The Seven Silly Eaters (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Illustrator) "Not so long ago, they say, A mother lived-just like today..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-3?In this highly comic rhyming romp that surprisingly (and nicely) twists into a birthday story, Hoberman and Frazee tweak fussy eaters with style and panache. The author's lighthearted touch takes readers swiftly through the arrival of the Peters's seven children?each with a distinct bias for the food that he or she will or will not eat. Peter likes milk of a certain temperature, Lucy demands homemade pink lemonade, Jack limits his menu to applesauce, Mac insists his oatmeal be strained, Mary Lou consumes only "soft and squishy homemade bread," and the twins are strictly egg eaters. While Mrs. Peters lovingly accommodates her brood, Frazee's illustrations energetically depict the true story. Chaos reigns throughout the house as Mrs. Peters squeezes, strains, peels, kneads, and bakes, becoming wearier with every passing year. The minutia of a seven-child home spills around the pictures in a realistic but never obtrusive way, and the artist further bolsters the scenes with individualized and effective facial expressions and body postures. When Mother's birthday approaches, the children, taxing in their dietary demands but nonetheless loving, decide to treat her to "A breakfast made of all the foods/that kept them in such happy moods." The result, both hilarious and satisfying, could add humor to classroom units on nutrition and to discussions on sibling relationships; the book will also be a good companion to Lee Bennett Hopkins's Munching (Little, Brown, 1985).?Barbara Elleman, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 4^-8. The combination of food and farce makes for an affectionate rhyming picture book about a family of picky eaters who drive their mother frantic. As each baby is born, it makes its rigid nutritional tastes known through bellowing demands. For example, Peter wants milk, but it must be warm, not hot, not cold. Mary Lou has to be fed "soft and squishy homemade bread. Jack--all he'll eat is applesauce. One twin wants poached eggs, the other fried. The line-and-color illustrations extend the silly fun as the comfortable house gets more and more cluttered and chaotic. Father is somewhere in the background, but the focus is on Mrs. Peters, nearly always pregnant, trying to play her cello, and increasingly overwhelmed by the appetites of her family. Then the kids surprise her, and themselves, in a gloriously messy climax that allows everyone to eat and Mom to have a life. Hazel Rochman

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (February 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152000968
• ISBN-13: 978-0152000967
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #66,855 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely., February 13, 2003

By	Tsila Sofer Elguez "Tsila Sofer Elguez" (Haifa, Israel) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Seven Silly Eaters (School & Library Binding)

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.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Our family's favorite book!, September 26, 1998

By A Customer

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!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mary Ann Hoberman strikes gold again with this tale, July 9, 2002

By	Catherine S. Vodrey (East Liverpool, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Seven Silly Eaters (Paperback)

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."