BOOK: Cookies (Bite-Size Life Lessons) by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jane Dyer

REVIEW SUMMARY: Excellent children’s book, perfect illustrations and a must-buy.

MY RATING: [rating:5]

OVERVIEW: Fun book that hits every need that a parent is looking for in a Children’s book: great words, smart writing and incredible illustrations.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Parents are constantly on the lookout for a new children’s book for their kids’ shelf that takes language, art and some sort of lesson and incorporates all those elements in a nice package: this one fits the order.

MY REVIEW:
THE GOOD: Every now and then parents come across a children’s book that leaves the entire family in a euphoric state. Since it happened to most current parents when they were younger and their parents opened up and read “Green Eggs And Ham“, now they’re on the prowl for more books to fit their kids’ bookshelves.

Unfortunately we come across a lot of dusty dud-tomes in our book hunt but every now and then we get a gem that has our three year old staring, our six year old smiling and the parents enjoying the read. This book does all that.

The author uses cookies (and so many things related to cookies) to teach words and simultaneously share some (very funny) life lessons such as:

“Trustworthy means, if you ask me to hold your cookie until you come back, when you come back, I will still be holding your cookie.”

This would be great in itself, but Jane Dyer goes above and beyond with her lifelike illustrations with almost a nod to Norman Rockwell with their detailed beauty by showing on that “Trustworthy” page the little girl, holding and staring at a cookie and biting the side of her lip. You can’t beat that.

Definitely a great read that’ll leave parents wanting more pages and kids wanting a reread with cookies, please.

THE BAD: I wish there were more pages? There was nothing bad. Well, except maybe the desire for some kids to want cookies.

THE UGLY: Nothing ugly about this book. Printed on nice paper, the cover is a nice stock and the illustration is repeated on the hardcover. Even the inside flaps are an enjoyable read highlighting words like “SHAMELESS” when it comes to the author (you can check out Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s site here) plugging her own work and “ILLUSTRIOUS” as defined with the illustrator’s name (Jane Dyer).