Customer Reviews

The Seven Silly Eaters

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When you rate a children book (one that is meant to be read aloud) you rate the book from your point of view as the vocal reader and not necessarily from the kids point of view. How was the reading from your "reading" side? is it one of the books you hate having to go through or is it fun for you as well? this book is definitely a "10" for all participants. The fatigued mother (sorry fathers, the mother is the heroine here), reading the book at the end of her full day and receiving in this book something to address her side and problems (in picture and rhyme) and the child who enjoys reading about other children funny as himself - and always loves to hear about large families. Former reviewers have saluted the rhymes of Mary Ann Hoberman but I would like to honor the great drawings of Marla Frazee. The story evolves from one drawing to the next, through time passing by - portrayed by changing seasons (Summer - bathing in the lake, Autumn - falling leaves), the mother continuous pregnencies, the part of her hobby (playing the chello) in her life - central when she had one child and then forgotten all together (thrown aside) and again appearing in the end of the story. I find it always interesting (and credible) to hear about other people's problems and this is what I feel when I look at the drawings - their house is also in a constant state of a mess (although she does do her best...), the loads of laundry... the ever lasting need to go to the store, fill the house with food (mother and father are again seen with bags of groceries), isn't that what you do all day? very real and very satisfying. I cannot comment much about the rhymes as I read the (beautiful) Hebrew translation but I am sure the translator had a great original to translate from.... I would like to stress again how I love the REALITY of this book - the kids and the house life are so normal. Nothing too pretty or cute - not the kids (each one with his own personality and each one with his own craving), and not the crowded house - diaper changing on the floor, one kid is in the toilet, seven beds in one room. You might argue about the reality of the ending but this is an ending I am sure we all wish for and a perfect ending to this perfect book.

We have bookshelves full of great children's books and THIS book is one of our top 5 picks EVER! I think the four members of our family all love this book for different reasons. My 4 1/2 year old loves the characters and following each one through from page to page as they grow, keeping track of their silly antics. My 2 year old son likes the sound of the words...and has fun pointing at all the familiar things he see's in the Peter's house that we have in our house too. I love this book for the fantastic illustrations, the descriptive and fun-to-read verse, and also for the way it makes the hecticness of having small children in the house seem so normal! And even though it's a children's fiction picture book, I always finish reading it with the feeling of "well, I only have two silly eaters! I can handle THAT!". HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Prolific children's book author and poet Mary Ann Hoberman has struck gold once again in this funny tale about the seven silly eaters (all children, naturally) in the Peters family. Mrs. Peters starts off as patient as can be, as each of the seven children develops some quirk or another having to do with size, temperature, taste, or type of food that they absolutely, positively WILL NOT EAT. She bends over backwards to accomodate their likes and dislikes, and the result is that the children are able to combine their favorite foods to come up with something wonderful for their wonderful mother's birthday.

The illustrations beautifully complement the story. Artist Marla Frazee's work has something of a Hillary Knight look to it (think early "Eloise" by Kay Thompson), and she beautifully captures the frenetic wiggliness and activity inherent in a family with seven children. Lots of fun for children, especially ones who happen to be (or know!) "silly eaters."

Poor Mrs Peters is the mother of seven very picky eaters. There's the oldest, Peter, who will only drink warm milk, Lucy who drinks only homemade pink lemonade, and little Jack who eats only bowls and bowls of applesauce. Then there's Mac who only eats creamy oatmeal that has to be strained twice, and Mary Lou, lover of only soft squishy homemade bread. And last but not least the twins, Flo who eats only poached eggs, and Fran who eats only fried. As the children grow, so do their appetites, and soon a very tired and frazzled Mrs Peters can barely keep up."...Creamy oatmeal, pots of it!/Homemade bread and lots of it!/Peeling apples by the peck,/Mrs. Peters was a wreck..." To make matters worse, tomorrow is her birthday and she's sure the children have forgotten. But as she drags herself wearily up to bed, her children hatch a birthday surprise plan, and through a series of unlikely events, come up with the solution to all their future eating problems..... Mary Ann Hoberman has written a gentle and entertaining story that is sure to charm both fussy and not so fussy eaters everywhere. Her engaging, repetitive, rhyming text is full of energy and rhythm, and begs to be read aloud. Marla Frazee's bold and expressive, humorous artwork grows busier and more chaotic with each new Peters' family addition, until it almost spills off the pages. Children will enjoy exploring the inticate illustrations, and finding all the silly and special details. Perfect for youngsters 3-7, The Seven Silly Eaters is a marvelous, manic, romp, complete with a satisfying, happy ending that will tickle the funny bone of every member of your family, and is definitely a MUST for all home bookshelves.

I bought this book online because of the author & title alone, not even knowing what it was about, so when it arrived the day before my birthday, I naturally fell deeply in love with it. (It's about seven finicky children who each eat only one thing, each child with his or her own special food, and they end up creating a birthday cake for their mother out of all of their foods combined.) It's a great book, my kids (3 & 7) love it as much as I do.(Any Dr. Seuss afficianado knows that reading aloud is so much more fun when it rhymes!) The illustrations are so beautifully detailed, as well. We see new things in the pictures every time we read the book! (I especially love the laundry piled everywhere in the Peters' family house...What else would you expect, with seven little kids?!) Once you read this book, you will want to read Mary Ann Hoberman's other books! AND - HERE'S A FUN TIDBIT - DID YOU KNOW THAT HER SON CHUCK INVENTED THE HOBERMAN SPHERE? HOW TALENTED IS THAT FAMILY?

Playfully written, and humorously illustrated, my children love this book, as do we! We have a topnotch collection of children's books, and Seven Silly Eaters is among the favorites!

I've never tired of reading it to the kids, and am always amused by the story's parents, whose noble efforts to accomodate their finicky, closely-spaced, delightful children drive them into the ground--only to be revived by their kids' good intentions and a little tom-foolery in the kitchen. A heartwarming, well illustrated tale of a "90's" style collaborative, do-it-yourself hip family.

My sons age 4 and 5 love this book. Through out the story we try to remember all of the childrens names and what they liked to eat. We usualy get this book from the library, but we get it so often we decided to buy it

This book not only appeals to my two boys (ages 3 and 6), but also gives me a great laugh each time we read it. What mother can't relate to Mrs. Peter's picky little eaters? If only her outcome in feeding her family were as simple in real life! I highly recommend this book and in fact, just did to a friend of mine who was hoping to borrow it to read to her children's class. I sent her packing to the bookstore...we can't be without this book for any length of time in my house!

This book completely captured my almost 6 year old daughter's attention. We had to read it to her at least twice daily for several weeks before she'd let us read another book. She liked it so much that she finally started trying to read it herself (with our help). That is the first book that has caught her attention long enough to cause her to want to try and read. We will be buying more books by this author in the near future.

At two, my daughter loved this book. Now my son, who is three, wants us to read it every night. The rhymes and cadence are amazing (how does the author *do* that?!), the story original and engaging, pictures fabulous. Our family highly recommends this book, as a gift or for personal use.

***update, 12/14/09: almost five years after my first review, and over nine years after we first read it, this book has entered our Family Lexicon. We quote it, remark on real-life similarities to it, laugh over it, and re-read it. After hundreds of others, this book remains a family favorite. I'll probably be reading it when my kids have left for college :)***