Kum Kau Chinese Take Out" (HarperCollins, 2002) or Grace Lin's "Dim Sum for Everyone!" (Knopf, 2001) and pass on this forgettable offering."Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2009
Preschool-G On Fridays, Louie has dinner at his grandfather Sams Chinatown restaurant. The restaurant bustles with activity, but the busy waiters and cooks have time to greet Louie warmly. As he and his grandfather eat under a paper dragon, Louie spots his African American friend, Franklin, who declares, This is my favorite food. Louie agrees, but when a whole fish and crab entr'es appear, he is not quite so enthusiastic. At the end of the meal, Louie and Franklin stuff oranges into their mouths and smile, confirming Louies fortune-cookie prediction: Happy food, happy belly, happy smile. Isadoras characteristic collage-and-oil illustrationsattractive as alwaysincorporate patches of menus, swatches of material, and images of Chinese boats, cranes, and other Asian motifs. Like Ted Lewins Big Jimmys Kum Kau Chinese Take Out (2002), for a slightly older audience, this brief bite of Chinese cuisine will add flavor to cuisine-themed story hours.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)