In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen

September 28, 1998
Three creative cousins bring can-do spirit and goodhearted fun to this new chapter book series from Newbery Medalist Rylant. Nine-year-olds Lily, Rosie and Tess are bunking with their Aunt Lucy for a whole year while their parents--ballet dancers all--tour the world. They've made a cozy haven in Aunt Lucy's attic where they can each enjoy their favorite pursuits and dream up fun things to entertain themselves. Starting a cookie company is the first order of business in In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen, and the girls manage to play match-maker for Aunt Lucy and befriend a 90-year-old neighbor on her birthday while delivering batches of cinnamon crinkles. And in A Little Shopping the girls show their flair for arts and crafts when they whip up something special for Aunt Lucy. Rylant's confident and sweet-natured heroines are the kind of girls-next-door that anyone would want to know better. Her chipper tone and succinct, yet open-ended stories will encourage her target readership to come up with their own creative projects. Halperin's (Once Upon a Company) generous sprinkling of cozy, pale-hued pencil-and-watercolor illustrations throughout capture a warm family dynamic and provide energetic expressions for a friendly cast. Ages 7-10.

As a whole summer stretches out in front of them, three cousins, Rosie, Lily, and Tess, swing into action with a plan that fills the kitchen with warm feelings and delicious smells, and also involves them with several engaging neighbors. Suzanne Toren narrates with a freshness that mirrors the girls' own enthusiasm for their baking endeavor and sense of wonderment for the varying personalities they encounter. As the girls bounce gaily along, so does Toren's light and delicate voice. Each cousin has a distinctive presence as do 90-year-old Mrs. White, cheery Aunt Lucy, and recuperating Michael Livingston. After cookies and a stunning performance, what will the summer bring next? A.R. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine