One Smart Cookie: Bite-Size Lessons for the School Years and Beyond
Gr 1-2–Who wants chocolate "all-chip-in" cookies? This book uses sweet confections to explore creative ways to approach a challenge, think of others, and work hard. A brief illustrated glossary serves up a batch of essential life lessons through the collaborative activity of making cookies. The words themselves aren't always simple–e.g., "prompt," "organized," "prepared," "compromise," "empathy," "integrity"–but the explanations hit close to the heart and simplify the definition for younger readers. "CONTRIBUTE means you don't just sit back while everyone else makes the cookies; each of us is doing our part and adding something good." Old-fashioned images in bright watercolor illustrations invite readers to look twice: first at the charm of each cookie-baking vignette, and secondly at the detail given children and their animal friends joining in humanlike roles and dress. Cookies tie together the theme of the book; the making of them adds to the sweetness of the message.Mary Elam, Learning Media Services Plano ISD, TX© Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.