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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs #1
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
An imaginative story of amazing food weather that inspired the hit movie, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a favorite of grown-ups and children everywhere.
The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town—except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers.
Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the people feared for their lives.
Something had to be done, and in a hurry.
Edition MSRP: $7⁹⁹ U.S. / $9⁹⁹ CAN (978-0-689-70749-0)
The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town—except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers.
Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the people feared for their lives.
Something had to be done, and in a hurry.
Edition MSRP: $7⁹⁹ U.S. / $9⁹⁹ CAN (978-0-689-70749-0)
32 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1978
About the author
Judi Barrett
54 books104 followersJudi Barrett is the author of many well-loved books for children, including Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Pickles to Pittsburgh, Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing, and Things That Are Most in the World. She teaches art to kindergarten students at a school in her Brooklyn, New York, neighborhood. And she usually doesn't mind going to the dentist!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,464 reviews
November 6, 2016
In case you're wondering, I'm doing everything I can so I don't go back to the Crooked Kingdom. :D
Again, I didn't know this is a book. I've seen both animated movies and I liked them. This is a slightly different story, but it's beautiful nonetheless.
We have a very nice grandpa telling his two nephews the story of the city of Chewandswallow, a city where people don't buy food at the store. The food just comes down from the sky instead of rain or snow.
Again, I didn't know this is a book. I've seen both animated movies and I liked them. This is a slightly different story, but it's beautiful nonetheless.
We have a very nice grandpa telling his two nephews the story of the city of Chewandswallow, a city where people don't buy food at the store. The food just comes down from the sky instead of rain or snow.
March 3, 2020
While Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is of course first and foremost simply a fun romp, both Judi Barret’s narrative and Ron Barrett’s accompanying artwork also manage to convey rather vividly how food can become a rather massive problem when it is uncontrollable or uncontrolled. And in my humble opinion, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs actually seems to combine two European folklore traditions, the legend of the Land of Cockaigne, the so-called Schlaraffenland, a utopian land of milk and honey, where residents do not have to work and where food is not only readily available, but where fish, already cooked, swim in the rivers, and the houses are made of gingerbread and candies, and indeed the many folklore stories presenting uncontrollable cooking and food (often with magic pots that continue cooking porridge etc. until the entire house is engulfed). There is thus a strong attitude featured in folklore that free and magical food (and that one does not have to do much in order to receive or eat it) is not only often too good to be true, but that it can easily have adverse effects if one is unable or in some cases, unwilling to control and master it.
Now I have always enjoyed stories about food getting out of control, and the idea of an El Dorado like food utopia ending up as a dystopia really resonates with me, both tickling my funny bone and also of course making me think a bit. I do wonder though if I would have seen the presented dystopic elements all that clearly in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs if I had read this story as a child (probably not). However, even as a child I loved stories like The Land of Cockaigne, where, as mentioned above, food grew on trees, the walls of the houses were made of gingerbread and the rivers flowed with wine and ready-to-eat seafood. And I do remember actually trying to take a bite out of my bedroom wall (I was about five at the time) because I thought it might just be made of gingerbread (funny now, but I was rather disappointed when the bedroom walls did not turn into gingerbread for me, and also wondered how I would be able to explain the presence of those tooth marks in my bedroom wallpaper to my mother).
Now I have always enjoyed stories about food getting out of control, and the idea of an El Dorado like food utopia ending up as a dystopia really resonates with me, both tickling my funny bone and also of course making me think a bit. I do wonder though if I would have seen the presented dystopic elements all that clearly in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs if I had read this story as a child (probably not). However, even as a child I loved stories like The Land of Cockaigne, where, as mentioned above, food grew on trees, the walls of the houses were made of gingerbread and the rivers flowed with wine and ready-to-eat seafood. And I do remember actually trying to take a bite out of my bedroom wall (I was about five at the time) because I thought it might just be made of gingerbread (funny now, but I was rather disappointed when the bedroom walls did not turn into gingerbread for me, and also wondered how I would be able to explain the presence of those tooth marks in my bedroom wallpaper to my mother).
July 26, 2020
Great illustrations of a town getting absolutely wrecked by food and people sailing away on boats made of giant stale bread.
September 10, 2016
“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is a cult classic children’s book by Judi Barrett along with illustrations by Ron Barrett and it is about a magical town called Chewandswallow (chew and swallow, get it?) where food just falls from the sky and provides people with everything they need. But what happens when there is too much food falling from the sky? “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is definitely one unusual and creative book ever created for children!
Judi Barrett has certainly done an excellent job at writing this story as it is full of creativity and excitement! I mean what other book talks about a town where food just falls from the sky and people just eat the food from the sky like nothing? That is what I really loved about this book since I never read a book about food falling from the sky and that proves just how imaginative Judi Barrett made this book from any other children’s book! Ron Barrett’s illustrations are extremely creative and gorgeous, especially when he illustrates the actual family’s life in black and white while the illustrations of the town of Chewandswallow is shown fully in color, which truly brings out the creativity of the make believe town. I also love the illustrations of the different kinds of food that falls from the sky, especially of the images of a dozen hamburgers falling from a storm cloud as it looked quite unusual.
All in all, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is a truly brilliant book for children who are food lovers and just loves book about pure imagination! I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since the book might be too lengthy for smaller children and there are some intense scenes with the falling food covering the town that might scare younger children.
Did you watch this movie yet?
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
July 12, 2018
I saw previews for this movie and it seemed to ever-loving stupid to me. Still, I gave the book a chance and it was amazing. The idea is so fresh and new and unusual and strange. Why hasn't someone thought of this before now? The story is told as a bed time tale of a long time ago in a land far away. In this land, food falls from the sky. That sounds so messy. Being drenched in butter or soda so horrible.
Still the art was amazing and the story inspired my imagination. Anything is possible in the context of a story. Don't limit those possibilities. I love when a new idea lights me up.
The kids liked this story from 1978 too. They thought hamburgers falling from the sky was amazing. They gave it 5 stars too. Great story.
Still the art was amazing and the story inspired my imagination. Anything is possible in the context of a story. Don't limit those possibilities. I love when a new idea lights me up.
The kids liked this story from 1978 too. They thought hamburgers falling from the sky was amazing. They gave it 5 stars too. Great story.
October 22, 2023
Just saying... Children's books are superior.
July 16, 2019
انیمیشن ابری با احتمال بارش کوفته قلقلی رو از این کتاب کودک بامزه ساختند
خطر اسپویل*
ماجرا از این قراره پدر بزرگی برای نوه هاش از شهری میگه که توش به جای برف و بارون روزی سه مرتبه غذا می باره و مردم شهر هم دیگه نیازی به خرید غذا ندارن و با خوبی و خوشی زندگی می کنند تا اینکه غذاها شروع میکنن به بزرگ و بزرگ تر شدن...
واقعا تصور دنیایی که به جای برف ، بستنی بباره خیلی شیرینه هااا :))) !؟
خطر اسپویل*
ماجرا از این قراره پدر بزرگی برای نوه هاش از شهری میگه که توش به جای برف و بارون روزی سه مرتبه غذا می باره و مردم شهر هم دیگه نیازی به خرید غذا ندارن و با خوبی و خوشی زندگی می کنند تا اینکه غذاها شروع میکنن به بزرگ و بزرگ تر شدن...
واقعا تصور دنیایی که به جای برف ، بستنی بباره خیلی شیرینه هااا :))) !؟
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November 2, 2007OK, this was really my favorite book for most of my childhood. I would pretend to read it before I could actually read (I had simply memorized it from hearing it so many times) and I remember feeling sooo guilty about all the praise I got for being such a good reader at such an early age. Man alive! Really, I think my love for this book stemmed from the fact that I was a deprived child. Well, I suppose I was never deprived of health food like oatmeal and tofu, but I only got white bread with sweet (or sugary rather) peanut butter @ friends houses. I'm pretty certain I was only friends with some kids for the access to junk food that visits to the their homes allowed me. That being the case, you can imagine what the prospect of a world where such delights fell from the sky and were all mine for the taking would do to me. My plan was to catch extra portions of the foods I liked and hide them under my bed so that I could have whatever food I wanted whenever I wanted it, and nobody could stop me. Yes, while some kids were dreaming of being astronauts and ballerinas I was dreaming of stockpiling junk food under my bed. Sounds about right.
May 6, 2015
I loved this book. The artwork is wonderful and the way the text is so dry and matter-of-fact is so funny. I can't wait to see the film.
May 29, 2010
Oh, I just loved this book. The irony. I think this book hadn’t appealed to me that much because of the meatballs. Even though I like premises that are silly. First, I assumed the story would be all about meatballs but it was actually about all sorts of foods, and the main story is also actually a story within a story, and that worked really well. Also, in the back author bio section, the illustrator’s blurb in my edition says: “Mr. Barrett says his drawing of meatballs in no way endorses their consumption. He’s a vegetarian.” This book was published in 1978, and I became a vegetarian (most of the time-it took me a while to make the transition fully) in early 1977.
The story is funny and creative and entertaining.
The illustrations are wonderful! I love how each picture, the black & white and the color ones, seem to be created using tiny lines. I just love the effect; I don’t know what the style is called though, but I know I appreciate it.
This is a book about which I’ve always been curious so I’m really grateful it’s one of the June selections for the Picture Books group at the Children's Books group. The month’s theme is culinary. So far, this picture books group’s themes and books have all been wonderful!
Now, I’m eager to read the sequel:
Pickles To Pittsburgh: A Sequel To Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
The story is fun and the illustrations are special. To sum it up: incredibly creative, imaginative, funny, really great illustrations, and the illustrator is even a vegetarian. So, it was my kind of book after all.
So many good illustrations but the ones that most tickled my funny bone were Floyd's birthday party scene, a day when the weather provided only brussel spouts and peanut butter with mayonnaise, and the tomato tornado scene.
The story is funny and creative and entertaining.
The illustrations are wonderful! I love how each picture, the black & white and the color ones, seem to be created using tiny lines. I just love the effect; I don’t know what the style is called though, but I know I appreciate it.
This is a book about which I’ve always been curious so I’m really grateful it’s one of the June selections for the Picture Books group at the Children's Books group. The month’s theme is culinary. So far, this picture books group’s themes and books have all been wonderful!
Now, I’m eager to read the sequel:
Pickles To Pittsburgh: A Sequel To Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
The story is fun and the illustrations are special. To sum it up: incredibly creative, imaginative, funny, really great illustrations, and the illustrator is even a vegetarian. So, it was my kind of book after all.
So many good illustrations but the ones that most tickled my funny bone were Floyd's birthday party scene, a day when the weather provided only brussel spouts and peanut butter with mayonnaise, and the tomato tornado scene.
June 20, 2010
I know I read this as a kid but for some reason it didn't leave me with a big "lasting impression" or any sort of feeling I could really latch onto when I thought about the book as an adult. So, I came to it fresh, in a way. And I was MAJOR impressed! The story is so much fun, so imaginative and hilarious (and a tad scary at times!) and it's the best sort of tall-tale, causing our minds to boggle even as we realize maybe some of it could have shadows of truth in the real world. It might even cause us to ponder the role food plays in our lives. I wasn't sure that I'd enjoy the illustrations at first--the kids and mom at the breakfast table looked a tad odd to me--but I ended up falling in love with them! They were SO detailed and fascinating! And they added so much to the story! I loved the quirky little touches, like the movie theater playing "Breakfast and Tiffany's" and the like. So cute!
January 4, 2016
As one of my favorite books when I was a little girl~ I revisit this book every few years to see if it still holds up to what I remembered & loved.
And It is still in my top 5 Favorite books of all time! The story is cute & endearing while being silly & playfully semi-serious at the same time. Plus the illustrations are just flat out amazing. Even after all these years of art enhancements & the digital art age~I still think this extremely detail-oriented cross hatch style of illustration is gorgeous and not seen much of anymore in art, much less in children's books. There are so many hidden gems drawn within each of the panels & the I still adore the subdued color pallet on some pages in contrast to the straight black & white illustrations. I also think it teaches the subtle lesson of "too much of a good thing"
And It is still in my top 5 Favorite books of all time! The story is cute & endearing while being silly & playfully semi-serious at the same time. Plus the illustrations are just flat out amazing. Even after all these years of art enhancements & the digital art age~I still think this extremely detail-oriented cross hatch style of illustration is gorgeous and not seen much of anymore in art, much less in children's books. There are so many hidden gems drawn within each of the panels & the I still adore the subdued color pallet on some pages in contrast to the straight black & white illustrations. I also think it teaches the subtle lesson of "too much of a good thing"
April 9, 2018
The movie adaptation is wonderful and so is this book. I loved the illustrations!
Although the plot is very plain and childlike (that's why it is a children's book) yet I loved it.
I wish there were a place like Chewandswallow. :P
Although the plot is very plain and childlike (that's why it is a children's book) yet I loved it.
I wish there were a place like Chewandswallow. :P
December 8, 2008
Mother nature cooks up a storm, literally, in this madcap story with plenty of silliness to go around.
Ages 4-10
The town of Chewandswallow has some wild weather, bringing meals like burgers, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, and of course meatballs three times a day. Then, things start to go crazy and odd things start happening, like an entire day of just gargonzola cheese and eventually a "tomato tornado" and the poor sanitation department could no longer keep up. This book uses such fun language to describe weather effects, like drizzle, clearings, and downpour. The language is delightful and the illustrations, while not overly colorful, are still detailed and fun. The absurdity and silliness in this story make it a joy to read and the combining of two familiar concepts, food and weather, into one story are sure to stoke the imagination. Kids of this age group will love the fanciful, over the top, giant ideas presented in this book.
About This Book
Here's another wonderfully written and illustrated story by the Barrett team. Receiving a place on the prestigious New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year list, this book skillfully and subtly blends funny storytelling and full-color illustrations with a very real twist about how weather can affect people's environments.
Life in the wonderful town of ChewandSwallow is great: Some of its citizens even say it's downright delicious! Instead of snow, wind, or rain, they get a different kind of weather that falls from the sky three times a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The only bad part about living in ChewandSwallow is that the people don't get their choice of what they'd like to fall from the sky: it may snow mashed potatoes, or rain juice or soup, or there might even be a storm of hamburgers that takes them by surprise. But no one is too worried about the weather, until it takes a turn for the worse — the portions of food get larger and larger and fall faster and faster, until everyone in the town fears for their lives. They all need to think of a plan, and they need one fast! With teamwork, smarts, and some extra-large bagels, Chewandswallow residents are able to save themselves from the torrential weather. A cheerful approach to gearing up for a science lesson or just for reading aloud, this book makes food and weather fun.
A good review and I agree that it is a good starting point for a weather discussion, especially because of the great terms used in the story.
Ages 4-10
The town of Chewandswallow has some wild weather, bringing meals like burgers, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, and of course meatballs three times a day. Then, things start to go crazy and odd things start happening, like an entire day of just gargonzola cheese and eventually a "tomato tornado" and the poor sanitation department could no longer keep up. This book uses such fun language to describe weather effects, like drizzle, clearings, and downpour. The language is delightful and the illustrations, while not overly colorful, are still detailed and fun. The absurdity and silliness in this story make it a joy to read and the combining of two familiar concepts, food and weather, into one story are sure to stoke the imagination. Kids of this age group will love the fanciful, over the top, giant ideas presented in this book.
About This Book
Here's another wonderfully written and illustrated story by the Barrett team. Receiving a place on the prestigious New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year list, this book skillfully and subtly blends funny storytelling and full-color illustrations with a very real twist about how weather can affect people's environments.
Life in the wonderful town of ChewandSwallow is great: Some of its citizens even say it's downright delicious! Instead of snow, wind, or rain, they get a different kind of weather that falls from the sky three times a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The only bad part about living in ChewandSwallow is that the people don't get their choice of what they'd like to fall from the sky: it may snow mashed potatoes, or rain juice or soup, or there might even be a storm of hamburgers that takes them by surprise. But no one is too worried about the weather, until it takes a turn for the worse — the portions of food get larger and larger and fall faster and faster, until everyone in the town fears for their lives. They all need to think of a plan, and they need one fast! With teamwork, smarts, and some extra-large bagels, Chewandswallow residents are able to save themselves from the torrential weather. A cheerful approach to gearing up for a science lesson or just for reading aloud, this book makes food and weather fun.
A good review and I agree that it is a good starting point for a weather discussion, especially because of the great terms used in the story.
March 2, 2019
When a breakfast mishap ends with pancake all over Henry's face, Grandpa is inspired to tell the story of the small town of Chewandswallow (located "Across an ocean, over lots of huge bumpy mountains, across three hot deserts, and one smaller ocean"), where all of the residents' food needs were once provided for by the local weather. Whether it was raining soup or snowing mashed potatoes, there was always plenty to eat. But as the weather became more and more extreme - nothing but stinky gorgonzola cheese one day, destructive giant meatballs that damaged homes another - the residents slowly began to realize that they would have to abandon their town...
Originally published in 1978, this imaginative picture-book reminded me a bit of Alan Stamaty's Who Needs Donuts? , another food-themed picture-book created in the 1970s. In fact, Ron Barrett's detailed engraving-style illustrations were very reminiscent of Stamaty's artwork. That association added to my enjoyment of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, although I have to admit that, generally speaking, I may have missed the boat on this one. I never read this book as a child, and although I believe young readers will appreciate its humorous take on weather gone wild, I wasn't quite as impressed as I expected to be, given its status as a perennial picture-book favorite. Still, I'm glad it was one of this month's selections, over in the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, even if it wasn't quite my cup of tea!
Originally published in 1978, this imaginative picture-book reminded me a bit of Alan Stamaty's Who Needs Donuts? , another food-themed picture-book created in the 1970s. In fact, Ron Barrett's detailed engraving-style illustrations were very reminiscent of Stamaty's artwork. That association added to my enjoyment of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, although I have to admit that, generally speaking, I may have missed the boat on this one. I never read this book as a child, and although I believe young readers will appreciate its humorous take on weather gone wild, I wasn't quite as impressed as I expected to be, given its status as a perennial picture-book favorite. Still, I'm glad it was one of this month's selections, over in the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, even if it wasn't quite my cup of tea!
March 17, 2009
My daughter came home all excited about reading this book in school today. My son then chimed in and I soon had two children dancing around my kitchen telling me all about this book and laughing hysterically. I supposed I should read it myself before I recommend it, but my children definately gave it "two thumbs up"!
November 13, 2022
Oddly prescient about climate change and climate refugees, this ultimate celebration of the five-second rule is just too goofy for me.
June 9, 2010
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs is one of my favorite books. I read it again tonight and realized it is now 32 years old. It could have been written yesterday. It has stood the test of time. I believe years from now I will still have the same thoughts. This book holds a special place in my heart because it is a book I shared with my 2 sisters and 2 brothers. I think most little boys and girls love stories in the larger-than-life category and of course it helps that it has to do with food. Who doesn't love food? The title of this book is just perfect to explain what the book is about. Food and the weather. I get lost in the illustrations everytime I read the book. I have to pause and look at all the fun little details. I think it was a great idea to start and end the book in black and white and to make grandpa's story section color. It adds extra charm to the book. I didn't know this husband and wife team also did two other books besides the sequel Pickles To Pittsburghuntil tonight. I am excited to read them. I will add them here for others who might not know and maybe interested Animals Should Definitely Not Act Like People Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing
February 3, 2012
We read to our children often when they were little, 20 some years ago. We picked this one up by chance, and I have to say, from the moment we first opened the pages it has stuck with not just me, but them as well.
What a fabulously creative book, one that opened little imaginations wide. Wonderful prose, and illustrations that took that imagination for a ride.
We later watched the movie together as this was *the* favorite book in our house. It was fairly disappointing. Do yourself and your children a favor and read this original book, rather than the movie book, it does not compare.
What a fabulously creative book, one that opened little imaginations wide. Wonderful prose, and illustrations that took that imagination for a ride.
We later watched the movie together as this was *the* favorite book in our house. It was fairly disappointing. Do yourself and your children a favor and read this original book, rather than the movie book, it does not compare.
December 26, 2008
This is my favorite picture book. Even as a teenager, I'd hunt his book up from time to time to make sure I'd memorized all the lines correctly.
This story reads exactly like all stories told by your grandfather are supposed to. The ones where, as a kid, you keep saying 'really!', then try to verify everything via grandma, who then yells at grandpa for filling your head with nonsense.
This story reads exactly like all stories told by your grandfather are supposed to. The ones where, as a kid, you keep saying 'really!', then try to verify everything via grandma, who then yells at grandpa for filling your head with nonsense.
February 23, 2016
Very cute story with a different story inside. I can see why the kids like it. It is yummy!
October 1, 2015
Imagine if you lived in a town that only rained food and never rained rain! This story takes weather to a whole new level as readers giggle their way through the climate of one particular town. All is dandy until the townspeople starts to notice weird arrangements of foods storming in. Brussels sprouts with peanut butter? Loads and loads of broccoli? Really? The best part of the book, in my opinion, is looking at the imaginative illustrations. Not only to they make me laugh out loud, but they get me thinking about what this would really look and feel like to live in such a strange town. I highly recommend this book to anyone of any age.
July 16, 2021
3.5
Clever and guaranteed to make a child think, both imaginatively and thoughtfully. Could food really start falling from the sky? A light-hearted read, but there isn't enough here to make a movie. I haven't seen it, and I don't think I want to.
Clever and guaranteed to make a child think, both imaginatively and thoughtfully. Could food really start falling from the sky? A light-hearted read, but there isn't enough here to make a movie. I haven't seen it, and I don't think I want to.
October 21, 2007
This book always made me a bit queasy.
July 11, 2016
You know you're in a wealthy society when kids read about the sky raining food. Aside from this obnoxious premise, a highly creative, surprising story. Kudos to Barrett for including composting.
December 28, 2022
Same intro for book number four.
This Christmas the boys - my two grandsons - are finally 'too old' to be read to, but I am not too old to read to me! (Told them so!) And because of that, I'm re-reading some of our favorites from over the years. These are books I keep at my house - not theirs - and they won't get them until they (maybe) have children to read them to. This the fourth I am reviewing this Christmas, 2022...
Crazy book. Absolutely wild and unpredictable. What's to say when you mix weather with the food?
After Grandpa finishes making breakfast for the family - pancakes, which are incidentally, one of my favorites - he tells the children a story about a land far away where three times a day it rains food. All kinds of food: toast and jelly at breakfast, hot dogs for lunch, even lamb chops for supper. (This is decidedly NOT a vegan book.) Every day it's something different, but then something not-so-good happens...
Food starts coming in torrents. Too much food. Weird combinations of food: brussel sprouts with peanut butter and mayonnaise; pea soup which creates a fog around town; so much spaghetti it snarls the traffic in town and so on...
What to do? Read the book to find out, but it's a fun book, with delightful artwork - pencil sketch-type art punctuated with pops of color. Another 'children's book' which is as lovely too look at as it's fun to read.
Five stars
This Christmas the boys - my two grandsons - are finally 'too old' to be read to, but I am not too old to read to me! (Told them so!) And because of that, I'm re-reading some of our favorites from over the years. These are books I keep at my house - not theirs - and they won't get them until they (maybe) have children to read them to. This the fourth I am reviewing this Christmas, 2022...
Crazy book. Absolutely wild and unpredictable. What's to say when you mix weather with the food?
After Grandpa finishes making breakfast for the family - pancakes, which are incidentally, one of my favorites - he tells the children a story about a land far away where three times a day it rains food. All kinds of food: toast and jelly at breakfast, hot dogs for lunch, even lamb chops for supper. (This is decidedly NOT a vegan book.) Every day it's something different, but then something not-so-good happens...
Food starts coming in torrents. Too much food. Weird combinations of food: brussel sprouts with peanut butter and mayonnaise; pea soup which creates a fog around town; so much spaghetti it snarls the traffic in town and so on...
What to do? Read the book to find out, but it's a fun book, with delightful artwork - pencil sketch-type art punctuated with pops of color. Another 'children's book' which is as lovely too look at as it's fun to read.
Five stars
Read
June 6, 2022"Meatballs weren't even mentioned. What a bad title"
March 18, 2014
I read "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" by Judi Barrett. The story is narrated by grandpa to his grandkids. He tells of a far off land called Chewandswallow. There all the weather is food. It snows mashed potatoes, rains soup, and accounts for the townspeople's three meals of the day. Life in Chewandswallow is good until the weather takes a turn for the worst. The portions are getting bigger and so is the food. It finally gets so bad the the townspeople have to make boats out of stale bread and leave the island for good. No one knows what became of Chewandswallow, but nobody dares to go back!
Grandpa is the main character. throughout the book he tells his grandkids stories and makes them pancakes. He is kind, gentle, and a very good storyteller.
The story takes place in the town of Chewandswallow. It is a town on a small island. There is no direct time period, but it seems relative to current time.
Overall I would give "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" five out of five stars. I would recommend it to any reader because it has a good message, is a quick read, and has a simple vocabulary. The incorporation of pictures also really helps bring the story to life.
Grandpa is the main character. throughout the book he tells his grandkids stories and makes them pancakes. He is kind, gentle, and a very good storyteller.
The story takes place in the town of Chewandswallow. It is a town on a small island. There is no direct time period, but it seems relative to current time.
Overall I would give "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" five out of five stars. I would recommend it to any reader because it has a good message, is a quick read, and has a simple vocabulary. The incorporation of pictures also really helps bring the story to life.
July 29, 2010
Back in January I wrote a review of the film version of Cloud with a Chance of Meatballs and I promised a longer review of the book by Judi Barrett. I apologize for the delay. I really don't know where the time as gone!
The book has a framing story that begins with a mishap during breakfast. The grandfather is inspired and tells the children about a place called Chewandswallow where the weather brings food three times a day. Except near the end of the town's existence, the food gets too big and starts to be a threat to the well-being of the townspeople.
As the story is presented as a tall tale, there's no need to explain the mechanics behind the food weather or the sudden increase in the foods' size. Without that framing story I would have found the book annoying.
Although the illustration style of the book is very clearly a product of the late 1970s, the film manages to recreate many of the iconic scenes (though with different circumstances behind them). I liked seeing that connection between book and film even though they are otherwise so very different.
The book has a framing story that begins with a mishap during breakfast. The grandfather is inspired and tells the children about a place called Chewandswallow where the weather brings food three times a day. Except near the end of the town's existence, the food gets too big and starts to be a threat to the well-being of the townspeople.
As the story is presented as a tall tale, there's no need to explain the mechanics behind the food weather or the sudden increase in the foods' size. Without that framing story I would have found the book annoying.
Although the illustration style of the book is very clearly a product of the late 1970s, the film manages to recreate many of the iconic scenes (though with different circumstances behind them). I liked seeing that connection between book and film even though they are otherwise so very different.
August 23, 2008
A great story - tells not only a fascinating tall tale about the town of Chewandswallow, but also talks about the closeness of extended family. Who doesn't love a story about Grandpa's tall tales? Our oldest loves this tale and we've read it a couple of times.
This story was selected as one of the books for the June 2010 - Culinary Delights reads at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
This story was selected as one of the books for the June 2010 - Culinary Delights reads at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
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