Grandma's Gumbo
PreSchool-Grade 2--Kadair introduces children to her family recipe for a Creole culinary classic through a grandmother and three children who cook up a pot of gumbo. The stylized, naive collage illustrations, similar to the artist's work in There Was an Ol' Cajun (Pelican, 2002), are just as simple and effective. Unfortunately, the text does not have quite the same charm and flow as the first book. While most of the couplets roll off the tongue easily, some of them work a little too hard to complete the rhyme. Ultimately, the verses sacrifice rhythm and use vocabulary that seems somewhat out of place. However, the catchy refrain, "Just the thing to make it yumbo,/All a part of Grandma's gumbo," will be a surefire hook for young listeners who love to join in on the story. Although lacking the cultural flavor of Kadair's tale, Candace Fleming's Gator Gumbo (Farrar, 2004) is an enjoyable morality story that would make a good companion piece. Despite its flaws, Grandma's Gumbo is a tasty treat.--Sean George, Memphis-Shelby County Public Library & Information Center, Memphis, TNCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.