friday feast: Too Many Tomatoes by Eric Ode and Kent Culotta (+ a recipe!)

January 29, 2016September 6, 2017 ~ jama ~ 65 Comments

TOMATOES, TOMATOES, TOMATOES!

Sing a song of plump, juicy, vine-ripened tomatoes! Is there anything better than freshly picked homegrown beauties with their promise of mouthwatering soups, salads, sandwiches, salsa, and sauces? Or why not just eat them all by themselves? Hold the essence of summer in your hand, inhale the fragrance of lazy sunny days, then bite into that tempting globe of delight, letting the juice run down your chin. Mmmmmm!

Though it’s winter now in my part of the world, this brand new rhyming picture book by Eric Ode and Kent Culotta has me dreaming of dining al fresco with a cup of zesty gazpacho, a sassy tomato tart, bruschetta pomodoro, panzanella, caprese, veggie pizza and fresh pasta with arugula and parmesan. I could easily whip up all these dishes with the barrels and buckets and bushels of tomatoes described in Too Many Tomatoes (Kane Miller, 2016). 🙂

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hotTEAs of Children’s Literature: Dan Yaccarino

January 28, 2016September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 8 Comments

Dan Yaccarino is an internationally acclaimed artist, author, and producer who has created over 50 children’s books as well as his own animated television series. He has garnered many prestigious awards as well as an invitation to the White House to read his books.

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: I usually drink a cup of Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea. I quit coffee about 2 years ago. I promise not to prosthelytize about the evils of caffeine.

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESSES: Five Little Bunnies, written by Tish Rabe (HarperFestival, January 2016); Zorgoochi Intergalactic Pizza: Delivery of Doom (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, 2014); Doug Unplugged (Knopf, 2013). Forthcoming: Class Pet Squad: Journey to the Center of Town (Feiwel & Friends, June 2016); three board books in the Happyland Series: Birthday Cake, Big Berry, Rainy Day (Workman, August 2016); I Am A Story (HarperCollins, October 2016).

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett and Ron Barrett (Atheneum, 1982). I always loved reading that book to my kids. I’m kind of a foodie, but not the fancy type. I travel a lot and wherever I go, I try to seek out the hole in the wall place that only the locals go to have that one particular item that is unique to that area.

☕ Visit Dan Yaccarino’s Official Website and YouTube Channel

☕ ☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Book trailers for Zorgoochi Intergalactic Pizza: Delivery of Doom + Doug Unplugged

☕ ☕ ☕ CAN’T GET ENOUGH: More about Dan’s books!

☕ ☕ ☕ ☕ STILL THIRSTY!!: Check out Mr. Cornelius’s favorite episode from Dan’s Emmy-winning animated series, Willa’s Wild Life, “Unbearable Bear”!

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hotTEAs of Children’s Literature: Jane Dyer

January 21, 2016September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 19 Comments

I began my career as a kindergarten teacher and my students’ parents said I should be illustrating children’s books. My first book was GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS in 1984, and I have illustrated over sixty books since then. (Pictured here with my lamb Blossom in our summer playhouse in Western Massachusetts.)

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: My newest favorite tea is Peppermint Bark from The Republic of Tea, which is made with organic green rooibos, peppermint, vanilla, and cocoa. But I begin each morning with their Double Dark Chocolate Maté. As you can see, there is a theme here.

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESSES: The House That’s Your Home, written by Sally Lloyd-Jones (Schwartz & Wade, February 2015). Forthcoming: All We Know, written by Linda Ashman (HarperCollins, March 2016).

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK(s): Thundercake by Patricia Polacco (Philomel, 1990); Fanny at Chez Panisse by Alice Waters and Ann Arnold (HarperCollins, 1992); Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons, written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (HarperCollins, 2006) and Blue Moon Soup: A Family Cookbook, written by Gary Goss (Sky Pony Press, 2013).

☕ Visit Jane Dyer’s Official Website and blog.

☕ ☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Read aloud of Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons:

☕ ☕ ☕ CAN’T GET ENOUGH: Sugar Cookies: Sweet Little Lessons on Love:

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hotTEAs of Children’s Literature: Matt Tavares

January 15, 2016September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 15 Comments

Matt wrote and illustrated his first picture book as his senior thesis at Bates College in 1997. That book, Zachary’s Ball, was published by Candlewick Press in 2000. Since then, Matt has published fifteen more books, and is working on more. Matt lives in Maine with his wife and two daughters.

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: Coffee, with a bit of Hood golden egg nog (when seasonally appropriate), preferably out of my Mazza Museum mug.

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESS: Growing up Pedro: How the Martinez Brothers Made it from the Dominican Republic All the Way to the Major Leagues (Candlewick, February 2015). Forthcoming: Crossing Niagara: The Death-Defying Tightrope Adventures of the Great Blondin (Candlewick, April 2016).

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK: June 29, 1999 by David Wiesner (Clarion, 1992).

☕ Visit Matt Tavares’s Official Website. Don’t forget to check out his online shop, where you can order signed giclée prints and hardcover copies of all his books!

☕☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Growing up Pedro Book Trailer:

☕ ☕☕ CAN’T GET ENOUGH: Matt and Growing Up Pedro were recently featured on Portland’s Channel 8 News “Made in Maine” Segment:

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Please Look After Michael Bond on His 90th Birthday. Thank You.

January 13, 2016June 25, 2024 ~ jama ~ 26 Comments

HOLY MARMALADE!

The one and only Michael Bond is 90 years old today!

All of us here at Alphabet Soup — especially the 50-something resident Paddingtons — are in a full out tizzy of joy. We’ve been rereading the stories, noshing on marmalade sandwiches, sloshing about in our wellies, and ever-so-politely tipping our bush hats to honor the man who gave us our beloved bear from Darkest Peru some 57 years ago.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Rescuing a lone bear from a department store shelf on Christmas Eve says a lot about a man. This small kindhearted gesture would prove to be delightfully fortuitous, spawning a bear chapter book written in just 10 days, 25 more published novels, numerous picture books, board books, an avalanche of Paddington-related toys and other merchandise, several television series, a play, and an award-winning motion picture. Paddington’s likeness has appeared on postage stamps and marmalade jars, and a Paddington balloon was recently introduced in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.