Put It On the List by Kristen Darbyshire
Posted by: Cindy Dobrez and Lynn Rutan
Lynn: There is nothing more irritating than pouring a bowl of cereal and discovering there is no milk. Not only is the chicken family in Put It On the List (Penguin/Dutton 2009) out of milk, they are also out of syrup, diapers, cheese, jelly and, worst of all, toilet paper. Something has to be done! Kristen Darbyshire takes a common family happening and runs with it in this charming picture book. Kids might not have to eat pickled grubs on their macaroni like the chicken family but they will all remember running out of something important. Darbyshire uses simple geometric shapes and bold colors so appropriate for young readers while conveying volumes in each drawing. Our focus group spent a lot of time tracing the route through the grocery store and greatly enjoyed the cover art which flows from front to back. Fun and a nice message about organization. Now where IS my grocery list? The boys and I and my 89-year-old mother will be braving the grocery store together today.
Cindy: This is one of those picture books that provides entertainment and chuckles for the both the adult reader and the child being read to. No one remembers to put cereal on the list, but someone adds “pony” every chance she gets. And running out of napkins is crucial when it leaves you with no means to hide your lima beans (I’d be more concerned with the pickled grubs, myself). I’m hoping this isn’t the last we see of this adorable chicken family. This book will be fun any time of year, but with lots of shopping taking place over the upcoming holiday season, this book should end up in your library or shopping basket. Put it on your list before you forget.
November 25th, 2009 at 5:54 am
I thought this was just delightful. Very very amusing.
November 26th, 2009 at 2:12 am
Sonds like a good read, it’s great when you read a picture or a kids novel and it’s adult enjoyable too. I recently read Ghostnapped by Ashley Howland to my class. They loved it and so did I, took me back to my old days of family camping trips, very entertaining. Check it out at: http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/Ghostnapped.html