Minnie's Diner: A Multiplying Menu - Hardcover

Dodds, Dayle Ann

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0763617369 ISBN 13: 9780763617363

Publisher: Candlewick, 2004

Synopsis

With a singsong rhythm, comical illustrations, and a down-home flavor, Dayle Ann Dodds and John Manders serve up a humorous lesson in multiplication.

Down on the farm one morning, Papa McFay orders his sons to hop to their chores. But from Minnie's kitchen wafts a smell that gets the boys itchin', and one by one, they succumb to the call of that sweet aroma. Each brother arrives at Minnie's twice as hungry as his brother before — and looking for twice as much grub. Now what will happen when Papa McFay finds out his sons are gone and the chores are not done? The boys will be in double trouble for sure!

About this title

About the Author

Dayle Ann Dodds is the author of many books for children, including THE KETTLES GET NEW CLOTHES and THE SHAPE OF THINGS. She says, "When I was young, my parents had a ranch with lots of fences to paint. Often my father would wake me up early to go into town to a diner just like Minnie's for a cowboy breakfast — stacks of fluffy buttermilk pancakes piled high to the sky!"

John Manders works out of his studio in Pittsburgh, creating artwork for
such picture books as SENOR DON GATO. He says of MINNIE'S DINER, "I visited many diners, drank many cups of coffee, and ate many French fries while searching for the perfect diner."

From Publishers Weekly

This lesson in multiplication goes down smoothly, thanks to the exponential fun in the rhyming couplets and accompanying visuals. Papa McFay—seen only as an imposing shadow—orders his five sons not to chow down until they finish their chores. But a delicious aroma wafts their way from Minnie's Diner, and one after the other, the brothers shuck their responsibilities and make a beeline for the counter. Since each brother is "twice as big" as his preceding sibling, each orders twice as much as the brother before ("Make it a double," they instruct Minnie). Little Will starts the ball rolling with "1 soup/ 1 salad/ 1 sandwich/ some fries, and/ 1 of her special hot cherry pies." By the time oldest brother Dill (the spitting image of Paul Bunyan) takes his place at the counter, he's ready for 16 of everything—and Manders (Dirt Boy) paints Minnie reaching the end of her waitressing rope. With Dodds's (The Great Divide) bouncy rhymes and Manders's assured gouaches, the book takes on the vivacity of a vintage animated cartoon; it's easy to imagine a musical score toodling along as Minnie scurries about and the sinuous, ghostly line of cooking fragrance draws the boys into the diner. There's even a solid punchline: the terribly intimidating shadow of Papa McFay turns out to belong to a scrawny little fella (think Snuffy Smith) who not only succumbs to the charms of Minnie's menu, but also asks for 32 of everything—and cleans her out (Manders ends with a "Sorry, we're closed!" sign). Ages 5-8.
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About this edition

• Publisher: Candlewick
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0763617369
• ISBN 13: 9780763617363
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Manders John