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: Ethan Long

December 17, 2015September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 11 Comments

Ethan Long is an internationally recognized children’s book author with over 70 titles to his credit, including the Geisel Award-winning Up, Tall and High, Chamelia and the New Kid in Class, and Tickle the Duck! He is also the creator of Tasty Time with Zefronk, which currently airs worldwide on the Disney Channel. Ethan lives in Orlando, Florida, with his wife and three children.

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: Tea is good. Coffee is ok if you put cream and sugar in it. But hot chocolate made from scratch…mmm. One heaping tablespoon of Hershey’s Cacao Special Dark and one and a half tablespoons of sugar, and of course, hot, hot water or milk.

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESSES: Fright Club (Bloomsbury, August 2015), Ms. Spell (Holiday House, July 2015); In, Over and On the Farm (Putnam’s, August 2015), and Good Night! (Abrams Appleseed, September 2015). Forthcoming: Thank You! (Abrams Appleseed, January 2016), Lion & Tiger & Bear: Tag! You’re It! (Abrams, March 2016).

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK: Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola (Prentice Hall, 1975).

☕ Visit Ethan Long’s Official Website

☕☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Book Trailers for In, Over and On the Farm + Ms. Spell!

☕ ☕ ☕ CAN’T GET ENOUGH: Watch an episode of Tasty Time with ZeFronk — Ze Pancakes!

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hotTEAs of Children’s Literature: Elisha Cooper

December 10, 2015September 25, 2017 ~ jama ~ 14 Comments

I write and illustrate children’s books, and other books. I live in Greenwich Village with my family, though I spend a lot of time in Brooklyn, writing in cafes and drinking too much coffee. (Pictured here with my espresso machine and our lazy barista.)

☕ CUPPA OF CHOICE: Stumptown, Hair Bender beans. My morning Cortado.

☕ HOT OFF THE PRESS: 8: An Animal Alphabet (Orchard Books, 2015).

☕ FAVE FOODIE CHILDREN’S BOOK(s): Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey (Puffin, 2002), or, In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak (HarperCollins, 1996).

☕☕ Visit Elisha Cooper’s Official Website

☕☕☕ JUST ONE MORE SIP: Check out Elisha’s Facebook Author Page for very cool behind-the-scenes tidbits about 8: An Animal Alphabet.

☕☕☕☕ CAN’T GET ENOUGH: Elisha discusses the genesis of 8: An Animal Alphabet and shares wonderful pics and sketches at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

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