A Crazy Day at the Critter Caf�

by Barbara Odanaka, Lee White (Illustrator)

Overview

Swish, zoom, swish. Clickety-clack! When a bus full of critters breaks down, a sleepy roadside café suddenly wakes up! Raccoons, elephants, zebras, and rams are only a few of the many animals demanding grub, and it is all that a cook and a waiter can do to keep up. But when Skateboard Cow swerves her way through the crowd, more than a few feathers are guaranteed to be ruffled! Rhythmic text and energetic illustrations combine for a romp of pure fun and entertainment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416939146
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	06/09/2009
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	733,075
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	AD520L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Barbara Odanaka is a former Los Angeles Times reporter who left daily journalism to backpack around the world and write children’s books. She is the author of Construction Cat, as well as Smash! Mash! Crash! There Goes the Trash and A Crazy Day at the Critter Café. Her polydactyl cat, Mittens, is much too lazy to work heavy machinery. Please visit Ms. Odanaka at BarbaraOdanaka.com.

Lee White lives with his wife and their three crazy cats in Portland, Oregon, and you can visit him online at LeeWhiteIllustration.com.

Editorial Reviews

Pres-Gr 2

"It's a quiet morning at the Critter Café./The cook was dozing in his cheese soufflé./The waiter was whistling sleepy tunes...." Then, a busload of hungry animals bursts into the restaurant. The men work frantically to serve the cacophonous crowd and satisfy picky eaters who send dishes back to the kitchen. Ultimately, a skateboarding cow brings a crashing end to the chaos, as bovine meets waiter with fully loaded tray. As food flies, the animals are unceremoniously ordered out. They pile on their bus and leave-except for the cow, who awakens in a pile of mashed potatoes and takes over when the fed-up cook and waiter flee the scene. The overlong text sometimes stretches to come up with a rhyme, and the ending seems a bit contrived. Rendered in mixed media, the muted, sketchy artwork is packed with personality. A zoo full of animals is depicted and set against crackled pastel backgrounds. Though kids will enjoy the food-fight feel of the tumultuous visit, the slight story line may not leave them fully satiated.-Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI

School Library Journal

Havoc erupts in high-spirited fashion when the animals' bus breaks down outside the local restaurant. In lively rhyme, raccoons lead the boisterous menagerie into the cozy cafe. Unfortunately for the chef and waiter, manners are lacking as the animals descend en masse. The cow skateboards down the stairs, the elephant band stomps in with tubas and the ostrich squawks for cherry strudel. The waiter's spill sets off a disastrous chain reaction, causing the server to sneeze peas from his nose. When the critters are removed for their shenanigans, the staff rejoices until a dazed bovine emerges from the mess. The rhythmic phrases combine creative wordplay and natural pacing. Changing fonts emphasize the dramatic images. While never cluttered, White's vibrant art conveys the disheveled environment. Muted, colorful backgrounds support the fluid mixed-media characters. Colorful splotches reinforce the sloppy surroundings; messy tables and flying food add amusing details. There are not too many cooks in this kitchen, as high-interest humor creates a rollicking read-aloud. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews